Wednesday, April 13, 2011

That Thing You Do

How do you do that thing you do, whatever it may be? How do you do it? I have three kids. Not an army. Not even a basketball team. There are days, when I don't do it all. Definitely. Like last night. We were all going different directions - some here, some there - some together and some not. We were all home by 9pm, some doing 1st grade math, some doing 6th grade projects and some lazing in bed with his iPod in because his homework was done. A'hem. {I'm sure he was listening to classical music.} Dinner. What's dinner? Dinner was on the go. The kids had pizza at the meeting and my husband had a bowl of cereal and a cookie. Hey, at least the cookie was homemade. That's my life. We're baseball, work, kids, meetings, family, go, go, go. Look at that family go! {Someone has been reading me too much GO DOG, GO!} So how the heck do people with 5,6,7... kids even function? I'm exhausted after a day, no matter how much sleep I got or how much caffeine I mainlined into my veins. I have 3, (THREE!), pimples on my chin. I'm tired of homework (not mine). I'm weary at bedtime reading Rainbow Fish to my little girl and I wish, oh how I wish, I had reserves of energy that didn't hold out until 11pm when I should be sleeping instead of running around the house collecting dust bunnies and mopping the kitchen floor. Who cares about the kitchen floor anyway? It's life. Yes, I realize we all have one. But gosh. How do you do it? {Social life? What social life? Baseball IS my life!} I've planned meals, thankfully (except for last night) and I jokingly looked at my husband the other day and flat out told him that it's a darn good thing that we know what we're having for dinner because when life gets busy, at least you have a plan. I'm pretty sure it just rolled off his shoulders. Mr. CalmCoolAndCollected. Me? Not so much. I fret. I worry. I anxietize. Yes, that's not a word. So what. My life is like a circus with different rings full of different things. Not lions and clowns, well most of the time there aren't clowns...okay, who am I kidding? I live with a bunch of clowns! But it's a circus nonetheless. And I'm a horrible ringleader, ringmaster, person wearing that huge hat with the stripes. I only have 1 child in an activity right now because there simply is no room for any more! I know, horrible, no good, very bad parent I am but there is simply no way to add one. more. thing. I would make a very bad Duggar. Which brings me back to my point. How do you people do it? A personal chef? A nanny? A therapist? A really good wine discount? How?

PS - I kind of like this post in one big, rambling paragraph. A manifesto.

Just like I kind of like my big, rambling, crazy life.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have had that same question...how? Financially, spiritually, physically...how? I will say two kids is much easier than three and that having the youngest in 4th grade versus kindergarten is a breeze! Careful wishing for a quieter life you might actually get it and then be bereft like me!

Anonymous said...

You need a birthday. Coming right up!!

xxxooomom

Anonymous said...

We have four. I found two to be the hardest but when I had my third and forth we just threw them in the mix. It helped that our first child was much older than the rest and able to watch a baby so I could catch a quick nap or mowe the lawn. Now that the oldest is out of the house we have one in 7th grade and one in 4th and a preschooler. One goes to track one goes to field hockey and one goes to soccer. I no longer care about my floors. Just sleep.

Jennette said...

youre so funny. you make me giggle! you have a great life and you are an amazing mommy and wife. i know you are. and people with more kids dont let their kids do stuff our kids get to do. they just all go to church and their lives center around church. so go play baseball and hug your kids. and be everlovin thankful you only have 3!!! xoxoxo J

Kyla said...

Scouts is the only activity at our house right now! Of course, both parents are in full time school, one holds down a day job and the other does volunteer work and shadowing....and KayTar probably counts for at least 2 kids! ;)