You might be a mom of four (or more!) kids if...
A couple weeks ago, I posted a list entitled “You Might be a Mom of (All) Boys If.”  It was so much fun, and I had all these ideas that really had more to do with number of children rather than gender of children, so I decided to do another list!
For the record, our transition from 2 to 3 children was harder than our transition from 3 to 4.  Part of it had to do with our third child.  He had a pretty bad case of infant reflux (that lasted until age 2), and we spent his entire first year trying to get him to eat enough to grow!  But part of it had to do with going from “man to man defense” to “zone defense.”  Once you’re at zone, you might as well keep going, so we had baby #4!  Jonathan has been an easier baby than Owen by far.  He’s a better eater, and he also is not “into everything” the way Owen was (and still is!).  However, I feel like my brain has been maxed out by four children in ways that it wasn’t with three.  I feel like I have lost the ability to remember and keep up with things.  Someone will call and say, “Hey, I’m stopping by your house to drop off that stuff!” and my mind is scrambling to remember what “stuff” they are talking about!  Have any of you had that experience?
Anyway, on to the list!  (Oh, and a big thanks to several of my “real life” friends who contributed ideas!)
  • One day’s worth of clothing for everybody yields as much laundry as you used to do in a week.
  • You could make sock puppets for an entire preschool out of your stash of mismatched socks.
  • You can’t make it through a trip to the grocery store without someone commenting on how you “have your hands full.”
  • A trip to the grocery store requires a procession of either two carts or a cart plus a stroller following behind (that’s what we usually do – Aidan pushes Jonathan in his stroller so that I can contain Owen in the cart.  It’s quite a scene!).
  • You buy half a dozen bananas and run out the same day.
  • When you go out with one other family, people assume you are a school group. (True story! Happened to us last week at a museum!)
  • You can’t get through a phone call with an automated system because the system does not accept “Stop hitting your brother!” as an answer.
  • You make a phone call and scramble to remember whose number you dialed before they pick up.
  • Your standards of “being ready to go out” have relaxed greatly (i.e. make-up and shower optional).
  • Try as you may, you can’t remember what time you last fed the baby or how many times he woke up during the night. 
  • When calling for a child, you yell an interesting combination of their siblings’ names before arriving at the right one. (I did this with only 2 kids, but it has definitely gotten worse with 4!)
  • You have become skilled at reviewing spelling words while simultaneously washing dishes and writing down a menu plan.
  • The house feels quiet with “only” three children at home.  (If just one child is at a friend’s house, the whole dynamic changes here!)
  • A great date consists of a trip to Walmart with your hubby and no kids.
  • Somewhere in your house there is a closet full of tubs of clothing in every size from newborn on up.
  • Your house is a blast because you have enough participants for a really good game of hide-and-seek or baseball in the back yard.
  • You are blessed because your children don’t just have a brother or a sister –  they have a whole cheering section.
  • And finally, you are never lonely, because someone always wants to be with you.  All that laundry, noise, mess, and chaos means that your home and heart are full of little people who have been entrusted to your care!

22 Comments

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  1. Rebekah Nov 5, 2012

    Totally can relate to running out of bananas. It's the only fruit that all four of my kids love and I buy bunches at at time but can't seem to keep up pace.

    Yes, my memory is shot to bits, too.

    And, yes, 3 seems so much easier than four. And I find that funny because I never had only three. And the mornings are so easy when I just have two.

    Reply
  2. Ellen-Thrifty & Chic Mom Nov 5, 2012

    I love this and I can relate to all of those with my brood of 4 girls!

    Reply
  3. Allison Nov 5, 2012

    Oh my goodness. I think that ALL of those apply to me! Yes, every time I go out I get, wow, all boys, you sure have your hands full EVEN when they're being good and NOT a handful! Thanks for the laughs! :) It's good to find a kindred spirit!

    Reply
  4. Kristin Nov 6, 2012

    Yes! All of the above! :) I have, however, found the secret to peacefully enjoying four children at home or out running errands. ... have five! :) I have to leave the house to use one of those annoying phone systems. Even if I'm biting my tongue it picks up the noise in the house and keeps saying "I'm sorry..."

