When I found out I was pregnant with Maggie WAY back in Aug./Sept. 1997, I was quick to grab What to Expect When You Are Expecting and received The Baby Book (Sears) as a gift quickly thereafter. Like many expectant Moms, I wanted to do the best for my baby and try to prepare for what was to come. I was gearing up for sleepness nights, teething, babywearing, sore boobs, and unending love for my growing baby.

Collin and I have been very blessed with four healthy children. Sure, each had their challenges when they were a baby: Maggie was our guinea pig and managed to survive us being 1st time parents; Sean was crawling at 4-1/2 mos. so he emerged quickly as a busy, busy baby; then came Miss Amanda, the 3rd child in 3-1/2 yrs. and HOLY GUACAMOLE did she have colic. I was toast. I can hardly remember how I got through my days when I look back on those days. Thanks goodness for scrapbooks to help me remember the good stuff. Then along came Ian....a shock and a blessing. I think my biggest challenge with him was just hoping he wouldn't have colic (he didn't, phew!) and to keep him alive despite his siblings wanting to "carry him & play with him." Over the years, the difficulties we've have had truly seemed minor when you look at the big picture.

I've always been told "Wow, you must have your hands full" and "Geez, four little must be so hard." I'm really learning quickly that they are actually easy when they are little. I know, I know --- parenting littles IS hard and challenging and exhausting, but lately I (we) are facing the reality of parenting four kids that all have activities/friends/homework/etc. The schedule we shuffle is basically insane. We don't HAVE to do these things, but we want the kids to be in activities. It's just that we have so many kids (lol!).

And the schedule isn't even the hardest part. They are four individual children with completely seperate needs (and it is always fluctuating). Maggie's latest is that she is in tutoring to help her struggle less in school. She is a challenge anyway (at 10-1/2) but I don't want her to fall behind any more. Sean is starting to have some incredible anxiety issues that we are desperately trying to deal with. We have been amazingly patient and met with the school today to figure out how to help him get through his day. It is just gut-wrenching to know that I just can't completely help him so we are going to seek some outside counseling for him. Amanda is mostly on an even keel right now, but she remains incredibly stubborn and independent which doesn't always match well. And then Ian, well he keeps me sane most days by making me laugh except when he digs his 4yo heels in and won't get out of the car.


I love them with all my heart, but .....sigh.....who took the parenting manual? (What kind of rubber room with I need when I have the ages of 17, 15, 14, and 11? that was a RETORICAL question!)