Twins and a Toddler- Getting into the Car

My twin boys are 9 months old and we have almost survived our first year as a family of five. Looking back its easy to take for granted how we have all adjusted and grown together as a family. Take for example the simple act of getting everyone ready and into the car to go somewhere, such as the Dr's office. As infants,  the process would typically be as follows:

2.5 hours prior:
-Feed babies, change diapers and clothes.
-Prepare diaper bag, make sure diapers, blankets, extra hats and socks etc are in there


1 hour prior:
-Babies probably have awoken with dirty diapers, change diapers
-Get toddler dressed.
-Remember that parents need decent clothes as well

30 min prior:
-Feed babies again so they can make it through the car ride without needing to eat
-Grab diaper bag, purse
-Put babies into the car seat
-Put on toddler's shoes
-Take baby out of car seat to change dirty diaper
-Go upstairs to grab a change of clothes because of diaper blow out.
-Put baby back into the car seat
-Take other baby out of the car seat who is crying because he is wet.
-Go back upstairs for another change of clothes because clothes were also wet.
-Put baby back into the car seat.
-Put babies and Toddler into the car before anything else happens and hope we are not TOO late for the Dr's appointment.
-Strap on seatbelt thinking that my babies and I are never going to leave this house unless there is a fire or we need to go to the Dr's.

I kid you not. This is what happened the first time we went to the doctor's for the babies check up. I felt that I was going to be housebound. Getting out of the house took every ounce of planning and preparation that my husband and I could muster. And we are pretty organized folks usually!

Chip & Dale, at 2 weeks old, one of our first outings.

However, babies grow and constantly change. Things are better now thankfully. My husband and I have it down to an art form when we get everyone ready. We do things without even talking. I heart my husband.


1 hr prior: (hooray, an improvement!)
-Mama feeds babies
-Meanwhile, daddy prepares diaper bag and gets himself and toddler dressed.
-Daddy changes babies while Mama gets dressed
-Mama sends toddler to put on his socks, shoes, and jacket on downstairs. (Yes, he is almost 3 and can do this by himself!)
-Mama grabs one baby to go downstairs to buckle into car seat
-Daddy grabs the other baby to go downstairs to buckle into car seat
-Mama grabs diaper bag and toddler and puts them into the van through drivers side.
-Meanwhile daddy goes to the passengers side and secures one car seat.
-Mama goes around car to the passengers side and along the way passes husband who is carrying the other baby to secure into the drivers side.
-Daddy starts the car and we are off!

 If I happen to take all 3 out by myself, just replace "daddy" with "mama" and add extra bravery and courage.