Veteran moms have consistently posted comments telling me that as the kids get older, I will have less time. It's hard to believe you would have less time now, than taking care of infant or toddler triplets, but it's true. I have less time now than I did when they were babies.
When they were toddlers, they slept 12-13 hours a day and I had lots of time. Now I find myself going to bed shortly after they do, and when I get up early, I'm frantically packing lunches and getting ready to head to some activity. They are in soooo many things.
They had group picture day at school this week and they all four came out mumbling about how they spent the whole day in the cafeteria taking pictures, because one or more of them are in jump rope, choir, chess club, student council, and GATE
For the third year in a row, I'll be monitoring a team, which consists of me standing in the wind, sipping coffee, and telling people to stop goofing off. That started this week. Amanda and Gregory are on the traveling team and will start traveling to other schools for performances next week. I'll be there for all of those.
Sarah, Gregory, and Austin started basketball and Amanda is in hip hop, in addition to all their school activities.
And their birthday is next week. They've already started getting presents.
And Greg's brother is here visiting from Michigan.
And the 70 percent off Target sale was today!!!!!!!!!!!! So I got up at 5am to get everything done around the house to get to the store right at 8am, completely forgetting that Amanda had a student council meeting at 8:30. Did I ever mention she's the third grade representative? She wrote a speech and got elected. Austin has a party this weekend on Saturday, they have their party on Sunday, and next Sunday we are going to a quadruplet party.
They were at a laser tag birthday party last weekend, which was the funnest thing ever for them.
I calculated that I need about 15 boy and 15 girl presents to make it through the year with all the parties we are invited to and I didn't even come close to covering that at the Target sale this year, which means....GASP......I'll have to spend retail.
Sarah is learning photography in GATE and needed her own camera. They'll be entering a photo contest in the Helldorado festival. I've volunteered to help mount the photos on foam board. I've never done that before, so I'm sure I'll suck at it and we'll lose. At the PTA meeting today, we went over the things that need to get done in the next 60 days. We have Dads and Donuts next Friday. I'll be setting up the cafeteria on Thursday, then getting there on Friday morning at 7am to hand out donuts. Then we have Jump Rope For Heart, which is a huge school event. I'm counting the money. I'm handing out flyers and t-shirts for Family Races and I'll be running an event on Field Day, in addition to volunteering for the Spring Fundraiser.
Oh, and I work now, too, in case anyone's forgotten.
So imagine how completely feeble my brain has gotten when this lady approached me at jump rope practice on Wednesday and said, "I was able to bring A today. I am his aunt. I can't bring him again because I work. He cried and cried because all the kids tease him and tell him he's fat and that's why he wants to be on the jump rope team. His mother can't drive him because she's blind and he wants to do this so much. Is there anyone that can come and get him?" and then I said, "I can get him."
I. can. get. him.
OMG. I've lost my mind. I can barely get my four kids there on time and I'm going to drive across town and pick up some kid I don't even know? He lives nowhere near us. He actually lives in the same apartment complex as the little girl who'd never owned her own box of crayons. Remember that story?
The P.E. teacher asked, "Why did she come to you with this problem? Why didn't she come to me?"
"I think she thought I worked here?", I answered.
That's happens to me all the time. Parents and kids think I work at the school..
So I'm going to have to get Greg to take the other kids while I pick up the Kid With The Blind Mother.
Greg doesn't know this yet. Wait until he calculates the gas money. If I never post again, call the police.
It's like you are recounting my life on this blog. I was soo very busy with my kids' school functions. One time an acquaintance stopped me at the store and asked "hey, do you still work at the school?" Like I ever got paid for what I did.
ReplyDeleteYour schedule will lighten up a bit when the kids get their license. You'll still be at everything but at least they can get themselves to all the functions if you can't. So you only have to hang in there for, what? Seven more years?
I think the jump rope team sounds really neat. I wish we had a local team; I'd go and watch a competition.
HW- The P.E teacher couldn't figure out why the aunt came to me and asked for help? I told her I think she thought I worked there. That happens to me ALL THE TIME. Even the kids think I work there.
ReplyDeleteHa, I'm going to go add that to my post.
ReplyDeleteAll of a sudden, I completely understand those SR moms.
ReplyDeleteLMAO!
ReplyDeleteBy the time they are in middle school it will settle down somewhat. Each child will start to focus on the activity (or two) they like best and drop the other 17. They need you less at school and the sport practices are longer.
ReplyDeleteHang in there! I have one in 8th and one in 10th and I can honestly say I've been bored now for a couple of years. Buying a business and going back to work!
It doesn't slow down! My boys are almost 16. They are still going in 3 different directions. Having a license is only a limited help. First, you have to have cars for them to drive. That means adding 3 more cars to the driveway. And the insurance rates are crazy in CA. Plus the driving is limited - they can only drive themselves for one year after getting their license. Getting to team events still means a parent driving the team members. School rules prevent any student from driving another student to an event. Take a deep breath!
ReplyDeleteSharon- they can drive their siblings in Nevada! Score!
ReplyDeleteAnd this is how the blogs die.
ReplyDeleteI haven't posted for weeks. I stop caring about writing when all I can focus on is EVERYONE STOP TALKING TO ME AT ONCE AND FIGURE OUT YOUR OWN MATH HOMEWORK.
I recently was directed to your blog from someone over at mwop and I've spent the last week reading all the way back to November 2011 (I have a lot of time). I just think you're hilarious and your kids are...kids. Thats all I have to say about that.
ReplyDeleteWill you turn into a tree? People in LV, Watch the park for a new tree to pop up looking fabulous. LOL. Kids think I work at the school too. EVERYONE of the kids from my daughter's class last year comes up and gives me HUGE HUGS when they see me. Makes my sacrifices worthwhile. Talking to our PE teacher about a jump rope team if he can stop groping my son's 2nd grade teacher in his office for more than 3 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI have 4 kids (all singles) but yes, I am def. busier now that they are older, and I never thought that would be possible.
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome for going to pick up that kid. Even if your husband is pissed about the cost of gas. You did a good thing.
CK
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