At particularly trying moments, my mom used to throw her hands up in the air and declare, "Kids, I'm not an octopus!!!"
She had eight children, so the analogy worked. I always rolled my eyes and chalked her up to being melodramatic and somewhat crazy.
Kirsten (16): Mom, I counted and I have 45 "be" verbs in my research paper. I have to take them all out. I need your help. Oh, and could you edit the whole thing for me? It's due tomorrow.
Caleb (6), while writing a letter to his kindergarten teacher: Mom, how do you spell "Mrs. Edwards"?
Rob (14): Mom, I need you to take me to a store that sells books. I know exactly which one I want.
Me: Do you have any cash at the moment?
Rob: But it's beneficial for me. I thought you buy me stuff that's beneficial. Reading boosts brain power.
Caleb: Mom, how do you spell "November"?
Emma (8, 9 on Saturday): Mom, I want to make a catalog and put all my combined birthday and Christmas lists in it so you'll have to look in just one place when you're deciding what to get me. Can you help me? Oh, and when are we going to go shopping for the birthday treats I get to take to school on Friday and the rest of the things for my birthday party?
Caleb: Mom, how do you spell "Thanksgiving"?
Seth (10): (after spending 30 full minutes of his homework time teasing two of his brothers and one of his sisters to the point of screams, a pounding, and tears): I just can't figure out this homework, it's too hard. What's a compound word again? Mom. Mom. Mom, what's a compound word?
Caleb (who just lost his first tooth): Mom, how do you spell "tooth fairy"?
Did I mention that many of these requests happened to be made simultaneously, the kids competing to be heard by turning up their volume as much as they felt necessary?
I thought it was over for the day until Kirsten, as she was heading to bed a few minutes ago, said: Crap! None of my sports bras are clean & I need them for my basketball games tomorrow. If I throw in a load of launrdy could you put it in the dryer for me when it's done?
I said OK as long as she set the washer on the fast wash cycle.
So instead of sleeping, I am writing until the sports bras are properly de-stinkified.
Any day now, I just know I'll catch myself throwing my hands in the air and declaring, "Kids, I'm not a pentapus!!"
They won't get it, but I won't care.
The washer just beeped, signaling that it's time for one melodramatic, somewhat crazy mom to get some sleep.
But here's what's really crazy. When I say my prayers in a few minutes, I'll thank my Heavenly Father for every single time I heard the word "Mom" today.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
8 comments:
Definitely not a pentapus -- but surely a superSTARfish. Correne F. had a sign in her kitchen that said raising children was like being pecked to death by chickens.
Love it... We should have chatted last night. I was up washing a load of clothes that HAD to be done by this morning :).
I loved reading the post. Your family is so lucky to have you. If only we could clone or split ourselves during the 3:00 - 6:00 hours!
This makes me feel better about my day. Unfortunately, I started turning grumpy and turning my own volume up when my THREE started getting simultaneously demanding/grumpy/whiny. We need a girls weekend!
I am so glad to hear that I am not the only mom that gets to answer multiple questions at the same time. My favorite is when I answer one and another child assumes it is for them, and then I have to clarify and explain more than I should have if they would just take turns.
And of course, you brought tears to my eyes at the end. You always do. :-)
Isn't that the truth when one wants you they all want you. This just made me laugh because it happens so often at my house and usually when I'm feeding the baby. I like Sharon's post- you are a superSTARfish.
I almost feel depressed reading this post, Susie, because at mealtimes when the baby SCREAMS for food, Natalie yells to have something cut/passed, etc. and Evan wanders around the room refusing to eat anything, Mike and I look at each other and say, "it gets better." And now I'm not sure it does . . . but after 11 years of having toddlers/babies constantly needing me, I think I'm ready to move on. I've often said that "Mom" is both my favorite word and my least favorite word, depending on the moment! Enjoyed your post!
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