Up at 4:30 a.m.???

Why?  Shouldn't I be sleeping peacefully alongside my infant daughter (who resfuses to sleep without mama)? 

I woke up for mommy and daddy time.  We have been reduced to waking in the wee hours in order to get quality time together.  And boy, do we need it.  I've been very crabby and yesterday, I, er, um stated my displeasure in a not-so-appropriate way.  It really is amazing how much just living life and not stopping to smell the proverbial roses takes out of a person.  Bill and I get caught up in making a living and we forget to make a life. 

So, we woke up and interacted (yes, that IS code) and then I got on the computer for mommy time (aka reading all the insane stories of women being hounded while NIP) and he got in the shower and got ready for work.  I feel better going about the day, but I am NOT a morning person so I'm not sure how the rest of the day will turn out. 

We may get a nap later, in between going to the park, eating, running errands, cleaning house, cleaning out the car, eating some more, etc.  When people see me, I must look frazzled because they say stuff like, "Wow, you look tired!" and "Is there a fire?"  Then, they start counting kids.  Yup, I'm tired and most likely, supper is on fire, so I gotta run!  Seven.  You can see them say the number again and again in their minds.  Sometimes, they even mouth the word 'seven' soundlessly as their eyes grow to the size of serving bowls.

Seven sounds like a large number, but seeing, and indeed smelling, really is believing.  Five of them are at or above normal-adult size so sometimes seven feels like thirty-five.  We drive a really long truck (thank you, Natalie) and we just barely fit.  There are a few of us who, unfortunately, are not fully grown into our odors and when you get them all in one place, it starts smelling like a skunk convention.  If you see us coming, you might think that a bunch of adults got together and went to the zoo.  Nope.  That's me and my five almost-but-not-quite grown kids.

Someone invaribly mistakes the younger ones as the children of one of the older ones.  Recently, IN ONE DAY, I had three different people ask me if Amelia was my grandbaby.  Wow.  I realize I've aged in the last 30-something years, but give a girl a break!  I'm just barely old enough to be the mom of a high-school graduate;  I am not ready for grandparenthood!

All of this ranting comes on the heels of a much needed mini-vacation.  Nothing too outlandish, just some time with our extended families.  But traveling with the kids, even just 'his' or just 'hers' (which includes a mixture of 'theirs') is a feat that is not taken on lightly.  I'm dreading it.  I've already packed the DVD player and the extra strength deodorant.  Six hours in a car and stopping at gas stations is not too appealing when you are going with four children.  There comes a point when you just jump in the car and go before you drive yourself  insane wondering if one will have to pee 10 minutes into the voyage or if the baby will scream her head off for hours at a time confined to her infant carseat.

We have a LOT of people living here, randomly, but still overwhelmingly at some times.  We make it work.  If you are fortunate enough to be on my friend's list on Facebook, you will see on my profile this quote from a recent visit to the grocery store:  "Yes I have 7 (seven) kids.  Yes I know about birth control."  I actually said that to someone.  Someone who was gawking at us when I was overly tired and overly stressed and overly annoyed with people gawking.

Therefore, daddy and I decided that with all the goings on around here, we have to have some us time.  It's difficult to have us time in the midst of teenagers who comment (un)accordingly.  It's also difficult to be 'alone' when your infant, otherwise known as 'the cling-on,' wants to nurse and snuggly and have mommy all to herself or ELSE.  I'm not too sure that getting up at 4:30 a.m. was a great idea because my eyelids are already starting to droop four hours later.  I might be a grouchy, tired mama later, but at least I still know how to 'fry that bacon up in a pan.'  (Yes, more code!)