This Could Send Me to a Nursing Home in Ten Years

Is it already Wednesday? I had good intentions of posting about our weekend on Monday...

This week has flown by, with Caleb being in Dallas at a training and Opa getting in a car accident yesterday (he's okay, but pretty sore), and a BIG EVENT coming up on Saturday (nope, not Independence Day- although doesn't that just add to the excitement?), and my brother and Beth and Sage coming to visit tomorrow for a little firework, Canton, waterskiing fun.

It certainly has not been challenging to catch up on laundry, clean the upstairs for our guests, find a dress to wear for the BIG EVENT and try to get four children to nap simultaneously.

Speaking of which, in case you are interested in how this is done and for my personal records when I am laid up in a nursing home at the tender age of 42...

I put Reece on her tummy for some tummy time and while she screams, I put McClaine on the toilet and beg him to go so a BM doesn't interrupt his precious nap.

Then I put Audrey on my shoulder and sing, "Before the Throne of God," and lay her down (she is a breeze to put down for a nap). All the while Avery is coating her face with a heavy dousing of Maybelline.

Then I turn Reece on her back, wipe her tears, insert paci, take McClaine off the toilet and put on his diaper, wash my hands, wash Avery's face and tell her to get into bed.

Then I pick up Reece and nurse her while I read McClaine and Avery a story. Then I sit and nurse Reece and rock her to sleep while giving Avery and McClaine the serious mommy eye- if they dare speak or move a muscle...

Then I carefully lay Reece down. There is no babywise or CIO for this dear child, it would mess up everything I have done so far. Then I go back and check on Avery and McClaine and break up their shenanigans.

Then I put Avery in my bed because I can stare McClaine to sleep but she takes a little more convincing. Okay, 3/4 sleeping.

I interrupt this post because I thought that all my children were sleeping when I started this post and just now heard a THUD on the floor above me. Avery, "now can I get up? I slept for four hours."

I go into my room and doctor Avery's 60 boo boos that are preventing sleep and then I stand there for 10 more minutes with my arms crossed, listening to the whimper, "but my eyes sting when I close them. But, but my armpit itches. But, but I'm not sleepy.

And then I hear that heavy breathing. The breaths that say thank you for putting me in a soft bed with cool a/c and allowing my busy little body to rest. Or as indicated by the statement above in orange, "I am such a good faker, my mommy thinks I am sleeping and as soon as she goes downstairs and engages in blog land, I am out of this bed, I have a lot to do today, and this napping stuff is for the birds."

And that is how it goes, every single day. It usually takes about an hour and a half to get them all to sleep and about 20 minutes after they are all asleep, Reece or Audrey wakes up.

You know, if I end up in a nursing home in ten years, my kids will all be teenagers, and a nursing home sounds pretty appealing.

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from our weekend in Dallas!

This is my very best girl friend, Adrianne. She is awesome. And take a moment to check out my awesome boots that Caleb made me for Christmas and I am just now blogging about!

Adrianne's mom, Sara, with Reece

Adrianne's daughter, Kayla, sang a sweet lullaby to Reecey and put her to sleep.

Adrianne's younger daughter, Kenya.

We went to a super fun water park for McClaine's birthday, and got to go after hours, so we had the whole place to ourselves. You may not see a pic of Avery because we couldn't slow her down.

This may be the only picture you will ever see of me in a swimsuit. And yes, it is my maternity suit. Not quite ready for the itty bitty teeny weeny bikini.

I better hit publish, or this may not get published until Thursday and then I am going to have to remember how to do strikethroughs on the word, "wednesday."