Gymnastics adventure

Our family size has increased to five, five days per week. I am now taking care of a two-month old little girl, Josephine Rose App. Her mommy had to return to work Wednesday.

Wednesday was a rough day. I think that Josephine had an upset tummy. She didn't want her formula at all. She finally decided to drink some when Lucas asked to feed her. She has been primarily a breastfed baby up until now.

I take Lucas to gymnastics Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00. So Thursday, Josephine decided she was hungry at 9:30. I fed her for as long as I could, but couldn't finish because we were running late for class. Poor baby. She cried all the way there.

First question was, how to get three children- under three- safely from the van to the class? Answer, Lucas pushed Abrianna in the umbrella stroller, and I carried Josephine.

Lucas can be a little shy when class starts and wants me there with him. Josephine was still hungry. Fortunately, Tiffany stepped in and helped with Lucas so I could finish feeding baby while Abrianna happily toddled about the circle flirting with the adults.
The obstacle course was next . Lucas was choosing to ignore instructions, so he sat in time out a couple of times. Then I thought I smelled a poopy diaper. Both babies needed changing. So I hauled them across the gym to where the diaper bag was. Problem... No wipes! Abrianna was simply very wet and I didn't need wipes with her. Josephine had a poopy diaper. I didn't think I had time to go out to the van for the wipes and still allow Lucas time to participate in his class.
Tiffany to the rescue again! Thank GOD! She had wipes. So I'd just finished changing the second diaper when Lucas came running up to me, " I have to go pee!!" One baby into the stroller, one on the hip, Lucas pushing the stroller and down the hall we went to the bathroom.
Then everybody trooped back to the gymnastics room in time for the last activity with the parachute. I sat on the sideline. Josephine was sacked out on my lap. Abrianna in one arm.
Lucas came running back from the activity wailing that he'd gotten hurt. He got over that in time to play for a few more minutes and to get his stamp and sticker after class.
Then Abrianna went into the stroller, Josephine was over my shoulder, Lucas pushing the stroller again and off we headed to the van.
Lucas thought he needed to do a wheelie over the divider with sister in the stroller to get to the van despite being told no. This time it was teacher Katelyn to the rescue. She brought Abrianna over to me where I plopped her into the middle car seat next to Josephine.
Lucas came crawling up the step and under the car seats to make his way to the corner and his booster seat.
The stroller had disappeared. I asked Lucas what had happened to it and he replied he'd parked it behind the van. Whew! Thank God again that he didn't get hurt as the road runs right behind the van. With all three kids piled in the van, I loaded the stroller and climbed, very exhausted, in to drive home.
Josephine's mommy came over on her lunch break 20 minutes or so after we got home to nurse her. She brought her nightgown so Josephine would have something with mommy's smell on it. Worked like a charm. She slept for 3+ hours cradled in the bouncy seat using mommy's nightgown as a blanket.
Then when I tried to feed her a little later, she didn't want the formula, AGAIN! I tried putting the nightgown around her and voila! She happily drank the whole bottle. Amazing. The rest of
my afternoon was blessedly quiet.