My amazing cousin Michelle Lyche posted this on her blog recently and I truly adore her words. Here's an honest look at what you see, give and receive as a Mom of 5 children. After reading it, I felt like doing a combination fist bump, hug and a "vote of thanks" to her and to every other mom who tries to be a Mom (particularly those that have "more" than whatever is "typicall" for their city, etc.)
She addressed it to her neighbor.
Dear Neighbor,
while chatting outside while children busily played around us you asked me yesterday why and how I do 5 kids in a sorta awe struck but you-must-be-crazy and you-are-over-populating-the-world sorta way. I answered back "it is hard, but I love it". I wanted to say more but a child ran up right then and needed my attention and the conversation was lost after that. But now I have a quiet moment, for the moment, and I can answer your question. So here is my answer straight from my heart.
5 kids is hard. It is always feeding them. ALWAYS. Boys are hungry at every moment. It is wiping noses and wiping hiney's. It is Lego's under my feet and me trying not to curse (but never succeeding). It is crumbs always on the counter and dirty cups multiplying faster than rabbits. 5 kids is homework, homework, blasted homework. It is fighting and nit-picking, shoving and name-calling. It is rushing out the door every morning and saying morning prayers in the car buckled up because we forgot to say them kneeling down like a good family. It is no money. Ever. Someone always needs new shoes, or new pants, there are diapers and wipes, and the food bill is higher than Mount Everest (see sentence above where they are ALWAYS hungry). It is always cleaning but nothing is ever clean. It is laundry piles all the time that are higher than the Mount Everest food bill. 5 kids is never having a quiet house, and never being able to finish 3 bites of food before someone needs something. It is being stressed out, a lot. It is wondering if you will ever have your body back, or even slightly close to what is was pre-5 kids. It is driving somebody somewhere all the time. It is people staring at you all the time as if it is 5 aliens following behind you instead of 5 children. It is wondering the same thing yourself at times.
But 5 kids is also 500 million times more love. And 500 million more hugs, and kisses. It is a bouquet of weeds that turn into flowers just for you. It is a house full of laughter. It is never being lonely. It is a car full of carseats. It is never having a lap big enough. It is pictures drawn for you with you next to Batman and Pikachu and you are the one with the big heart around yourself. It is melting to a puddle on the spot the first time you hear "I wub you" from each one of them. It is beaming with pride when someone compliments them on having such good manners while out to dinner, and at the same time looking over their heads at your Hubs and laughing with your eyes knowing they fooled someone again! 5 kids is laying in bed each night worrying and wondering if you gave enough hugs, told them "I love you" enough, or why did you let them cross the street by themselves they are not old enough yet, and on and on and on. It is a baby snuggled into the crook of your neck that you should put down for a nap but you cant stop drinking them in. It is wondering what the heck you and your Hubs did before having kids, and not wanting to remember. It is 5 people who think your kisses, hugs, snuggles, loves, can heal the world. It is tearing up every time you give away another baby item knowing that your time is over, but wishing for it to last a bit longer. It is being grateful and thankful every day for these 5 blessings who call you Mom.
5 kids is knowing I am the luckiest woman in the world.
5 kids is hard. It is always feeding them. ALWAYS. Boys are hungry at every moment. It is wiping noses and wiping hiney's. It is Lego's under my feet and me trying not to curse (but never succeeding). It is crumbs always on the counter and dirty cups multiplying faster than rabbits. 5 kids is homework, homework, blasted homework. It is fighting and nit-picking, shoving and name-calling. It is rushing out the door every morning and saying morning prayers in the car buckled up because we forgot to say them kneeling down like a good family. It is no money. Ever. Someone always needs new shoes, or new pants, there are diapers and wipes, and the food bill is higher than Mount Everest (see sentence above where they are ALWAYS hungry). It is always cleaning but nothing is ever clean. It is laundry piles all the time that are higher than the Mount Everest food bill. 5 kids is never having a quiet house, and never being able to finish 3 bites of food before someone needs something. It is being stressed out, a lot. It is wondering if you will ever have your body back, or even slightly close to what is was pre-5 kids. It is driving somebody somewhere all the time. It is people staring at you all the time as if it is 5 aliens following behind you instead of 5 children. It is wondering the same thing yourself at times.
But 5 kids is also 500 million times more love. And 500 million more hugs, and kisses. It is a bouquet of weeds that turn into flowers just for you. It is a house full of laughter. It is never being lonely. It is a car full of carseats. It is never having a lap big enough. It is pictures drawn for you with you next to Batman and Pikachu and you are the one with the big heart around yourself. It is melting to a puddle on the spot the first time you hear "I wub you" from each one of them. It is beaming with pride when someone compliments them on having such good manners while out to dinner, and at the same time looking over their heads at your Hubs and laughing with your eyes knowing they fooled someone again! 5 kids is laying in bed each night worrying and wondering if you gave enough hugs, told them "I love you" enough, or why did you let them cross the street by themselves they are not old enough yet, and on and on and on. It is a baby snuggled into the crook of your neck that you should put down for a nap but you cant stop drinking them in. It is wondering what the heck you and your Hubs did before having kids, and not wanting to remember. It is 5 people who think your kisses, hugs, snuggles, loves, can heal the world. It is tearing up every time you give away another baby item knowing that your time is over, but wishing for it to last a bit longer. It is being grateful and thankful every day for these 5 blessings who call you Mom.
5 kids is knowing I am the luckiest woman in the world.
THANKS MICHELLE!
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