Four No-More

What is that expression...oh yeah, famous last words...well that one came back to bite me in the booty today! So as you can recall I was bragging telling you yesterday about how I have this 4 kids thing down to a system.

Well...the tires came to a screeching halt this morning as I trudged walked down the stairs around 6:04am, holding a still sleepy look A in my arms, and found my mom on the phone. I mean who are you going to be talking to at this hour of the morning. I went through my mental check list...sisters...maybe but not to work yet, best friend...definitely not up yet, me...nope I am here, huh. Then she turned around and I caught the expression on her face along with a few words...eye, blurry, warning sign.

About 2 months ago my mom was having trouble with her eye, unfortunately we were at the beach, 6 hrs away from her eye doctor. After a few phone calls she went to see a specialist in the area and they confirmed her worst fear...a detached retina. A few days and lots of time worrying later, she underwent the procedure that would re-attach her retina. Then she was stuck laying on her side for 45 minutes of every hour, for 2 weeks!!!! I think that would have been the end for me, I would have given up sight in one eye to not have to go through that...but she was a champ and has been on the road to recovery since.

So this morning when she started to get very blurry again in her bad eye, she knew better than to wait.

 This did mean that at 7:22am, when my mom and dad walked out the door (she can't drive till she has her sight back) to go to the doctor (35 minutes away) I became a single mom to 4 kids under the age of 8! I think I tackled the early morning pretty well. We had some yummy waffles with strawberries on the side and milk, then I stripped each kid down, lined them up and sun-blocked them all! Ten minutes later we were all out the door, the two little girls in the double BOB (cannot thank my mom enough for getting this one!), the two big kids on bikes, the dog on my wrist, and tennis shoes on my feet!

After counting the kids, our first stop was to Club 4/5 to drop the 5 year old off...check.

Then it was over to Amanda's garage to collect the eldest's sailing gear and then back to the lagoon to rig up her boat. Not only has it been a while since I have rigged a boat, but I had to do it while keeping an eye on the little two, and yelling at Preston who was not very pleased with being tied to the bench. But I managed.

Sailboat rigged...checked.

Now it was time for strategy (which I knew my sister would have nailed), since today was a racing today.

Me:  "Okay, the wind is coming from the bridge, so you will need to tack to the first mark. Don't forget to take the third mark close, or others' will sneak inside you! Oh, and have fun too!"

Em: "Got it."

Talking strategy...check.

Next, I let the little two loose in the playground as I relocated Preston from the bench to a telephone pole.  As I was finally getting a chance to catch my breath...literally...I heard the whistle followed by, "C Class on the bench" so I grabbed the two little ones off the jungle gym and raced over to help get Em's boat in the water. Have you ever tried to do something that required your strength and attention while simultaneously watching a 1 1/2 year old and a 3 year old?!? I am not going to lie...it was pretty hard.  So I decided to break out the snacks early and strapped the little ones back in the stroller, where they sat happily munching on a Grammy Sammy.

Two small children restrained...check.

One boat in the water, ready to sail...check.

Then, after running Preston home (I just couldn't do her too), I raced back and forth between spotting the little ones on the playground, and watching Em sail for the next hour.

After sailing, life calmed down a bit. Em went off with her friend to hang out before her sports class, and I took the two little ones (stroller) and the 6 year old (bike), who was out of Club 4/5 at this time for a run around the point!

Finally we headed back to the house so I could get our picnic lunch together: ham and cheese sandwiches, 3 without mayo, one with, a baggie of strawberries, a few bananas, some juice, and 4 frozen yogurt pops (the Dan-o-nino ones) in the cooler so we could head off to the beach. Just as I am rounding up the three remaining kids and wrestling on swim suits Gigi and Pop P return!

Although I had a blast with the girls this morning I will admit, if I had that many kids to look after on a regular day, there is a 99% chance at least one would get seriously hurt or go missing. So here is to all the mom's who have left a kid somewhere, been looking away as a kid took a tumble, or missed pick-up...I completely understand!

xoxo

Daily Mom