obnoxious kids

These guys think they're so funny. They are asking me if I'm pregnant. I ignored them, so they said that a delayed reply is a sign...I had to high-tail it out to pick 4 of them up from soccer tonight. Paul had taken them, and I was here with big plans....I am having some company over tomorrow, so I wanted to clean up a few things....I had just gotten Camille in the swing, kitchen cleanup was underway....the phone rang....I was busy, and groaned loudly. M. said not to answer it. I said it was probably somebody with a flat tire. Sure enough, Abigail was 25 miles away, with a flat tire. So Paul was 10 miles away with the kids, and his phone was sitting here by the computer....so got Camille out of the swing, and we went to get Paul....he drove up to change Abigail's tire, and I stayed while the kids had soccer practice....

And here I sit. Today I put away the boots, so if we get a huge snowstorm, it's entirely my fault. I also cleaned out some outgrown shoes, and weeded through the coats. We just have this small tile entry right in our kitchen, with 10 hooks on the wall....anyway, when I was done it looked a lot better, then I realized that 13 people weren't home, with their coats, shoes, and backpacks....

Paul is working nights this week, he is a computer guy, and his company is working with their branch in Hong Kong, and obviously they are awake during our night...So Paul is working nights and sleeping a bit during the day....this morning Jon looked out the window and saw daddy's truck. He said, "I know why daddy's home. Because it's raining out, and he doesn't have an umbrella!"

Well, I had wanted to clean up for my company tomorrow. There's still a huge pile of clean clothes on the couch. Everytime I clean it up and put it away, I swear no more clothes on the couch.....but when the 4 little girls get home from school, they take off their school clothes, and where do they put them??I like to check and see if they have to be hamperized or not.....sometimes skirts can be worn again. Whatever.....day to day functioning is this: a constant accumulation of work....dishes, clothes...I can never say, phew, I am done....perpetual-that's the word I'm looking for. And here I sit. There's not much that can make me get busy at this time of night, not when I've been up for 15 hours, and haven't had a nap in a few weeks...I have an appointment in the morning, and I have to bring the 3 little ones. I can just see me trying to clean up as I try to get ready....I have a real problem with going randomly from one thing to another, in circles. I'll be cleaning the counters, then start cleaning out the microwave, then see some crumbs, and start sweeping, then I'll be in the living room sweeping up, (we have carpet, and my older kids mock me terribly for doing this), then I'll change a stinky diaper, and totally forget I was cleaning the counters....I'll be going to get clean clothes for someone, and start picking things up along the way, and the poor child is waiting for me. Then Jon will be sitting in the bathroom waiting to be wiped, and I'm like, "Just a minute....let me finish this.." This attention disorder is directly related to having so many kids. I have become an expert at blocking things out to read the paper....sometimes when they ask me a question, it takes me a while to "come to the surface"....I can't pay attention to everyone at the same time. It is actually quiet in here right now, just Paul, myself, and M., and the kitty playing on the kitchen tile with a hair elastic....but all good things must end. I have to get up and get out school clothes for tomorrow. The mornings go smoother when I have their clothes out. Just the younger four school girls, the older six in school get out their own stuff. I get the girls up at 7:30, they get dressed, I give them breakfast at the coffee table, and they watch some of Arthur, and Curious George while they eat and I do their hair...then, teeth brushed, shoes coats and backpacks, and out to the bus by 8:35.....then tomorrow I have to get the 3 little ones ready after that.....I better get to bed sooner rather than later......