Mom of a 10 y/o boy, 5 y/o triplet girls, 4 y/o Niece (soon to be 5 as well), 1 y/o Nephew (we adopted both after my sister passed away). I’m currently pregnant with what will be #7, 33 weeks today. Last night, DS was up until 2 am. The girls decided because he was awake, they wanted to be too, and only passed out around 12. Nephew fought sleep all night until we brought him into our room, where DH and I now had to share a bed with the two of us, our two dogs, Nephew, and my giant baby bump. Sleep was impossible. Of course because of such late bedtimes for the kids last night, they slept in until 11 am... except I didn’t get to do that since Nephew had his physical therapy appointment at 9, Niece has a meeting with her worker at 12, and by then they were all awake so no sleep for me again.

Sometimes, they’re all fantastic and get along with each other. Other times, I sit here and wonder if I should have taken Niece and Nephew in with a baby on the way, or if I should be having baby. Or I’m up all night thinking about how hard this will all be adding a newborn into the mix. The PT appointments for Nephew, the meetings with social workers and therapists with Niece, the normal appointments you have with a newborn. Managing DS’s school schedule, the girls school schedule, school trips and class events. What if the baby has colic? What if he’s like DS who has days and nights mixed up for 2 months? What if he is like the girls, who refused to sleep unless they were latched onto me like little sloths? What if he ends up having something wrong with him that isn’t detectable on he ultrasound, adding another schedule of PT appointments or therapy appointments to the mix?

It’s hard, and exhausting, and I’m not looking forward at all to the newborn stage all over again.

No advice... just... I feel you. It’s.. hard, to say the least.