Friday, May 30, 2008

Mother of 6 1/2


1 week
6 kids
10 loads of laundry
9 episodes of puke (hence the 10 loads of laundry)
8 loads of dishes
$175 worth of groceries (and I still ran out and had to go back to the store twice)
22 meals
14 snacks

=6 happy kids and 1 exhausted mother

This past week we watched Jason's nieces and nephews while their parents went on a cruise. The kids were so excited to spend time with their cousins but I was a little nervous to go from a family of 4 to a family of 8 overnight. It actually went better than I had expected (for the most part), their kids were well behaved and they all played really well together. The oldest, Amanda, is almost 11 and she was such a great help. The youngest, Samantha, is 2 and was so cute. She called me "mommy" the whole time and once when we were at the park another little boy ran up to me and she immediately clung to my leg and told him, "no, my mom!" It was hilarious. We even ventured out and took the whole brood to the theater for the summer movie pass. We definately got some odd looks, though, especially since their kids are half Chinese as well so it looked like they really were all our kids. The hardest part of taking so many kids out was that I was a nervous wreck counting heads every few minutes. Things were going better than expected, until Tuesday night. I was out with friends when I got "the phone call" that the youngest one had thrown up. By the time I got home Jason had her bathed and everything cleaned up so I thought I was off the hook. After she threw up 5 more times throughout the night and 3 more times in the next couple of days, I realized that I had definately not gotten off the hook. Jason was supposed to be in Vegas this week and I thought I was going to die, but thankfully he got rescheduled and was even able to work from home a couple of days to help out. It was a fun week, but I definately gained a greater appreciation for mothers of large families! I'm also REALLY looking forward to next summer when they're going to be watching our kids while it's our turn to go on a cruise (I used visions of the Carribean beaches to get me through all the vomit).
yeah baby, 99 cent Sonic milkshakes--who said you can't feed a big family on a small budget?

checking out the 2 foot Goldfish on steriods and cooling off in the splash pad
how we spent the majority of our dayshanging out at the Martinez's house for a Memorial Day picnic--you would never guess these two were cousins, huh?

13 comments:

Janessa said...

You have sufficently scared me off from having any more children...at least for another month. You are amazing! I'm glad you survived and have a fun pay back trip to look forward to. I'm so impressed with the way you took everybody out so much and did so many fun things. I think I would have stayed home for a week and hope all survived. I'm glad nobody else threw up. It sounds like poor Samantha had it pretty bad. Which means that you had it pretty bad for a few days too. Poor Jame!

Jodee said...

Nice, there is nothing worse than cleaning up puke all night, especially when it isn't even your kid! You get the Auntie of the year award! I am glad you survived, they look happy and safe and that is all that matters right? I am also glad that Jason didn't have to leave, that would have been so hard!

Jodee said...

ps, i think you look a little like your sister Jennifer in this picture.

Suni said...

Jamie you look like a natural....maybe its a sign!! I don't know how moms do it with a lot of kiddos! That is awesome that you get a trip next year by yourselves!

Chelsea said...

I agree with Suni, I think a BIG BIG family is in the cards for you and Jason :) I bet you were so glad to be back to 2!!! I hope no one threw up the Sonic milkshakes! Hallelulah no one else got sick, see you were being looked after.

Rohm Family said...

that video is so cute- Jayden is so funny :)

Shanen said...

Jamie you are amazing. If you can handle that, you can handle a lot more of your own kids. That is hard to take in someone elses kids for that long. And to take them out in public too??? You are good.

Kristin said...

Wow I am really behind! Congrats on your little boy. I'm excited for you. Man the story about the six kids wore me out! I don't think I'll even make it to six, honestly... I don't know how you did the throw up, I can barely do my own kids let alone someone elses and even at that point I am dry heaving and sometimes even throwing up myself. Wow you were amazing! I bet you are so glad that all other six kids weren't throwing up too, I'm glad for you!

Kandice said...

That was so nice of you to do a kid swap. Wade and I are only dreaming of when that day can happen for us. Right now with 3 under 1.5 it doesn't seem like it will ever happen. Maybe we will join you on your cruise next summer, we might be able to get away by then. :)

kemptons said...

You are brave to go anywhere with 6 kids. When I have my niece and nephews with me I always think I can go places and I do, all the while saying to myself WHAT WAS I THINKING! Your simply an amazing mom and Aunt! And CONGRATULATIONS on having a boy. That will be a lot of fun for Jayden to have a little brother to be buddies with.

Kathi said...

Holy cow! You are one brave girl! Congrats on the boy I love having two together, they are such little buddies, that will be fun for Jayden.

Angie Whitman said...

Well, that looked a little unreal in the photo for them all to be yours! I bet you did get so many funny looks! They are all so little. I bet the 11 yr old was a HUGE help. I think that's the only way big families do it. I don't understand how a family of sixtuplets ever survives...kind of makes you wonder, huh?
Still love your hair!

Alisa Larson said...

Man, they are getting the better end of the deal watching your kids next year!