Shoveling in a Blizzard

Posted on 2007-Sep-13 at 06:51

People ask me all the time what it's like having twin babies.  I like to tell them that it's like shoveling your driveway during a blizzard- you work really hard and think you've gotten somewhere, but then you turn around and you realize that everything you did has been undone.  Allow me to clarify with a sample day at my house. 

My day begins at 3:30 am when I hear Kevin whisper,  "Mommy, I'm wet!"  Thinking maybe this is a dream, I open my eyes a fraction of a millimeter to find him literally 2 inches from my face, which makes me leap pole-vaulter style out of bed.  Surprised to be on my feet so quickly, I wobble around my room for a few seconds until I am fully awake and then follow a wet- no make that saturated- Kevin to his room.  In the dark hallway I stumble over- what else- the Rescue Hero Command Center that someone has left out and nearly break my neck.  I get him into dry pajamas, change his bed, tuck him in with a kiss, and carefully pick my way around the Command Center to my room where I crawl back into bed.

This is of course Megan's cue to wake up for a bottle, because she can actually hear me go into REM sleep.   So she begins to cry.  I try to pretend it is the wind or maybe a dog barking or something, but I can't fool myself...I get her up, feed her and put her back down.  No problem!  Of course on my way out of her room I bang into the door and make a noise loud enough to wake the dead or at the very least, Melissa, who then begins to cry.  I get her up and bring her to my room to feed her.  She is very sleepy and just about ready to go back to bed when Ken's alarm goes off.  We have your typical heart-attack-inducing alarm clock, so of course both Melissa and I jump a mile, (my second large leap of the night- I sure get my exercise, don't I?) and her eyes fly open and stay that way.  I lay her back down wide awake, those two little dark eyes staring up at me in the dark.   I tiptoe around the door having learned my lesson and get halfway down the hall when I hear her begin to fuss.  I freeze in my tracks because for some reason I think that this will make her stop crying.  It works!  She stops after a few minutes, and I thankfully fall back into bed.  And lay there staring at the ceiling until 5:30 am when I give up and decide to take a shower.

The shower goes well, and I manage to get my room straightened and myself dressed without incident.  I go downstairs, looking forward to my morning cup of coffee much more than any person should when I realize with something just short of horror that I am out of cream.  I don't know about you, but I am not a black coffee kind of gal, so after a few minutes of berating myself for being so dumb as to run out of cream, I make myself some tea instead.  As I wait for the water to boil, I unload the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, and wash the blender that I left sitting out after Ken and I had smoothies the night before.  The smoothie residue has turned into cement overnight, so I am scrubbing pretty hard with the sponge when I stab myself with the blender blade right under my fingernail.  So now I am bleeding, sleep deprived, coffeeless and wondering what will happen next.

Eventually, I round up a cup of tea and curl up in my favorite morning spot on the couch.  Some days I read my bible or pray, some days I just zone out and think about the day ahead.  Either way, it's very peaceful.  For about 4 minutes or so.  That's when Kevin starts his campaign to get up early.  He comes down 6 or 7 times between 6am and 7am with a plethora of reasons why he can't possibly stay in bed another moment- he's sick, he's itchy, he's excited, he's cold, he's hot...I send him back up, but it's only a matter of time before he's back again.

Now it's almost time to go get the babies up for the day, so I prepare to do my morning pumping for them.  I get the machine all hooked up and ready when Kevin comes down again- this time he actually is sick for real and looking like he might puke any minute.  I put the pumping on hold and get him set up on the couch with a pillow and blanket and a bucket- just in case.  Of course, my brain knows that the pumping is on hold but my body is already in full pumping mode and sends the milk down anyway which means I now have two big wet spots on the front of my shirt.  At this point Kevin throws up- not in the convenient bucket I have provided him with of course but all over himself, the couch, the floor and the dog.  No time to change into a dry shirt- I throw a jacket on to cover it and get to cleaning.

I get the babies up and settle them on the floor- far away from Kevin- with toys while I make one last effort at pumping.  Melissa is beginning to scootch around and is immediately under the desk in the office playing with cords and wires.  I stop pumping, pull her out, and put her back on the blanket with the toys.  Megan falls backwards from where she was sitting and manages to avoid all 3 pillows I have surrounded her with and bangs her head on the floor.  As I comfort her, I hear the sound of glasses clinking.  I follow the sound and find Melissa under the dining room buffet playing with a box of canning jars I have had sitting there for about 2 weeks now.  I pick her up and bring her back to the blanket with the toys.  I sit Megan back up and rearrange her pillows to catch her in any direction she might fall.  I go back to the pump.  I manage to finish and give both babies their morning bottle.

