Congratulations Princess Kate, You’re a Mom of Three!

Dear Kate,

Congratulations on the arrival of your newest little prince! I know you {and the rest of the world} are so happy he’s finally here! So tell me, how did precious little Charlotte react to the news that she has to abdicate the er, throne of being the youngest little royal in the family? Is George thrilled to have a brother? And I know Harry and Meghan must be over the moon that the tiniest member of their wedding party is here and picture perfect. And by the way, don’t stress about how your postpartum body is going to look in all those wedding photos- just don’t. Your hair will be perfect as always, and for once, you may not be the subject of the most coveted photos. Most of the time, tiny babies and brides tend to steal the spotlight. 

Listen, I know you are a princess and our lives are possibly slightly different. But, I’ve read enough issues of Us Weekly in my day to know that Stars- They’re Just Like Us! I assume that means that on a human level, and especially in terms of motherhood, we are more alike than we are different. 

I know you realize this, but the transition from two to three children can be a big one. The tired Going from Man to Man to Zone Defense trope is part of it {although, I’m not sure this applies in your case. I highly doubt you and Will ever even had to really do Man to Man}. But there’s more to it than that. 

When you have three kids, every second of your day and every ounce of your mental and emotional energy gets poured into the tiny princes and princesses vying for your attention. You need to know that with three littles, 

  • Somebody is always crying, or
  • Somebody always needs something {usually something stupid}, or
  • Somebody is always fighting with another somebody

Don’t let those perfect Instagram posts from your fellow royals fool you:: they aren’t reality. Or at least, the whole reality. Just know that even with all the help in the world, there will be times when motherhood will overwhelm you. There will be days when you just want to hop on a private jet and leave it all behind for a few days {wait…you can actually do that, can’t you? #jealous}. Those feelings of desperation and overwhelm are hard, but they are normal. So, let down your perfect hair and don’t let the eyes of the world {and the click of paparazzi cameras} steal the joy those babies will bring to your life. 

Now, I don’t know how much practical advice you’ve received on parenting three small children. Chances are, you’ve heard from the best and brightest parenting gurus, but have you heard from any normal, in-the-trenches, everyday moms? They may not be royalty, but they’ve got you covered with life hacks for moms of three. 

“Invest in a few cute baseball caps…for yourself. No one will know that you haven’t washed your hair in five days. And it won’t be so obvious when you’re ducking to avoid eye contact with the sanctimommy at school who has one child eating all organic everything. Meanwhile…your neglected middle child is eating animal crackers that he found in his car seat. Also, invest in a good pair of shades with really dark or mirrored lenses- because dark circles and no makeup.” – Kristine, mom of 3

“Lower your standards – A TON! Your house and yourself will not be what you’re used to or what you prefer for a while. Give yourself grace and be patient. Find the groove that works for you and your family. It may work for others too, but even if you’re doing something that “nobody else” does, don’t let that deter you from what works FOR YOU.  Also, someone is always crying and or being left out… it just happens. Try not to let it make you too crazy.” -Jayne, mom of 3

“Let go of the expectation that they can or should all be happy at once. At least one person will typically be ticked off at you for one thing or another at any given time, and often more than one. But just know that it’s okay for that to happen. When you have two, it’s a lot easier to keep everyone happy. With three, it’s next to impossible. But everyone will survive and (maybe) won’t need therapy because of it.” – Jennifer, mom of 3

“Put them all to bed early- like, insanely early. Buy really heavy blackout curtains and they’ll never know that the sun is still shining at 6:45 pm when you are tucking them into bed. Then, pour yourself a glass of wine and do whatever you want to do for the next few hours.” -Elizabeth, mom of 3

Congratulations, Kate, on your newest little prince. Parenting three is a crazy, wild ride, but it’s also really fulfilling. Let the fun begin!

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Elizabeth Baker
Elizabeth was raised in Houston and met her husband Ryan shortly after graduating from Texas A&M with a journalism degree. A few years later, Grayson {Sept 2010}, turned Elizabeth’s world upside down, not only with his sparkling blue eyes and killer smile, but with his profound disabilities and diagnosis of Mitochondrial Disease. After two years of navigating the world of special needs parenting, Elizabeth and Ryan were blessed with Charlotte {Jan 2013} and Nolan {Sept 2015}, perfectly completing their party of five. Elizabeth and her crew live in Katy, and when she can steal a few moments for herself, she can be found out for Mexican food and margaritas with girlfriends, binge-listening to podcasts and audiobooks, or trying once again {unsuccessfully} to organize her closet. In addition to her role as Managing Editor of HMB, Elizabeth writes about faith, politics and special needs parenting for publications like Scary Mommy and HuffPost.You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, or ElizabethKBaker.com

2 COMMENTS

  1. Princess Charlotte will not have to abdicate the throne to her new little brother, please know facts even if you are writting an opinionated piece. Not sure why you feel mocking the new mom of three is necessary but to each their own….

    • Hi! Thanks for taking the time to comment on my blog post. I was referring, tongue in cheek, to Charlotte abdicating her position in her family as the youngest, not the actual Throne. I apologize if that wasn’t clear, as I do think accuracy of facts is of upmost importance when I write. And I’m not sure why you took my post as mocking Kate, as I felt I and the other moms of three who I quoted gave her some really sage advice. Have a great day!

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