how you know this is your third baby

• For that first morning feeding, you realize you are nursing the baby at your desk, while drinking coffee, eating breakfast, e-mailing and putting on your make-up while your other kids are watching tv nearby. Loudly. You are not sitting in a rocking chair in a softly lit, quiet room with no distractions.
• Your baby takes 3 of 5 naps in his car seat. Instead of you staying at home, refusing to disturb your little bundle’s naptime.
• You let your husband travel just 2 weeks after baby is born. Telling him, “I’m going to be tired anyway…” As opposed to freaking out when he is 10 minutes late coming home from work, because how will you cook dinner with a baby?
• You hear yourself say to your other kid “Yuck! Go wipe your nose and stop using the baby as a tissue!!” Instead of keeping him completely isolated from germs and going through a gallon of Purell a week.
• You are surviving on massive amounts of caffeine. Instead of still being on decaf, because you gave up coffee the minute you found out you were pregnant. (Snort! Novice.)
• You don’t rush to your baby’s side at the slightest noise. Instead you lay in bed arguing with your spouse over whose turn it is to go get him. As he screams his head off. (The baby. Not your spouse.)
• Because the baby is sleeping in his own room already. Instead of in a cradle, an arm’s length from your bed until he is 6 months old.

On the other hand, despite the craziness and the not sleeping, I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. Because I’m not sure there is anything that could possibly be any sweeter than overhearing your older children sing “Baby Mine” to their baby brother. Just thinking about it makes my heart squeeze and tears come to my eyes.