Life as the "Fourth"

Sophia is living much of her life these days as the fourth child.

No, we don't have three secret older children. But, when you consider the three other children I nanny, she is the "fourth" when I am at work. TC is 6 and in Kindergarten, Evie is nearly 5 and in preschool and Davis is 15 months and walking all over. This makes for very busy days.

Most first children have a relatively quiet existence. They get to have regular naps, most of mom's attention, etc. Sophia, however, is experiencing three days a week as if she were the fourth child in a VERY busy family! Mornings are the most chaotic, getting both older kids off to school at different times on different buses while trying to get the babies down for morning naps. Then there is the preschool pick-up where I put Sophia in her car seat in the stroller, Davis on my hip and we run into school to get Evie and go home for lunch.

Okay, yes, I'm complaining. It is SO crazy, but having this crazy job is what allows me to spend three of my working days with my precious baby girl. I am SO grateful for that, but there is a lot of guilt associated with the job.

Mostly, I feel guilty because Sophia has an irregular schedule and naps (fairly regularly) in the bathroom. Yep. Our baby used to sleep in a "box" and now she naps in the bathroom.

Why, you ask? She refuses to sleep in the pack and play they have for her here, which is strange, because she sleeps just fine in the one she has at daycare. There are so many times when I get to work in the morning, or when we get home after pre-school pick-up when she's asleep in her carseat. So, we turn the fan on in the bathroom off the kitchen and put her in there. That way, she can sleep and I can still hear her when she wakes up.

Today, however, was a different story. Once again, she wouldn't sleep in the pack and play. She was crying, Davis was whining (probably because a loud baby girl was keeping him from sleeping) and Evie was antsy. I was on the verge of a breakdown and SO looking forward to having three quiet at one time that I took drastic measures.

I buckled Sophia into her carseat and put her hat on (I swear it has magical powers in getting her to sleep), turned the fan on in the bathroom, closed the door and prayed.

Guess what?

IT WORKED!

Now, I feel guilty that Sophia's "nursery" is a bathroom. Poor baby. Someone please tell me that she won't be damaged from this later in life.

Life as the fourth.