One Day at a Time

We seem to be settling into a better and better routine each day. It seems like there are fewer and fewer time-outs or negative behaviors, but just as much chaos as ever! You see, the reality of this situation is that we have 4 kids less than 2.5 years apart living under one tiny roof (well, 1224 sqft, which used to feel like plenty of room!).

So, even when the kids are all somewhat well-behaved, it's still sheer chaos. The happy squeals are almost as loud as the sad or mad shrieks... so the volume is always sky high! Both boys spend their days driving anything with wheels up and down our hall way, making all the appropriate vehicle noises. If they're not driving they're chasing each other so there's a constant pitter-patter throughout the house.

All of the kids seem to have pretty much the same needs, and that's the part that's truly overwhelming. They all need help getting food, cutting food, buckling in (or at least being checked for accurate buckling techniques), bathing and wiping. They all need tucked in, stories and snuggles. They all need reminded to do basic things. They all cry when they get hurt and need comforted. They all want to run in 12 different directions at any one time, yelling just to hear themselves yell! They all stain and soil heaps of laundry. None of them are incredibly skilled at picking up after themselves. They all see the world in black-and-white, so they LOVE to tell the others what they should or shouldn't be doing, and when!

It's a beautiful mess around here!

So really, I'd say we're holding up rather well, but it's still overwhelming just because of the constant go-go-go that we're dealing with, and the reminders, and the interventions :0)

People keep asking what we need, but really, we're doing well. The kids were each given $125 in clothing vouchers for Target which allowed us to get them some of the basic clothes they needed, and we have some friends who do foster care that have been storing 'just in case' clothes of all sizes that they're letting us borrow (and some car seats too!). There are a couple of trivial things we need to get (like egg timers for upstairs and downstairs to help facilitate time-outs, and more hand towels for the bathrooms). That's just a matter of getting to the store though. Other than that we really are doing okay. I did tell my cousin that for the health and safety of the children that we could always use starbucks gift-cards in large denominations, and maid service however! (Please note severe sarcasm above... it's a funny. Get it?)

I get to take the kiddos for a visit tomorrow, which will prove to be a fairly long day (2 hours driving each way, plus the visit time), but it will be nice to get out of the house for a while. I think Rob will stay here and spend some quality time with our kiddos. I'll spend 2 quality hours at Wal-Mart while they're having their visits :0) Oh the dreams I'm already dreaming... spending 2 kidless hours at Wal-Mart! The decibel volume should decrease significantly for both of us tomorrow, which will be a welcome relief!