You all make it sound so easy.
Well, let's see....lunch time seems to give my dcks a 2nd wind. So here goes:
Kids bring their dishes to the sink and spill half their leftover milk on the floor, their food goes all down the side of the garbage can. We wash hands and I encourage them to go to the living room and find books to read. They then start running circles and yelling or fighting over stuffed animals for naps.
After I've cleared the table, I put cots out and darken the playroom. Diaper time and potty time next. The 3 PT'ed ones fight over who has to go 1st. I don't wanna go! I don't have to go! I just went! I threaten, bribe, talk my ears off to encourage *somebody* goes or we won't have time to read a story. So all 3 in unison yells "We don't want a story!"
The littler ones have been changed and watch the birds at the feeders while licking the windowsills. While standing there, they poop. So I repeat the diaper changing.
By now 2 of the PTed dcks have gone potty and the last one takes forEVA, with me running back and forth to see what the heck she's doing. Meanwhile the other 2 have started running circles again, now with the little ones. I scoop up the youngest, say night night and put her in the p'n'play in a separate room. Making progress.
Now everybody is ready for a story.
Everyone brings me a book. I can only read 1.
It's usually a Gerald and Piggie book, our favorite books in the whole wide world.
The dcks sit down and listen(sort of). Then we get our blankets/pillows and stuffed cuddlies, plus a couple more books to lay down with. I turn on the music. One child immediately closes her eyes and is out like a light. Two others like to read their books aloud with me reminding them it is quiet time after all. The 4th is slow to lay down, slow to realize that yes, quiet time means her too. Eventually, she'll lay down for 15 minutes before popping up to tell me she needs something, water, potty again, more stuffies or books(NO).
Then for the next 45 minutes I repeat it's quiet time, sssshhh to this one particular child. If I'm lucky everyone else falls asleep and stays asleep for an hour. Except of course needy child.
See? You all make it sound so easy.
