The Big Sleepover

I will be staying at my daughters house all week. Heather and Jimmy and Natalie are in Cancun. Or as Natalie calls it Canna Cunna. She called me today from their room at the Moon Palace Spa Resort. Wanna know what she said? "MOM, I just wanna come home". I think it may have been the total lack of sleep. They had to leave for the airport at 2 AM. She was pretty freaked out by the large iguanas that seem to wander all over everyplace. She turned on the water so she and Natalie could soak in the hottub. Before it was full Natalie pushed a button that turned on the water jets. She said it was like a bad movie. Water shooting all over the room. She was afraid room service would come with Natalies food and see the flood. It shot out and knocked Natalie on her butt and scared her to daeth. I am sorry but I was about to pee my pants as she told the story. Friday I had 4 little ones as I think I told you. One 4 yr old, two 3 yr olds and baby Jody who is just 1. OMG! I may have given birth to 5 kids but they were all spaced a few years apart. Molly, Frema, whatever silly comments or assvice I may have given in the past, all I can say is I must have a bad memory. Forgive me please. I couldn't even take a pee break. I never for even one minute had them fooled into thinking I was in charge. They had no mercy. These little sweet peas of mine that are with me often but not as a gang. It was mob rule. They were the mob and they ruled. When they began arriving at 9 AM my entire house was (okay not my room, never my room)was clean as a whistle. I scrubbed every inch of floor. I was tired but I just knew those toddlers would appreciate how clean it was for them. I am not sure at what point I knew they had me. But when I heard my voice in loud scream mode and saw the fear on their faces I shut right up. I sat down in the middle of them and on a large pile of Ritz cracker crumbs and cheese sticks and began to sing Old Mac Donald. They forgave me right away and sang along. We sang for what seemed like 2 days and only stopped when they ran out of stuff that Old Mac had on his farm. I say stuff because it wasn't just animals. He had chairs and flowers and shoes on that damn farm and for the life of me I could not think of any sound for a chair. We made a campsite in the dark end of the hallway. They had to use every blanket and sheet and quilt that was in the house. I only had to retrieve one barette from the toilet( i got lucky here and there was no poop) and only one of them had an( wet pants) accident. Only one house plant suffered a broken limb. I only cried once and that was when I yelled at them. I never get angry with them and they had no idea what to think of me. I had really forgotten what it is like to have more then one little one to wrangle. It is hard work. You gotta be fast on your feet and have backup plans for everything. Mostly you have to say to hell with the clean house and dive in head first and have fun with them. When my kids were small all my jeans had holes in the knees. Now I recall why. I spent my time on the floor with them. I am a pretty fun grandma but I learned a few things. Anybody can handle 1 child. Though even one is alot of work. I had forgotten just how much work it is to take good care of a family with more than one child. My hat is off to moms and dads that make a home for their famlies and make it look so easy. When I had a cow over those cracker crumbs I remembered what is really important. Dishes and laundry can wait but babies grow up and change each day. Days we can never get back. I hate a dirty house but not as much as I love spending time with those kids. I also learned that I need to have another grandparent share some of the duties with me.( aside from Joe) I may need hip replacement. I don't take a full dose of pain meds when I am taking care of little ones. It's hard for me to say no ever. I took some nice photos of my day of insanity. They are on my computer at home and when I go back there later in the week I will post them. Christian and Seth are a joy to be with and this week will be fun. Seth who is just 7 is now reading chapter books as he calls them. He read to me from the cutest book tonight. Junie B. Jones. This little guy Seth is a sweet and kind hearted boy. He thinks his mommy hung the moon and obeys all her rules. He makes sure we all do too. He is sleeping with me tonight. If not mommy then grandma will do.