Five Under Five: Stories of What Went Down

Five Under Five: Stories of What Went Down

• 4.08.2015

^^My crew for six days.  They look innocent enough, don't they?  Muahaha.^^

You might have noticed that things were a little quieter than usual around this blog for a few days.  Well, for good reason!  I was busy.  Reaaallly busy.  My three nieces came to stay with us for six days while their parents went on a second honeymoon kind of a cruise.  (I should have hopped in their suitcase!)

Let me tell you, five kids under five is a circus.  

I had two four year olds, two two year olds, and a thirteen month old--who was either being super sweet or screaming like she was one fire.  There was no middle ground.  Two volumes only on that child.  And two two year olds who are "mostly" potty trained, well, that really means no one is potty trained at all.  But, oh boy, do I have some good poop stories to share now!

Like when we were over playing on the toys in my neighbor's backyard when a certain little girl spontaneously dropped her pants and took a dump right there on the lawn.  Yes, she pooped right smack in the middle of the yard.  I cringed.  My neighbor wasn't even home that day!  But don't worry, I didn't have to clean it up because the dog came over and ate it.  {Gag!}  Three days later, we were playing in the same backyard when Annabelle dropped her pants and took a dump on the lawn AGAIN.  Finally, and here's the kicker, that same neighbor was kind enough to invite our mob of lawlessness over to help celebrate her son's third birthday.  We were there for 90 minutes.  Kid you not, guessed who pooped their pants?  Both Annabelle AND Levi!  (At least it wasn't on the carpet, right? But I'm so sorry their whole upstairs smelled rank for hours afterward!)  I told Dani later that I think my niece pooped more times at her house than at mine.  We laughed and wondered why?! 

The care was CONSTANT.  Someone was always hungry or whining or fighting or pooping or making a mess or getting into something he/she shouldn't... multiplied by five.  Chaos reigned supreme.  

I mean, for example, the girls snuck back into the house and ate an entire bag of frosted animal cookies in five minutes flat!  ...  Someone broke into my car while I was making dinner and pulled off all the knobs on my dash.  ...  And, "Where are you going with that shovel?"  Her response, "Levi did it!"  Hahaha.    

If asked if I would do it all over again my answer would undoubtedly be, "Only if they're potty trained!"  I may have lost patience more times than I'd like to admit, but I'm calling it a success anyway.  My sanity is intact, the house is still standing, and we all survived with full tummies and plenty of laughter along the way from five tiny teases.  I really hope their time here strengthened their cousin bonds, even just a little bit, because I literally slept for two days straight amid the aftermath of that particular tornado.

Good thing I love family... and I still love 'em.    

^^Madelyn eating a little chalk with her pretzel.^^

^^Proof that there was some fun mixed in too.  We played outside as much as possible: we rode bikes, swung on swings, ate rocks (ahem, Madelyn), and had some crazy fun with some chalk and the neighbor girls on a sunny Sunday afternoon.  Good times.^^