An Evening in the Life......

...of a Mom with Three Young Kids

Let me give you a little glimpse of what my evening looked like last night. Brad was out with customers so it was just the kids and me. Everything started off super. Landon and Reagan were busy coloring upstairs and I was addressing birth announcement envelopes while Payton slept peacefully in her swing. I must be Super Mom! The clock strikes six.....and things begin to change. L and R begin whining that they if they don't get dinner, they will surely die of hunger. Payton is fussing thinking she might be getting hungry as well. I put down my pen and stack the 50 or so envelopes that I have addressed neatly on the coffee table next to the box of announcements and blank envelopes. I quickly create the meal of champions....peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, apples, Cheetos and Capri Suns. Surely I can get the older two set up with dinner and eat my own sandwich before Payton begins to wail. No such luck. She is literally hyperventilating over in her swing. I set my sandwich and tall, iced down Diet Dr. Pepper on the coffee table (Mistake #1) and start nursing my sweet, starving girl. While adjusting the burp cloth on my shoulder to burp her after a few minutes of eating, I proceed to kick over my very tall glass of Diet Dr. Pepper. Yep - all over the addressed envelopes and box of announcements. Brown sticky syrup (this is all I am seeing right now) is seeping (actually pouring!) from the coffee table glass down onto my very light carpet. So, not only am I worried about the announcements, my carpet is being destroyed before my very eyes. I do what every good mother of a newborn baby would do....toss her on the folded up blanket that is laying on the couch next to me (Mistake #2). I begin to frantically grab the box of announcements, envelopes, etc. and save what I can. (Thank goodness the actual announcements were fine. There are some envelopes that now are stained with a beautiful shade of mocha. That darn postman! He must have carelessly dropped them in a puddle while delivering them to their new homes. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!) After the announcement clean-up, I begin on the coffee table and carpet. At this time I notice (and can tell from her bellows) that something is a little haywire with my Payton. She has rolled from the blanket and is laying (on my stainfree couch cushion!) face down in a huge pile of spitup. Sorry sister. I decide that she can survive with puke all over her and carefully toss her onto the bouncy seat. I will worry about the couch in a minute. After what seems like an entire roll of paper towels, one ShamWow (if you haven't tried these out...I highly recommend them!) and a few kitchen towels, my mess is for the most part, cleaned up. Now on to the barf covered couch. A few wipes and it is back to new. I did manage to get Payton cleaned up somewhere in there as well. I take a few deep breaths, sit back down with my frantic 7-week-old who thinks I have forgotten that I have two sides she eats on, and begin to nurse her on the other side. (Yes - a few tears were streaming down my face out of pure exhaustion!) The story does not end there. Down walks Reagan from upstairs. The conversation I have with her goes as follows:

Reagan: "Mommy, I finished coloring my R2D2 picture!"

Mommy: (while wiping tears from my face) "Great job! Are you going to hang it on your door?"

Reagan: "Yes, but you were out of tape." (Mistake #3)

Mommy: "I am so sorry! I will look for more in a minute when I am finished feeding your sister."

Reagan" "That's OK, Mommy. I glued it to my door."

That right there just sums up my eventful evening. Note to self....or should I say...NOTES to self.

1) Wait until kids go to bed to begin a big project like addressing precious birth announcements.

2) DO NOT place anything near the announcements if you are the least bit worried it might spill and ruin them.

3) Never toss a baby that has just eaten!

4) Remove glue from kids art supplies upstairs!

5) BUY MORE TAPE!!!

Here's to a better evening tomorrow!