As they eat, I make oatmeal for the other kids and call AAA to tow our van into the shop.  The AAA lady can't find our address in her computer and puts me on hold 4 times.  AAA has been to my house many times in the past 3 years, but according to this lady's computer, we do not exist on the map!  I dish out oatmeal and continue to hold and hold and hold.  Kevin is calling me and I keep telling him to wait a minute.  Megan falls forward on her face-the only spot I don't have a pillow- and starts wailing.  Melissa has gotten herself stuck under the coffee table.  Kevin pukes again, this time in the bucket!  Hooray!  Thank God for small favors.  I am still on hold.

Fast forward 2 hours.  The babies have napped and are happy.   The house is clean.  Kevin is asleep on the couch.  The big kids are finishing up their schoolwork.  The sun is shining, a cool breeze is blowing, all is good.  The AAA tow truck pulls up, and I start to go outside to talk to him when I look down and remember that my shirt has dried milk spots on it.  How could I forget to change my shirt??  I throw my jacket back on and go talk to the tow truck guy.  He loads up the van and leaves.  I go change my shirt.  I fold 4 loads of laundry.  I make lunch.  The big kids clean up.  I put all the little kids down for a nap.  I collapse on the couch and lay there feeling guilty for spending so much time on little kids and neglecting the big kids.  I call them in and read them 2 chapters of the book they always beg me to read.  I fall asleep in the middle of a sentence.  They let me.

I hear the babies and go get them up from their afternoon nap.  Kevin wakes up crying with a yucky tummy and a fever.  I carry him downstairs and put on a movie for him to watch.  I pull Melissa out from behind the entertainment center.  Megan falls over sideways and bangs her head on the floor.  I start dinner.  The big kids help with babies, set the table, straighten the house inside and out...what would I do without big kids?  I ask myself that question a lot.

At 6 pm Ken comes home, and I take the babies upstairs for a bath.  Kyle and I give them their bedtime bottles and cuddle them for a few minutes then put them to bed.  Whew!  We eat dinner and get things cleaned up.  Ken goes with a neighbor to pick up the van.  Kevin feels better and asks for me to read him a book which I do, and I even manage to stay awake until the end of it.  Ken returns with the van.  I go grocery shopping, drive through McDonalds for a well deserved ice cream cone, pick up feed for the chickens and trek back home.  Ken and I put away the groceries, I iron his clothes for the next day, we make smoothies and don't wash the blender again, I pump and we head to bed.

At 3:30 am I hear Kevin whisper "Mommy, I'm wet!"  And around and around we go.  Shoveling in a blizzard, that's me.  It's exhausting, but even though it may seem like I am not getting anything done, I know that this is temporary and will pass.  Even now things are so much easier than they used to be when the babies were newborn.  Yes, it's a little crazy, but I kind of don't mind it that much.  I know I will look back on these days and smile someday.  Someday.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go change Kevin's bed, find Melissa, and somehow teach Megan to stop missing pillows.  Have a great day!

Faithfulness counts!

Posted by tioga12 on 2007-Sep-13 at 08:16 - Link

Thanks for sharing your day, Leah...
Some of it made me smile and some of it I remember from when mine were babies...sounds exhausting, but rewarding in its own way. I think it just helps to know we are being faithful in even the little things. Those things aren't "little" to your children though. You are so important to you family and it sounds like you are doing a great job! I hope you get a much needed break and a smooth running day today. :-)

~Annette

Oh, Leah....

Posted by abundantblessings on 2007-Sep-13 at 01:07 - Link

I am exhausted just reading about your day!
I so wish we lived close enough to come by and be a help to you....
Yes, this too shall pass...but in the midst of it, it's hard to see that.
Thinking of you!!

Abundant Blessings,
Laurie

you are great!!

Posted by Cathy on 2007-Sep-13 at 09:51 - Link

Leah,
I will say this...I sure admire you for being the GREAT mama you are!! Your kids see this and they will always remember what you do for them.
Love ya friend,
Cathy

Phew!!

Posted by Becky on 2007-Sep-19 at 05:19 - Link

I too am exhausted just reading this! I can't help laughing when I think of how Melissa scoots off under the furniture and Megan falls over and misses the pillows, especially after witnessing both first hand. They are so funny!

Really great post!

Posted by Anonymous on 2007-Oct-31 at 09:55 - Link

Dear Leah,

I realize this post is over a month old, but I'm a busy mom, too! I love to read your blog. One time I followed the link from WTM, and ever since, I check back occasionally.

My twins are 3 now, and it does get better! (Yes, I realize you have older twins and you know that ...) ;-) I remember those days when I had twins bonking their heads and getting lost & stuck, and it makes me laugh to read your description of it!

I started blogging when my twins were born, and now I'm glad I did, because I can read those old posts and giggle, and tell the me that I was back then to try to relax and remember I won't be a milk cow forever. :-)

(If it makes you feel any better, I have 3 drenched boys many nights. Ugh.)

God bless you!
Laura in Poland
www.theylivedintents.com