We are all settling in quite nicely, in fact all four children are napping now, which means i can sit here for a few golden moments and reflect on what is happening in our lives right now. it seems there is a mild curiosity for what life is like with four kids under three - so let me illuminate the situation.
We decided, quite bravely i think, to take the entire brood on a little road trip. we did this another time a couple of weeks ago and while everyone did pretty good, the trip home was 4 hours of non -stop screaming from someone in our crowded mini-van. nonetheless, there was a family birthday party in seattle and we wanted to be there so that was settled.
the trip down? not so bad. only some screaming and a few more stops than we wanted to make, but that is life with babies. our sleep overnight? the normal - shawn is with the boys in the living room, ready to feed whenever they wake up. Emma is with me ready to kick me whenever she wakes up, and alina is on her own, ready to throw a party whenever she wakes up. overall, not bad, only up three or four times.
we did decide to take the brood to the mall however, and i would say, that is where things started to come apart. you know, you would think that Shawn, being the planner that he is, would warn me when things are a bad idea. he is slipping in his "this is a crazy idea" alert system. i will have to talk to him about that when i see him in a few years.
anywhoo - emma peed herself in the car on the way there (i didn't bring extra clothes, because it was a short trip). "mommy, i need to go pee" us - "ok honey, hold it ok, we are almost there. can you hold it?" emma - "uh huh", us - "lets pull into this starbucks just in case". so we did, and just as i am praising her for holding it, telling me she needed to pee, and being patient, she informs me her pants are soaked and she doesn't want to put them back on. great.
well, you have to put them back on. life is tough kid.
so while emma is going around the play area in her pee- filled shorts, I scramble to Gap kids to get her some other shorts. one crisis solved, and a cute outfit to show for it.
now it is lunchtime - we will head to the food court. on the other side of the mall. with two free range toddlers and two hungry babies in a stroller.
it is now that i notice, no one is coming to ooh and ahhh over our kids. they only do that when you have one or two. what we get now are these wide eyed looks that say "Are all of those kids yours?".
so, we begin our trek to the food court. past the Disney store where Emma stops and becomes immovable while saying "Mommy, it is SOOO beautiful". we get past that and then pass a Build a Bear workshop, both girls become immovable and say "Bear! oh so cute, i waaaaaannnnntttt one!"
no.
then we pass a fountain, the whole bottom of the fountain is covered with pennies. We have made it halfway through the mall and it has taken 30 minutes.
Finally, we arrive at the food court, we figure out what we will eat, children are in seats, and babies are pacified. we look like the perfect family. for at least three minutes.
The last thing i wanted to do was to walk past all of those wonders of the world again with two kids who are now overstimulated and in desperate need of a nap. So, it is decided that Shawn will go and get the car and bring it to the entrance outside the food court. "i will go and get the girls mini-blizzards, that will keep them busy"
again, i blame shawn. i think he knew that was a bad idea, but like a lamb to the slaughter, he watched me go and order those little treats. i think there is revenge buried in his heart somewhere. and was that laughter i heard as he bolted out of the food court?
so i now have all four kids. no one is coming to see the babies, everyone is steering clear of this family of six. why? oh, i don't know because Emma was LICKING THE CHAIR! disgusting! why was she doing that? she never does things like that?? and Alina took advantage of my turned head and put her entire hand in her mini-blizzard cup. now she is covered with ice-cream, so sticky i don't even want to touch her, and the boys wake up and they are hungry.
my Lord, where is a cone of silence when you need one?
So, i rip alina's dress off, she goes on my shoulders. i hail emma and command her to stay close to me and thankfully she decides that she will not fight me, and we head toward the door. i see my husband, we load the children and we head back to the house.
everyone has a bath and a nap and we are ready for the next round.
so, this is our life these days. not every day is like that day. some days are quieter and filled with obedient little children who kiss my face for no reason at all. it is crazy, and i love it.
