Friday, September 25, 2009

Confessions of a Quad Mom

Being a mother of quads is no easy task. People are always saying to me, "I don't know how you do it!" Well, there's a difference between doing it (surviving the day to day chaos) and doing it well (making the chaos look easy), and despite the calm and collected front you usually see, I don't always do it well. Here are my confessions:

1. I once insisted that Jonathan drink the milk in his sippy cup, only to later open the cup and discover that the milk had curdled. Sorry Jonathan!

2. I've decided that showers are overrated. I only take one every other day or so because I simply don't have the time to do it more often than that or the energy to GET UP EARLY to take one before the start of my day. Face it, you haven't noticed, so it must not be a big deal.

3. There are still a few maternity clothing pieces hanging in my closet, and I really do still wear them, even though I haven't been pregnant for over three years.

4. One Sunday at church another mom congratulated me on being pregnant again. I have never worn THAT shirt again!

5. I use the TV as a babysitter. I know, I'm horrible, but I don't care. What would take me 2 hours, I can accomplish in 20 minutes, if the kids are watching TV. It makes us ALL happier people!

6. I really do like to talk to people, but when I'm out with the kids, I simply cannot pay attention to you and still keep track of all of them. I'm not a snob, and I really do care about what you have to say. I'm really, really sorry for always coming off so rudely.

7. If I can put it in birth order, I do. Jonathan, Zachary, Reagan, Thomas. Everyone who has ever helped out regularly with the kids knows that I do this. Cups in the fridge in birth order. Pajamas in a stack in birth order (Jonathan on top). I'm not completely obsessed with this to the point of seating them that way in the car or insisting that they always be their order in a group photo, but it does make me happy when it just works out that way. Oh, look! The kids are in birth order! Yea!

8. Sorry, Facebook friends, but I ignore almost every single one of your requests. I just don't have time to be a part of any of it. Feel free to continue to send them, just know that I'll be ignoring them. It doesn't mean I don't love you!

9. I hate brushing my kids' teeth. I hate it more than any other child-related tasks. I would rather change poopy diapers than brush teeth. I do it, of course! But I hate it! I HATE IT!!!

10. I am not a supermom. I do not have a bright red costume with matching knee-high boots hiding under my regular clothes. I'm just a regular mom. I scream at my kids when I'm angry. I don't always read to them like I should. I let them watch too much TV. I don't feed them enough vegetables.

But you can continue to TELL me I'm a supermom because it certainly makes me feel like I've got everything under control, even if I haven't showered in 2 days and I'm struggling to brush my kids' teeth while they watch TV and there's a sippy cup of milk curdling under the couch.

Disclaimer: These confessions are true, but this is not my original idea. I got this from Multiples and More, and they got it from The Hughes Triplets. Many thank to them both for this brilliant post idea!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

You ARE a Super Mom! I am proud of the great job you are doing with those 4 kids! And they obviously love you & their daddy very much.

Love, Mom

Anonymous said...

If as they say confession is good for the soul then you have a wonderful soul. You are so brave to put it out there; there's not a single one that any other Mom has not lived at some time or other. I'm not brave enough to add ones of my own - keep up the good work and the sharing.
Kim

Lani said...

I can concur with just about every single one of these:) It's good to be reminded I am not alone!!

NikkiMc said...

Similar things seem to happen at our house too. I was getting upset with Trent for fussing about his juice - throwing it down and then crying for "jus" when I finally realized that it was soapy! Must not have rinsed that one very well! And I am completely convinced that TV is not as bad as "they" make it out to be. No one could watch more than my little brothers did (I'm talking hours of ALF) and one is in med school and the other just took the LSAT. I do give myself a smiley sticker if we go a morning without it, but no demerits for those days that it stays on for 1/2 the day!

Misty said...

I think I have almost identical confessions--even the teeth brushing. LOVE IT! I'm with you on the showers too, I swear it was easier when they were smaller.
Misty
MOM to gggg quads

ps. yes you are a superMOM!!!!

Suzy said...

Yes, yes, yes to 2, 3, and 7. I am sure the others will come as the babies get older. :) Thanks for posting this ... makes me feel a little better about not being the perfect mom I always wanted to be (you know, when I thought I'd have one kid at a time). Your kids are *adorable*, by the way!!