I was in need of a quick post and this idea cracked me up--
You Know You're a Large Family When... I got this idea from Brittney over at
4 Little Men -- but she has two more than I do!
So, You Know You're a Large Family When...
... you're pregnant and everybody wants to know if
this one will be the last-- you say,
I don't know, and they look at you like you've gone to Loo-Loo Crazyville!
... you can barely scrape by with
two 3-sectional laundry organizers because after about two days all six slots are full enough to need a washing!
... you have diapers in various sizes stashed allover the house (and car) for easy access to multiple sized diapers!
... you label all clothing/backpacks with your last name instead of using the name of the child who is currently using that clothing item!
... your baby clothes storage tubs need to be put in the front of the storage closet (yep, right next to the tubs labeled
maternity) because your next little blessing will arrive sooner rather than later!
... you don't remember what your bedroom looks like without a bassinet next to the bed!
... you have dinner reservations at 8:30pm for just you and hubbs and you're both in disbelief that people eat at that hour (because you are usually still tucking in the older kids at that time)!
which brings me to my next point...
... you realize that 5pm, while an appropriate dinner time for many older people, is also an appropriate dinner time for your large family because you spend the rest of the night bathing, cleaning, dressing, and loving on your kiddos!
...your car choices are limited to a certain section of the lot (yeah, I'm talking about the gas-guzzler section)!
... you discuss with your partner about having more kids, they bring up the fact that they won't be caught dead in a 12 passenger van-- and then you both laugh (because 4 years ago you both said you'd never be caught dead driving a mini-van)!
... again you're having the
adding another discussion and you say,
What's one more, now!?!... you never put the broom and dust pan away-- what's the point?!?
... you've considered taking one of the bedrooms and turning it into a kids-closet because at least any two of your kids can wear the same size!
... strangers tell you,
My you have your hands full, and you just smile and nod because you just heard that same comment to aisles ago!
... you go to a restaurant and your family meets or exceeds the number of people needed for the gratuity to just be added to your check!
... you and your husband have to arrange for a babysitter anytime the two of you need to run an errand together (because entertaining four kids while waiting in line at the phone store seems quite impossible)!
... you've given up the idea that all of your kids can have their own room in a 5 bedroom house(which doesn't really matter because they'd rather share anyway)!
... you've realized that you could never afford to pay for all of your kids to _________ (go to college/get married/have their own car/etc...)
... you have to constantly adjust and readjust how much you buy of any given product at the grocery store-- say, milk for instance.
... you have three cribs because that's how many
babies you have who aren't old enough for a big-kid bed!
... you take your old recipes and start doubling them to accommodate your family!
... there are friends of the family who still can't name all your kids
because you added too many too fast, or at least they get them all confused with each other. To remedy this you start referring to them by number 1, number 2, etc. (no I don't like doing this), or maybe you create a mnemonic device to help people remember their names.
... you look around your dining room table and see all the faces looking back at you and you still don't think your family is that big---though most other people would disagree!
... Christmas at Grandmas involves renting a U-Haul to bring home the gifts!
... ordering pizza for dinner requires a small-business loan!
... any given night of the week there's usually at least one child in bed with you (even if you don't co-sleep)!
... at any one moment from October to April someone in your house has at the very least, a cold!
... employees at Target or any store for that matter, remember you because of you large brood!
... you keep telling your spouse that the two of you need thin out the toys but you have so many kids that you don't have the time to tackle such a project!
... your oldest is so used to you being pregnant that she a) notices your belly hasn't been
BIG for a while, and b) wonders when it will be again!
All that being said, I'm still adjusting to how I run/raise/buy for my big family. I don't know when we'll be
done, I don't really think that's something I can plan. After all, my number 3, or Bug as you know her, was not planned or even something we considered a possibility, but here she is-- and no, I'd never have it any other way!
