I have 3 kids – big deal!

When I take the time to organise myself and remind the kids to get ready and check their bags are in fact packed and the bird is fed then having 3 kids really isn’t that bad.

Despite my moaning and groaning we have, for the most part, worked out a regime and everyone gets to school on time with lunch, most of their school books. I manage to attend 90% of the sporting activities and I am there for teachers meetings and even manage to make fresh food for the baby.

It took a few weeks of chaos this year but I have my groove and it works well.

BUT it all hinges on the universe playing along and people being available when I need them and the dog behaving.

Friday being the most recent case in point.

We had a wedding on Friday at 14h30. I knew about this wedding last year already. Early Jan I make tentative plans in my head – Jack to David’s mom, big kids to Debby, Josephine in the shop, David to fetch me at home – perfect. I then put the event to the back of my mind.

UNTIL sometime in February when I mentioned to Debby I would need her help and she announced they also had a wedding on so she couldn’t help out. Shortly before that events happened that resulted in David’s mom not able to watch Jack.

I was still relatively calm because I thought I could ask Josephine to watch the kids at the house and ask Madri to be in the shop.

UNTIL the spate of burglary’s happen and I don’t feel safe about leaving Josephine on her own in the house with the 3 kids and Madri books out her Friday – because I never chatted to her about the wedding.

I had already asked Josephine to sleep over but then convinced David to ask his brother to also come around and sleep over. (Safety in numbers and all that).

So kids sorted.

UNTIL I read the invite on Thursday night and realised the wedding started at 14h30 and not 16h00 like I had assumed. PROBLEM: Kids finish school at 13h30, wedding was near Lanseria, I had to get to Davids office which was about 30 minutes away from the venue.

So after a small freak out Friday morning Madri and I make a plan!

Teanca was called in to help in the shop, kids were hauled out of school early and Madri loaned me a dress.

UNTIL I got home to drop the kids and Jack squirted baby cologne into his eye, Lucy caught a pigeon and dragged it onto the couch and then refused to let the dam thing go.

I stood in the kitchen and went “WHATEVER” – had a bath, headed to Joburg in the rain, got to the wedding nearly an hour late (but before the bride) and started drinking as soon as we could (thankfully the ceremony was about 15 minutes).

So I have three kids, my own business, a busy social life – it really is no big deal UNTIL one day and then the house of cards I have so carefully built comes crashing down.

In those moments I drink about 6 too many caramel vodkas, nurse my hangover with some St Clare the next day, pig out on carbs and start re-building the house of cards!