She's Baaack!!

What does life with three kids feel like?

We got a little taste of this dynamic when Bridget bid adieu for a solo getaway with Mop and Pop last weekend. We weren't sure how she would do when we said goodbye, but as you can see, she was ready!


This was a dream vacation for any 3-year old, I might add. Since Mop and Pop live so close to Disneyland, they went twice in her five day stay, and also hit up the popular Buckets of Fun (I'm happy to report that Bridget actually liked it this time!) Her little vacation also included sunning in the backyard inflatable pool, hitting up the country club kiddie pool, and lunching with Mop and her lady friends. I think she might have eaten some bon-bons too! This royal treatment is a rite of passage for all of the Mop and Pop's grandkids, at the ripe age of 3! Lucky kids!!

Meanwhile, back home, it was so strange to have Bridget missing! It was very quiet, and Megan didn't know what to do with herself. Megan and Bridget are truly a little set, and with Bridget gone, Megan was very sad. Without our middle kid, the age difference between Megan and the twins seemed huge! It made me appreciate the spacing between each of the girls so much. While having four kids in just over three years is not ideal, and never easy, for many reasons which I've enumerated here before, it is so right for our family! I'm so happy that the "big girls" have each other, and that they are so close in age. It's so sweet to watch them and listen to their little conversations. I hope they're always that close!

Of course, Megan, Tessa and Annie managed to find some fun. While Bridget was living it up in the sun, these three were bundled up in hooded jackets! Lovely San Francisco summers!

And they played entirely different games. Megan was a little entertainer for the babies, and played with their toys more (while she would usually be far, far away in her imaginary play with Bridget if she was home!).
It's amazing what a difference one less child makes: One less sippy cup in the morning. One less child yelling, "I need help wiping!!" One less kid's debris scattered throughout the house. Less laundry. One less back to give "scratchies" to at bedtime. Less hair to shampoo. One less kid to buckle up and unbuckle in the car. One less head to count at the park. And, less kisses and hugs.

Needless to say, we missed Bridget, and were very ready for her to come home!  I think Bridget missed us a little bit, too. Here she is hugging Annie:

We're all much happier to have Bridget home. Especially Megs!