Insight from me on being a Mom

It seems like I always hear people talk about how motherhood is a lot of work.  Sometimes this is puzzling to me, then I have a day, where I remember why people say that.  You'd think with 5 kids I'd always know why people say that.  However, some days are just great, and I don't feel like I've been "working" all day.

Yesterday I opened up blogger so I could write this post.  I never got to it though.  Yesterday was one of those days where I wanted to run away.  I just couldn't handle it.  You know what I've learned though???  If I'm lacking sleep ... I'm not a fun mom.  I'm tired, cranky and I want a nap and my husband home to help.  It makes for a long 8 hour day.

For 2 nights straight my cute little wonder sleeper Hannah slept 4 hours each night, broken up.  It was so not good for me.  Then yesterday she was CRANKY.  She wouldn't nap, and fussed and cried, and fussed and cat napped and fussed and cried, and cat napped.  You get the idea.

When Hannah was finally content another one of the kids wanted something, or needed to scream (thus waking Hannah up) or cry or hit or punch or throw a ginormous tantrum ... you get the picture.

By the end of the day when Dale asked if I'd be okay with him stopping and picking up something for our yard before coming home (and resulting in him being 40 minutes later than usual) I told him he could if he wanted, but things would be worse by the time he got home.

He just came home.

In the mists of the craziness, I finally came out of my tired/cranky/I want a nap funk and took some pictures of my kids.

Sisters

My babies

Admiring his baby sister

Will adores her.  I love watching these two together.

 Spencer falls asleep watching a movie at least once a week while Will's at school (during the babies naps).  He always falls asleep in silly positions.  I love it.

Ummm ... I'm posting a video of my cute Spencer Wayne.  I love how he talks.  He's hard to understand sometimes, but he says the sweetest things.  So I was getting him to do his little ritual (which he didn't do how he normally does, of course) of him saying how he loves everyone in our family, and in the back ground you'll be able to hear my dear, sweet 4 year old daughter screaming at me.  It really was like that all day .... awesome!!!!  Oh, and at the end, Spencer stopped b/c of what Kate was saying to him, he was really sad.

Yesterday was a lot of work for me to be a mom.  A LOT!  It was a lot of work to not scream and yell and be annoyed, constantly.  It was a lot of work to try to calm my baby and help her and figure out what she wants.  It was a lot of work to give all the kisses that needed to be helped and talk to the offender that gave the owie.  It was a lot of work to stop the fighting, clean the house (oh wait ... that never got done), feed the children, drive to various destinations.

Today!  Today is better.  We played with a dear friend this morning.  Will is at school & Kate and Spencer getting along (for the moment).  Hannah is content and happy sitting on my lap and letting me write.  Jack is peacefully napping.  The plan is to walk to pick up Will from school.  The kids and I need out, and it's a good excuse since the weather is wonderful.

"They" also say that there are a lot of rewards in being a mother.  Sometimes those are hard to find.  However, after a day like yesterday, today is a reward ... the entire thing!  Lol.  It's a wonderful, beautiful, sunny, warm day.  The kids are getting along well enough.  It's wonderful!