    Reply
  5. dawn g Nov 6, 2012

    thanks for the laugh! too funny! i'm a mom of 5 and they're all so true :)

    Reply
  6. bjk Nov 6, 2012

    Wow! the boys are growing up. They ALL look different in that new pic

    Reply
  7. Kelley Nov 6, 2012

    All of these soooo true!!

    Reply
  8. Rina Nov 7, 2012

    So true! I have four boys, ages 8, 7, 5, 3 1/2 and then a little princess who is 2 1/2. I can SO relate to your post! I always answer those who comment on my "full" hands that they are full of blessing!

    Reply
  9. kelly Jan 16, 2013

    Funny! But i have to say that i only have two boys but can relate to almost all of them!!!!!

    Reply
  10. pam Jan 17, 2013

    It is nice to read this and know that I am not alone. Why do I laugh when I read each of these, yet when it actually happens...not so funny. :D

    Reply
  11. Dee Jun 1, 2013

    Over the last 4 years, our household of 9 (3 generations consisting of of 3 adults & 6 "kids") has dwindled to 5. I still have days that I marvel over how quiet it can be. Then the neighborhood kids come over!

    Reply
  12. Viki Jun 1, 2013

    Hey, you forgot a couple. "You know you have a lot of kids when you call one of them by the dog's name". And how about when you go to your own doctor and stare blanky at the line labeled "Name" because you forget who is supposed to be seeng the doctor then? I was at my OB once and did that. The receptionist politely asked something like "Your name is supposed to go there". I told her that I had to think for a minute before signing in one of my kids names. And as far as names are concerned, I'm quite certain that my son, Robert, is going to grow up, thinking his name is "John-Robert", all because his older brother's name is Jonathan. All in all,I can totally relate to all the items a on your list. :)

    Reply
  13. rebekah Jun 1, 2013

    Ha ha! I can relate to almost all of these! I actually don't mind any more when people say I have my hands full because I respond,"I would rather have them full then empty! I am so blessed":)

    Reply
  14. Erin Jun 1, 2013

    Viki - so true about the doctor and filling out forms... the one that always gets me there though is when they ask for their birthday... makes me stop and think every time!

    Reply
  15. Karen Jun 1, 2013

    I have found that some of the brain returns once the littlest is a bit older. There's still hope for you! K,mom to 14

    Reply
  16. Louise Jun 1, 2013

    Absolutely! Loved this list, definetly true with my 4 under 5 brood. I respond with the 'you have your hands full' comment with'yes! Full of blessings'.

    Reply
  17. Hadassah Jun 1, 2013

    The grocery shopping is more like 2 shopping carts, a stroller AND a Snuggly (my daughter has 7 children~ only takes 3 of them shopping with her though)

    Reply
  18. Jeniver Jun 1, 2013

    Thanks! Love it and it is SO TRUE!!! I only have four but wouldn't mind a few more. Our 4th was our difficult baby and didn't double our birthweight til 9 months old!!! Thank you for sharing. It can be a bit lonely when they are all asleep and the house is finally quiet.
    Good night!

    Reply
  19. Rebecca Jun 2, 2013

    This is so my life! As a mom of 4 boys my life is crazy!

    Reply
  20. Eddie - The Usual Mayhem Jun 2, 2013

    I only have 3 but I can definitely relate! Especially the "who did I just dial" syndrome!

    Reply
  21. Marcia Jun 3, 2013

    We had four children. Three boys and a daughter. She helped me keep the boys in line!! But I still sometimes call HER by the family cat's name, "Shadow"!! And she is 31 and expecting her first baby!! Loved this article and related to every single comment, especially the missing socks! I think I still have missing socks floating around somewhere! And the kids have been out of the house for more than 5 years!

    Reply
  22. Chloe V. Oct 10, 2015

    I had to comment, I'm pregnant with number 4 so hormones are crazy high but I cried at the last one. To think that God has entrusted my husband and I with 4 of his children to mold here on earth. With His help we are able. I love this post, I needed this today! All boys thus far and in 2 months we'll know more ;-)

    Reply

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