As I had my arms filled with a bubba and my table surrounded by 3 little kids it dawned on me that 4 little kids 5yrs of age and under is easy peasy. I reflected upon my afternoon with admiration that once again I had done it again - joined a bubba into our family and managed to survive [but for how long one may wonder?].
The afternoon consisted of a nap for everyone (inc. me), lots of facebooking (mostly giggling), online chatting with one bestie, and some blogging. Amongst feeding bubba, cuddling bubba, nappy changes, child cuddles, chatting with kiddies, supervising play etc. As in I checked the time at 4:40pm to realise that hubby would be home soon and I hadn't thought about dinner. Whoops.
One handed put some macaroni on to cook, threw frozen vegies into another pan, sieved the pasta and tossed it into the pan with the vegies and stirred some carbonara jar sauce through. Grated cheese and all three kids asked for more. Queen of 20 minute meals I reckon!!
I even thought that my arvo was so 'boring' that perhaps I should get a job, or study something or add something else to my life. As if 4 kids, house keeping, home schooling isn't enough for me to do.
I will honestly say that I am deeply challenged in the 'getting out of the house' part and running errands down town, and being OUT with 4 kids on my own. The older children are relatively well trained so it is *me* that keeps doing silly things. Yep, I need more training in the smartness area of being out with the kids on my own. It'll happen, I have plenty opportunity and the stamina to keep trying after failing/stumbling/falling.
So be nice to me if you see us down town and I am about to pull someone's hair out. I wont pretend I've got it all together and put on a show that I know what I'm doing (yet) = I am out of my league. And I am not worried at all.
People often comment on how 'busy' I must be, or how I must 'have my hands full' and I think that I had my hands filled when I had one child, and I am not anymore busy now than I was with two kids. But mostly they say well done on getting two boys and two girls as if I miraculously did something 'right' to get that. I call it a blessing from Above. I'd do it again, I'd have more!
Why do people never comment on how much washing I must have piled up or ready to hang out that will need to be put through the machine again or needing to put away or that I'd have enough food scattered across my kitchen floor to feed a starving child or that I must need to vacuum daily, or sweep up to 3 times in a day or the price of feeding us all, and clothing us all or that my body must feel/be wrecked after having 4 kids in 5yrs. Why do they not congratulate me for managing to remember to brush my own hair? or wearing matching socks? or that the children's faces have (finally) been cleaned? For these are the things that are challenges for me.
So what will I do? Not sure yet. Maybe I should work on the washing??
5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Quiet/Nap time in the afternoon
2. That pile of washing - because we all have enough clothes
3. That parenting is more of a journey into excellence then a first and final exam
4. No matter where you are in your life's journey there is room for improvement, failures AND success's
5. That I find aspects of parenting 'easy peasy'
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