Maxim
Alex
Austin and Zack (his BFF). He asked me to post this pic!
My baby sister getting her diploma(trust me, it's her!)
The week started out crazy with the trips to the doctors and ER and the rest of the week was pretty much the same. I have been trying to get the kids acclimated to spending as much time outside as possible. So every chance we get we are in the yard or going for walks. As anyone with multiples can tell you their children are usually pretty isolated. It's a difficult task to watch several children, all he same age going in all different directions. Not to mention having a 6 year old who doesn't always listen and an infant who is needy on a whole different level. For most of the winter we where inside for fear of flu or sickness that would leave the whole family debilitated and now it's such a huge task to get 5 children ready to go anywhere that we tend to stick to our home and the surrounding areas. When we go outside our normal realm the kids tend to act out and then we get the stupid comments like "oh, you've got your hands full" and the "better you an me's ". All though I have seen people with just 1 child who is acting like a crazy kid and I would never think to say anything, people always feel the need to make comments to me. Don't people think..maybe they should just let me be when I'm trying to control the kids rather than getting involved with stupid comments.
So anyway, the weekend approached and the weather turned cold as it often does in the Buffalo springtime. We still dressed the kids as warm as we could and sent them in the yard. Surprisingly enough the weather doesn't seem to bother them. I did a lot of gardening and the boys did their best to help. As I was planting the annual flowers they were digging them back up and handing them to me. They looked so proud that I couldn't possibly be angry. Than as I filled another planter with dirt, they would dig it back up. At one point all three little boys where covered with dirt and so was Austin. I guess it was my own fault for buying them gardening equipment. We had been looking for to Saturday for several months. We where invited to the NICU Reunion at Sisters Hospital. The NICU is someplace that is very important to my husband and I. All four of our little boys spent time there and they all did such a wonderful job. The nurses and the doctors became a part of our family. I personally couldn't wait. When the time came I dressed the kids in special matching outfits(so I could tell my children from the others) and we headed out as a large family of seven to Sisters Hospital. When we arrived it seemed like such organized ciaos. Their wee families as far as the eyes could see, kids everywhere and a juggler of sorts in the corner entertaining the masses. I scanned the area hoping to see our favorite nurses but saw no one. Emerson was already starting to fuss since he refused to take a nap. Within 5 minutes my boys where off and running. I went to get snacks to entertain them (again scanning the room). They ate, Austin complained, Emerson cried, Alex colored and Max observed. Griffin just hung out in the stroller the whole time. I was disappointed, we only saw 2 nurses the whole time we where there. None of the doctors where their and we pretty much wasted our day. Maybe next years reunion will be better.
Sunday was a beautiful day. My sister Gabrielle graduated from Niagara university. Actually she graduated in December(a semester early) but the ceremony was Sunday at UB. I brought Griffin as to not torture David by leaving all 5 kids and quite frankly he is the lesser of 5 evils. He seemed to enjoy having my mother, sister and Aunt all to himself that was until he was awoken by our hoots and hollers as my baby sister crossed the stage. Shortly there after we left. I went home and gathered the family for the party. We among the first to arrive and believe me that is quite a feat for us. The boys where irritable but in their defence we where outside, there where a ton of people they didn't know and it was freezing. After visiting for several hours I was more than happy to take my tired, filthy brood home. They seemed the happiest when finally getting into their cozy car seats and watching their movie. After that crazy day I was happy when all kids where home bathed, jammied and in bed by 8:30. Only 30 minutes off from our schedule. Not bad for this cranky mother of 5! I'm happy this week is over. I hope the weather gets better so we can start another crazy week off better. No Dr's appointments, no trips to the ER!