It’s amazing, isn’t it? The things we do for our kids because we want them to be happy. Now that I have two sets of twins, I find myself hauling the little girls places along with my other two and doing stuff I would never have done with the first two at that age. And it seems like lately I’ve done a lot. Let’s start with the weekly ballet classes we’ve been doing for nearly 2 years now. I watch all the other moms with envy because they sit there and gab with each other and occasionally glance at their little princess on the dance floor. Once in a while someone has ONE little child with them in the lobby. But I’m the only one with 2. Last year it was 2 babies that I had to entertain in the stroller for an hour every week. You can only feed them so many snacks. This year it’s 2 toddlers that climb on everything they see, throw books across the room and other fun shenanigans. But dance isn’t even that bad. Their lobby is pretty well-contained and not too much the little girls can get into.
Let’s add to that swim lessons last summer. Sitting in the horrific heat with 2 toddlers in the stroller. The worst part about that was honestly unloading the stroller and then loading it back up 30 minutes later. But 30 minutes isn’t TOO hard to keep them occupied. Then there was gymnastics. That also started out as entertaining them for an hour in the stroller but they quickly had to be let out and I was chasing them all around that place. The gym had 2 doors going into the gym that they liked to have open. Okay, you do the math. 2 open doors, 2 toddlers. Can’t you just picture me hauling butt into the gym before they go running across all the mats? So I just started closing their doors. Too bad so sad. I don’t care. I gotta do what I gotta do. So they were confined but now climbing on tipsy barstool-type chairs and throwing blocks all over the room. Ashley has this insane energy that often involves hurling toys in all directions. At both ballet and gymnastics, again I was jealous of the other parents just sitting there having a good time and relaxing. Though I really have no idea what they were thinking when they looked at me. I truly think most of them felt a bit sorry for me and were amazed at the same time.
But why did I do all that? I could have easily said I just can’t do it until my kids are older. But that’s not fair to my girls. Why should developing their talents wait when they are ready now? Their whole lives we have had to miss out on things because I just couldn’t do it. Playdates and outings are one thing, but pursuing these gifts in my opinion are just too important to hold them back because it’s hard on me.
Friday night I must have lost my mind because I took all 4 of them by myself to Chuck E Cheese so that 1 of them could go to a birthday party. They hadn’t been to a party in so long. Mike met me there but oh my gosh it was SO hard until he got there. And then tonight he was not home and there was Math Night at the elementary school. All these games and activities and my girls were begging me to go. I hate for them to miss things like that. They’ve missed enough already so I took a deep breath and made it all happen. At least Kaitlyn had a decent time but Mackenzie cried the whole time, said it wasn’t fun and that she wanted to go home. Really? Are you kidding me? Why the heck did I put myself through that? Because I love them. Because I don’t want them to miss out on things, and I want them live life to the fullest.
So what’s next that I will be dragging the little girls to? T-ball starts in a couple weeks and then it will be swim team this summer. I have NO idea how I am going to do that but I will cross that bridge when I come to it. In the meantime, does anyone know how to get a caffeine IV going?
Hilarious! I hear you on chasing them around and looking like an idiot. Most moms are sympathetic I have found. I tried story time at Borders with a friend. Everyone else's 2 year olds were sitting and listening, but not mine! I agree that the older sibling(s) shouldn't miss out on stuff but it definitely takes some creativity to make it all happen! BTW, at dance, I drive around and run a couple of errands, and then we spend the rest of the time in the van. I let the twins out of their carseats and let them "explore" the van. They push all the buttons and I sit in the backseat and try to over see it all! At least Luke isn't trying to run out of their automatic doors into the parking lot that way!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteWOW!! How DO you do it??? It just exhausts me hearing your stories!!! But I can't wait to come down there this weekend to FINALLY meet Reagan and Ashley! And to see Mackenzie and Kaitlyn again! Kate is NEVER going to want to leave!!!
ReplyDeleteI've had to accept the same thing. In the beginning, after G & L were born, Cole and Bella missed out on a lot because I was just too overwhelmed to deal with it. But after being stuck in the house day after day with 4 bored and whiny kids, I knew I had to get out. I did it in baby steps and now it's a piece of cake. But it was definitely a work in progress.
ReplyDeleteCole and Bella did t-ball last year and I had to drag the little twins with me. I ended up buying 2 small gloves and a ball for the little twins so while Cole and Bella played, I could toss the ball back and forth with the little ones. Only problem with that was that I missed seeing Cole's first homerun but he's forgiven me.
Thank you for your kind words on my post the other day! I feel like you and I can relate to one another so well. No one else can understand what raising multiple multiples is like unless they've done it themselves!
I've found that the things the kids remember are not the ones I put all my heart and soul into, especially the things that are overwhelming for me. They remember things like out on a walk when we see a lizard crossing the street. I had nothing to do with that! Go figure!
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