A Typical Evening

Dominic and the boys had a fun day today. They went to the aquarium (I just discovered this morning that our aquarium membership is expiring tomorrow) and then they went to see a basketball game.

It's been great to have Dominic home this week. He and the boys did a lot of fun things although I have to say that I am a little jealous. I used to go out so much with the boys when they were younger. Now with another 2 little children it's almost impossible to get out of the house. Before I had Cecilia and Alex, the boys and I used to go to the zoo, to Seattle Center, the Children's Museum, parks, playrooms, visits to other stay at home moms with little children. This has continued to some degree after we had Cecilia but ever since Alex was born it is quite an adventure to go out with all 4.

And it's not only the fact that it's hard to watch them all, but for some reason my days are so full that I can barely find the time to go to the grocery store. There's the house cleaning (the past month I had a Brazilian couple come twice to clean the house, which has been a great help), cooking, picking up after everyone all day long (toys, clothes, books, shoes, paper, magazines, they seem to appear out of nowhere even though the boys are trained pretty well in keeping their room decently clean and picking up after themselves), then there's the "laundry monster" (1-2 loads a day, if I miss a day it's a disaster), school related stuff, cub scouts (Dominic does most of the work there), all the extracurricular activities, not to mention the Holiday related stuff this month (by the way tomorrow we're having a New Year's Eve Party, we're expecting about 20-30 people)...And that wouldn't be that bad if it wasn't for all the little interruptions all day long. A typical evening for us goes something like this:

Mom (that would be me) is making the last dinner preparation and setting the table...one plate for Teddy, one plate for...

Alex: "wah wah wah"

Mom (ignoring the baby)...one plate for Bebe and one for Cecilia. Let's get some forks now...

Alex: "waaaaahhhhh"

Mom: " OK sweetheart, mommy's gonna hold you a little. What, you're hungry? I can't feed you right now, you have to wait a little, let's put you in the highchair where you can see everyone"

Teddy: "Mom, I'm starving", grabs a piece of bread and runs in the living room.

Mom: "Teddy, you're not allowed to eat in the living room. Come back to the kitchen right now. No, wait wash your hands first, and you too Bebe"

Bebe: "Mom I need to go to the bathroom"

Mom: "OK, go to the bathroom and then wash your hands well, make many bubbles otherwise the germs won't die. Cecilia come here, let me wash your hands" I prop her on my knee at the kitchen sink.

Cecilia: " Nooo, I want chair! (she wants to stand on a small chair when I wash her hands)

Mom: "Oh, just forget about it, let me wash your hands really quick". I wash her hands.

Cecilia: "Aaaahhh, it's hot, waaaahhh"

Alex: (inspired by his sister) Waaahhh!

Bebe and Teddy fighting: "Mom he won't give me the truck, I had it first. I want it back"
"But it's mine mom"
"Mom he hit me. It hurts"

Mom: "You'll be OK. Offer it up. Come on kids lets sit at the table and eat. Let's say Grace.

Bebe:"Can I have a glass of water?"

Mom: "Yes, go get it yourself."

Teddy: "Mom, do we have any ketch-up?"

Mom:" Yes, go get it yourself"

Teddy, Benedict and Cecilia together:" Mother, we want to thank you for this delicious and nutritious food you have prepared for us. Thank you for working so hard for us. We admit the fact that sometimes we might be a little naughty, but you know mother, that's how kids are. From now on we have decided to be well behaved, to listen all the times and to help you with your housework"....yeah right, in mom's dreams.

The End