A Study in Stupidity....

So, for some reason, I had not thought having 4 kids five and under would be that hard.

One kid isn't that hard - how much worse can 4 be?

I mean, I had seen parents with 4 young children rush by me in a harried-sleep-deprived-daze dashing off to help the poop-explosion-melt-down-nursing needs of a child. 

I had even wondered why they were so harried-sleep-deprived.  

Oh the naivete of pride and youth.

I guess 4 little people isn't that hard if you've actually slept through the night once a year.  But I wouldn't know about that.

I must have the kind of face that says 
"Please, please comment on everything about my life and tell me why I'm doing it wrong." 
Lucky me. 

I've been reminded recently - by numerous random strangers - that I MUST be crazy to have SO MANY children and be a mama-who-doesn't-work-for-financial-pay. 

I get paid - very well - just not in anything that I can contribute to a retirement fund. Unless you count - hopefully - raising kids that like you enough to take care of you when you are old. 

Apparently, mild-insanity runs in my family. 

My paternal Grandmother - who was a brilliant, genius of a woman - was crazy enough to have 4 children in 4 years.

Actually, her oldest TURNED 4, THREE days AFTER #4 - my dad - was born.

While married to the Air Force. 

And moved twice during the SAME period. One move from Arizona to Idaho after Baby #2, and one between Babies #3 and #4.   

According to family lore, she resorted to creating an intriguing tonic labeled "Tiger's Milk" which helped her handle the crazy her beans shelled out. 

My maternal Grandmother - who was also a brilliant woman - was crazy enough to have 4 children in 4 1/2 years. 

While married to the Merchant Marines.

Perhaps insanity skips a generation. Because none of their children attempted to pull off a repeat. For the record, we really weren't seeking to repeat anybody's anything. We just.....well, this really isn't the place to explain all that.

Or maybe I just am the wrong fit for this generation. 

Who knows.

Unfortunately, I'm a slow learner.

A really, REALLY slow learner.

So, I am now walking in the shoes of those people I used to look down on from my high horse.  And while the walk is challenging, it is exhaustingly wonderful.

As I face the future with our Beans, I'm trying desperately to judge less, and understand more. 

So if you see me with my hair shoved in a hat, wearing the same clothes as the last time we saw each other,  rushing by you clutching one to three children in various awkward positions, with a diaper bag flying behind me.....

Feel free to point and laugh.

Because, apparently, the more I rail against it - 

the more likely it will become one of my life experiences.

~Whitney

Copyright 2011