Life with five kids - the "witching hour" includes the good, bad and ugly

Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 06:41 AM

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- December 2010 (4 entries)

Given that last Thursday started with 6-year old Liam telling me I was his "servant" (not to worry, I've fixed that grave misconception!), it's no wonder that it should end with a fair amount of eyebrow raising moments. I'm fairly used to the routine swings from good, to bad to ugly and back again here in the Lyons Den but what surprised me last week was just how many of these moments were squeezed into a two hour time period... the time commonly known as the "witching hour" -- and with good reason!

I got home from work at 6:12. The sitter left at 6:13. By 6:14, I was literally under attack. Liam took a running leap to greet me that knocked me over, causing me to land on Ciara who let out a scream so loud you might have heard it. This incited a small riot among Kevin, Declan and Cormac, each of whom doesn't quite seem to get the time-honored tradition of "don't kick a man (or Mom!) when he's (or she's!) down." Starting the evening from a "down" position (especially when your husband is working late!) is never a good sign!
6:30: Tilapia, broccoli and some leftover pasta with a hefty side order of moaning, groaning, whining and fighting. Is it really possible that I've been home for less than a half hour?! Calgon take me away!
7:00 Lollipop bribery works. Dinner is consumed. Things are looking up.
7:01. Lollipop bribery breaks down. Fighting over flavors ensues among sticky fingers. Things are looking down. Again.
7:10 Highchairs are clean. Kids are not. Lolli's are now in hair. Time to jump ship!
7:25 Quick walk with five kids and one large dog. Fresh air does us all a world of good. Rain has stopped. Sun is setting. Kids are smiling. I am too. Life is good.
7:45 Back home for the bedtime scramble. There are more bare bottoms than I care to count. Big kids are fighting. Little guys are fighting for potty time. Losers pee on floor. What happened to my so-called life?!
7:55 Liam has a tooth ache?! Was it the lollipop? The tooth that fell out? Are too many lollipops causing his teeth to fall out?! Not knowing what to do, I opt for Tylenol. They say it's for aches and pains and my kid has aches and pains. Now, if only those geniuses at the pharma companies could create a cup with measurments I can acutally READ! What's up with that?! Not sure if I gave him two tablespoons or a half of tablespoon. God only knows how I've misdosed them in the middle of the night! Please, big Pharma companies, if you are reading this, FIX THOSE LITTLE CUPS YOU INCLUDE WITH TYLENOL, MOTRIN, ADVIL AND OTHER KIDS MEDS!
8:05 Triplets are tucked in; Liam and Ciara are quietly reading in bed. Things are looking up. Again.
8:15 "I have poo poo!" "I have POO POO!" So goes the gleeful exclamation of ALL THREE triplets. Why oh why do they pee on the floor and poo in their pants? And where is that Calgon to take me away?!,

By 8:30, all was quiet. I couldn't help but smile, a really big, from the heart kind of smile -- because they melt my heart kind of a smile. In the blink of an eye, they slumbered, sweetly snoozing and snuggled into their cribs and beds. The next day, I knew it would all begin again. The good, the bad and the ugly. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I just hoped that I too would soon be sweetly snoozing -- ideally for at least six hours without someone shouting with pride "I have poo poo!"

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