A Day in the Life of a Big Busy Family

I thought I would share a day in the life of a big family . Today we all wake up at usual time and have breakfast. Afterward we lounge around some of the kids play in their room and the kids watch some TV Sat morning Cartoons, while I sit with them using my laptop. The youngest is up or down depending on what catches his eye but everyone is relaxed.

The weather is cold and very windy so we will spend it indoors somewhere. Dad decides to take the crew into him city so I can have some quiet time to finish an assignment. Dad takes 6 kids with him to a recreation centre where we have a yearly pass. He works out their religiously during the week but today it is swimming and water park.

Meanwhile I am at home supposed to be finishing the assignment, and the baby is asleep having his nap. I somehow get caught up cleaning our mud room. Boy did I clean. After an hour or so of cleaning it dawns on me my husband specifically took the children so I could get this assignment done and here I am cleaning. I calculate the baby will sleep another hour maybe more so I have time to get some study finished before hubby and kids get home. I did not count on my 16 year old waking up and informing me she needs a ride to work. This is after she enters my room and wakes the baby up- accidentally of course- Mom -"why did you go in my room?" – daughter-" to use your bronzer". What is missing in this picture-no one asked permission to use my bronzer.

What is it about teenage girls-she is my third- and they are respectful lovely girls- but in their teen years- what is theirs is theirs, personal property? What is moms is to be shared equally, hmmm faulty parenting here somewhere. I will need to work on this before my three year old hits her teens.

Back to her ride to work dilemma- if I drive her there goes all of my quiet study time so I inform her she can drive my van to work. Apprently this is not an option because her friend plans to pick her up after work, they are going to a movie then coming home. Do I beg her.. or do I concede....she often graciously changes her plans to drive her brother so I concede. I drive her to work or rather I let her drive so I can study. I manage to get some study in between our conversations. There is something about driving in a vehicle that elicits the best conversation with teenagers.

On the way into St. Albert I phone my husband and arrange to meet him to pick up my son who is old enough to drive me home. This way I can continue to read. On our way home the baby is coughing a dry steady cough. This usually means he has a bout of asthma coming on. We arrive home and sure enough the baby seems tired so I cuddle with him and he falls asleep.

Shortly afterward the rest of the crew arrive home with soil and plants that my husband graciously purchased for me –because I needed to study- but I also wanted to get my planters started so they are nice for spring. My young teens help me get the pots ready and in the house after we fill them with soil. For the next two hours I plant flowers into pots. My husband feeds the kid . Meanwhile I am watching the clock because we are to go to our oldest daughter’s for supper.

The baby wakes up and he has very red cheeks and a high fever. I know I will not make supper at my daughters because I do not have a sitter old enough. I don’t mind the 13 year old for an hour –my daughter lives just blocks away- but not when a young one is sick and has asthma. The 13 year old gets my supper plate which he is quite happy about because he loves his oldest sister’s cooking.

Off he and dad go meanwhile I stay home with the younger crew and settle baby on the couch with his next oldest brother. All of the children are watching the Princess and the Frog, and I finish my planters. Pouring soil- planting the flowers – arranging them with clear plastic in a sunny spot -which happens to be my living room window. I clean up the mess and take my baby while plopping down on the couch.

The older boys are laughing at the TV and with each other . For the baby, the Tylenol has an effect and we sit on the couch and cuddle. He communicates with his big brown eyes and smile- he pretends he is talking. I rub him down with lotion so he feels better- and marvel at his little hands. About 6 pm my three year old says “come on mom lets cuddle”-she has her blanket and is walking towards her bedroom. I tell her mommy cannot cuddle right now because baby is awake and sick. I find it odd she is taking herself to bed. At 6:30 I re- check her in her room and she is sleeping. She opens her eyes when I enter the room and I can tell by her red cheeks that she too is running a fever. I am a mom- my worst fear is that my children are seriously ill -which I quickly talk myself out of and cuddle her. I whisper how much I love her and reassure her she will feel better soon. She grasps me around the neck and falls asleep. This is why I love being an older mom. My life is filled- literally overflowing- with love.

Back to the middle group of boys, who occasionally during the movie have an urge to jump from a standing position onto the couch, or squirm on the exercise ball, or start to wrestle out of no where. My boys are so good but I can never get over how boys love to squirm even when they are at a standstill.

Oh I forgot-before my husband left for supper I managed to drive my 15 year old boy to church -15 miles away –where he plays music. I get home in time for dad and my son to leave for supper. I am enjoy TV time with the boys-by this point it is Americas Funniest Home Videos- we all are laughing- baby is on my knee- by 6:30 I tell myself I will not make it to mass with my dad (In the Seniors home 2 minutes away) when lo and behold my husband returns. I rush out the door to attend mass with my dad-who is 86. He was also at my daughters for supper. So far (my husband, my son and my dad rave about the good supper mean while I have not yet eaten supper) I usually visit with my dad before church but today I could not plus I have to rush home so my husband can drive my son 15 year old to his friends for a sleep over. My husband picked him up from church after supper and before I left for church. The drive will be 2 hours round trip maybe three.

I arrive home from mass to a quiet house because my husband -who I love dearly-has all of the children, except for the tweens, in bed - the house is quiet and what do I do? Rather than study, like I should, I write this blog. A day in the life of...us.