I used to always get really excited about holidays because it meant time off to spend with my friends. Now, I’m excited Yev has work off, but holidays can definitely stress me out. It often means we’ll be at someone else’s house, chasing our kids around for the better half of the day, until someone has a meltdown, and it’s time to go home.
I am pleased to say, the 4th was not that day.
Yev and I have always been teammates in this marriage, but being parents of three-under-three adds several layers. We usually split responsibilities between baby and twins, so it’s not uncommon to have Yev holding a baby during a game of beer pong, while I’m with the twins in the kiddie pool. We take turns eating, so that one person is helping the kids eat or feeding the baby a bottle, while the other can actually get some nutrients in. We take turns being the sedentary parent holding a baby versus the parent that’s chasing the toddlers around saying, “No. Don’t do that. No. Don’t touch that. No. That’s not yours!”
We reach out for help when we need it, but we try to give the other parent a break when we can. And thankfully we also have our little Framily to help too. It’s pretty cool. We’re pretty much all parents now, so we have a collective network of eyes and ears on our kids at all times. And having someone give your kid a cup or water or hold her hand down the stairs seems simple enough, but it’s a game changer when you’re inside for like two seconds to use the restroom.
I am so thankful for my family and friends with whom we can share these wonderful memories. And I am grateful for my husband who is willing to be uncomfortable in environments he can’t control because he knows how important it is for our little family. Getting out is one of the hardest aspects of parenting for us, but it is also one of the most important. We couldn’t do it without our foundation of partnership and help from loved ones.
When they said it takes a village, they weren’t kidding 😂.
Jacqueline Pinchuk 