Amber and I grew up together on the east side of Provo where all dreams come true. In high school we liked to cruise for males on bullet bikes. These days, Amber is taking care of her darling family (while I still cruise for males on bullet bikes.) I owe Amber for teaching me about responsibility, kindness and hard work which are attributes that come natural to her. (She is also at total babe, which never hurts.)
I love you Amber, thanks for finding the time to be my Guest Blogger today!
Amber with Anne, Seth and Sage Dec. 2005 a conversation with my 3 year old (with two year old playing close by) when I was 17 weeks pregnant. 3 year old is sitting on my lap looking at my belly.
I ask, “Do you think it’s a girl or a boy?” 3 year old: “I think there’s two mom, a boy right here and a girl right here” as he points to each side.
Me: “Oh really?” I laugh. "I don’t think so." Where did you come up with such an idea? I think to myself the old adage, kids are smarter than we think and know more then we think they do and then it soon fades.
Fast forward two weeks, Husband and I are at my first ultrasound. Conversation with ultrasound tech:
Tech: Do you guys want to know the gender?
Us: Yes!
Tech: (After she had been quiet for a few minutes scanning my belly) “Were you guys using fertility treatments?”
Me: Gasp. “There’s not two is there?” as I’m looking at the ultrasound screen seeing two heads.
Tech: “Um no! There are three!” (2 girls and a boy).
And so the rollercoaster began. 35 weeks of pregnancy and 17.1 pounds of baby. Our three turn one this Friday and what a crazy, and very fun, road it has been.
As per cjane’s request, A day in the life of me:
7am: (Thankfully at about 3 ½ months old our babies started sleeping through the night so life got a little more bearable at that point). My fantastic Husband rolls out of bed at the first sound of a baby waking, (usually Seth) to start the first bottle. He always lets me catch a few more zzz’s and even starts feeding the 2nd one that wakes up. Our two older boys are waking up at about this time and wanting breakfast so I get up shortly there after to help them and feed 3rd baby while husband goes to shower.
8:15am: The babies wave goodbye to daddy when he leaves for work. I change three diapers (luckily our 2 ½ year old was potty trained by the time the babies were born!), empty the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, and then put the babies in their highchairs for rice cereal and mashed bananas. After one bowl, one spoon, 3 bibs, a handful of cheerios, and a big mess, I clean 3 trays, 3 faces, 6 hands and the floor beneath them. Then they play on the kitchen floor and empty the tupperware cupboard while I eat breakfast. I change a few more diapers (poopy this time).
9:30 and 10am: I put 3 babies down for a nap. Now it’s time to pump (while I read). After 20 minutes, and 2 full 8 ounce bottles of breast milk, I finally get to shower. On a typical week my Mom, bless her dear, dear heart, arrives on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at about this time.
11:30am: The morning nap ends and the 2nd round of bottles starts. After bottles it’s the highchair routine (least favorite thing for me) again (see above).
When my mom is there to help I take our older two to preschool (Monday and Wednesday) and then run to the grocery store for more diapers, wipes, and formula to supplement.
After feeding and diaper changes we play. Tupperware, pots and pans, toy box, pull-out-everything-we-can-reach-in-the-pantry, baby Einstein movie, follow the leader into all the different bedrooms, and “rough housing” on the floor where I give lots of tickles, get lots of laughs, get bit six times, get my hair pulled, and get lots of open mouth slobbery kisses. And yes, we even played “Farmers Horse Goes...” but they all got too impatient waiting for their turn.
1:45 and 2pm: 2nd naptime. Until just recently all 5 of my kiddos would take naps at this time, but our 4 ½ yr. old is now resisting more and more. Some quiet time for Mom=clean-up, think about what’s for dinner, prepare my lesson for Sunday, check emails, etc.
3:15pm: Bottles. I’ve half fed Anne and Sage (they are too busy and want to get down and play), and Seth is the last one to wake up. While I’m trying to feed him, he sees his sisters squealing and jabbering at each other and he jumps out of my arms with a squeal back at them and is off to play.
They love to find the burp cloths on the floor and put them on their heads and crawl away for peek-a-boo. They love to go for walks and they are wonderful in their triple stroller I took them outside the other day (not a good idea) after dinner time highchair routine (see above) to join their brothers playing basketball. Sage crawled toward the street, Seth headed to the neighbors hose that was on, and Anne went straight for the dirt. They got themselves nice and dirty, I got myself running all over the place, and in 5 minutes we were done.
Now what?
Bath time. They all come crawling their fastest when they hear the bath water running. After undressing everyone and plopping them in, I take cover under a couple of towels and sit back and watch them splash like crazy! They are all so funny in the bathtub! Anne likes to use her tongue to feel everything and she likes to feel her brother and sister’s bums. It’s pretty cute to see a baby kissing another baby’s naked bum until she sinks her teeth in--yikes! After the bath they love to play just in their diapers. They usually always stick together and follow each other around. They squeal back and forth and chase each other around the kitchen island. It is so much fun to watch them interact with each other.
8 or 8:30pm: Everyone is in bed and then the real clean-up begins. I pump again just before bedtime for 20 minutes and then I’m out like a light.
One of my favorite things is seeing three big smiles when I come back from being downstairs for a minute. They are all peering through the railing and stair gate smiling at me! There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m still not amazed that I gave birth to a litter and so grateful that we are all healthy and happy!
Our two older boys are SUCH great helpers and they are great playmates. They have been wonderful through it all! Other than being so outnumbered, I wouldn’t change a thing about our unique situation. Speaking of unique, I guess being a mother of 5 kids, under 5 years old, in less than 5 years of marriage is pretty unique…what makes YOU unique?
Amber with Anne, Seth and Sage
