"Are you people serious with this?"
The answer is quite convoluted and I have been trying to be honest with people in as few words as possible because no one is looking for a full update on my physical and mental health. However because I have been asked this question a million times in the past month I feel I should expound upon my answer a little.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan says "If you want to know what its like to have 4 kids just imagine you're drowning... and then someone hands you a baby" Which I thought was very funny when I heard it a year ago and now I think its very, very wise (however Dude went on to have a 5th and we all know that since he has now drowned that explains why kid #5 and on basically raise themselves or are raised by older siblings ;o)
This 4 kids stuff is not for the faint of heart, its hard, its time consuming its mentally exhausting, and all of mine are healthy (for now)! What do mothers with sick or special needs kids do?? Have LOTS of help that's what!
We first got our taste of life with 4 Saturday when we got home from the hospital and that very evening 2 of the 4 woke up puking in their beds! I will. never. forget. the lost and confused feeling of hearing Joe say "she's throwing up!" twice within 5 minutes of each other! I just sat on the bathroom floor washing puke out of hair while holding a 48 hour old baby whom I do not know yet so I have NO idea what she wants/needs at the moment and trying to cry all my scared and self pity tears out before Joe can get back upstairs from washing sheets so he doesn't see his wimp ass team mate breaking down! :o)
Joe sprouted wings and a cape while he was in the laundry room because he came back and saved the year! He took puking babies to hunker down for the next 48 hours of pukes and tears of illness while I was quarantined to my bedroom with the baby so neither of us got it. It was So Hard hearing him struggle with sick babies and 2 puking at once and washing sheets and entertaining them in a 12x12 foot area so the rest of the house stayed less infected. I couldn't show my face or they would cry for me and eventually I just had to turn the fan on and drown them out and take a nap because I have had about 2 hours of sleep in 4 days and I just had a baby and that's just not good!
Today is week 5 and just yesterday I noticed that I am finally feeling somewhat normal physically. That is a ridiculously long recovery time! I just had so much more delivery related aches and pains than I've ever had before. I'm not sure if its because of 4 babies in 5 years or the c/section scar tissue or if I had some sort of issue going on that has resolved. Unfortunately now I think its my job to feel all the way normal because I simply have no endurance from laying around for the past 8+ weeks and the extra 20lbs doesn't help!
So now for a look into life here with 4. This is my full time job, mother to 4, wife to 1 a few short hours a week I also do some Childrens Ministry work for church at the same time I am doing my full time Mommy job, but I am compensated for it and I like the way it keeps me connected to a calling outside our four walls. Also in a few weeks I will spend 8 glorious hours outside these 4 walls taking care of pregnant women which I have decided I am now over qualified for considering I am now an expert on all things birthing and babies. If it weren't for permanent placenta brain I might go around saying that more often, however I can no longer remember my name or why or when a patient might get antibiotics or the way around an O.R so there is still plenty in life to keep me humble ;o)
This place is like a work environment nightmare. Not only am I in charge of keeping everything running but I am the one who is supposed to do the running also! Then there are these people I have to put up with. Right now I have the "seemingly helpful but overzealous brown noser" following me around all day repeating what I say to the others. Asking me 100 times a day if she can help do things she is less than qualified for or even able to do. Yes, I would love for you to cook dinner however you are 5 and I do remember something about proper delegation from nursing school. Since the job of "poopy diaper tosser" is already taken by the 2 year old we are going to have to get creative in your role around here! Its probably going to involve something where you follow me around all day and talk my ear off... is that a position?
I also have the "lay low and you wont get caught and asked to do something" one. Who is also the professional mess maker and liar extraordinaire! However she is also the comic relief so she has that going for her. If she weren't so darn difficult to reason with I'd promote her but for now she is simply known as the "geyser" for all her drama filled emotional break downs and constant runny nose. Today in the car she cried all the way home because her paper cut on her "fien-der got one bleed".... no further comment necessary. These two despite their difficulties are somewhat self reliant and require less from me than the other two as long as I am willing to clean up after them while they do whatever craft/play/food mess they do while I am otherwise occupied.
The pumpkin headed one keeps me on my toes, she still requires full help unless you like your dirty diapers in the hamper and your clothes in the trash, or your toothbrush dipped in the toilet and then left in the diaper pail! She runs around after the other two trying to do what they do and just spoiling all the fun, unless its a dance party then she is the belle of the ball and can do the cha cha slide with the best of 'em! Heavenly blessings for me she is a good sleeper and I don't see her between the hours of 8pm-8am or from 1pm-3pm, sister likes her bed as long as there is a blankie and a paci!
The baby is a good friend, her current role as my official nap buddy might be the reason I still have 20lb to loose and if she weren't so darn snuggly I might put her down and lift a weight or even a finger but as life has it I am not willing to because she is already looking 12 years old so I think ill hang on to her as ridiculously long as every mother clings to her baby and spoil her until I die :o)
I am blessed with good girls but have yet to find my groove with all four of them and mostly I feel down right ganged up on! I also feel a little bit trapped right now because I have the desire to go out of this house after that magically beautiful but long and confining winter but the thought of going anywhere and trying to wrangle Carly and manage Allie and not just scream at the older two for very small offenses simply because my stress level is escalated seems terrible and awful and I'm not willing to try it quite yet. I have just managed to make it out into the yard with them last week! I have now made 2 trips to Sams because their carts are magically enormous and they give free cookies and I can make it there and back in less than 2 hours. I also managed 1 trip to Target which resulted in screaming baby and a blow out diaper change in the ladies dressing room but overall it wasn't horrible, just not overly enjoyable either.
With all that said I am so happy with my little collection of ladies and wouldn't have it any other way and I am blessed with plenty of family around to help me out with them when I need it which they have done wonderfully! We have even managed to still have 2 date nights since she has been born which shows you how well things are going even if my brain hasn't computed it yet.
I think they've got it under control, Ill go take a nap
Posts
