6:05 am:
Breakfast for the kids, make lunches, make sure backpacks are ready, etc.
7:00 am:
Riley leaves for the bus stop, Jayson leaves for work
7:10 am:
Baby bath time! It usually takes about 40 minutes to bathe all the babies. We do it “assembly line” style.
7:50 am:
Playtime! The babies LOVE jumping.
8:30 – 9:00 am:
The babies go down for their morning nap. Our naptime routine is:
1) Change diaper
2) Read story in rocking chair
3) Wrap in blanket
4) Cuddle briefly
5) Lay in bed and say goodnight!
8:45 am:
Kaiya leaves for preschool
Around 9:30 – 10:00 am:
The babies wake up from their nap and get another bottle
10:00 am:
Play time again! We have two jumpers (they liked the jungle jumperoo so much we had to find another jumperoo on Craigslist) and they sometimes "compete" with each other to see who can get the highest. Ryder usually wins.
12:00 pm:
Solid Foods Lunch—usually a delectable combination of cereal, fruit and veggies
Around 12:30 – 1:30 pm:
The babies go down for their afternoon nap.
2:00 pm:
Kaiya comes home from preschool
Around 2:30 – 3:00 pm:
The babies wake up from their afternoon nap and get another bottle. Everything from how much the babies eat to what kind of diapers they have, which medications they take and how much they weigh is recorded on charts.
3:00 pm:
Play time again!
Rustin is so close to really being able to crawl. He gets on his hands and knees and rocks and lurches forward. Tonight he took about two "crawl steps" before falling on his face.
Despite the fact that Kyndall is the only one that can't quite sit up on her own, she is also really close to being able to crawl. Her favorite thing to do is get into a "push-up" position.
3:05 pm:
Riley comes home from school
3:10 pm:
Snack for the older kids
3:30 pm:
Start bugging Riley about his homework
4:30 pm:
Afternoon walk—this is my favorite part of the day! I get to get out of the house and usually all five babies are happy without me holding any of them!
5:15 pm:
Solid Foods Dinner for the babies. The menu is similar to lunch. Ryder, Rustin and Kaydence are all really good eaters. Kassidy and Kyndall do not like solid foods yet, but within the last week have made some great improvements. In the beginning, Kyndall couldn't even look at a spoon without breaking into tears.
5:45 pm:
Jayson gets home from work
6:00 pm:
Dinner for the rest of the family
6:45 pm:
Dancing time—it has become part of our nightly ritual to turn on fun music and dance for the babies. Riley and Kaiya love dancing and the babies love to watch. We were hooked on the soundtrack for “Hairspray” for a couple of months, but now we have broadened our selection to include other songs
7:00 pm:
Baby Bedtime Routine:
(lights are dimmed and soft classical music plays in the background)
1) Bottle
2) “Nakey” time
3) Change diaper
4) Lotion massage with the lavender lotion
5) Vicks Babyrub for the chest
6) Put on jammies
7) Wrap in blanket
8) Cuddle briefly
9) Lay in bed and say goodnight!
7:30 pm:
Put Riley and Kaiya to bed
8:00 pm:
We made it through another day! All the kids are asleep!!!! Time to clean up and get everything else done!
A little sidenote...
After months of chewing on everything in sight and producing drool by the gallon, we finally have a tooth! Kaydence is the first, and so far only, one of the bunch to get a tooth. We hope that the other babies will soon follow suit so we can feel justified in blaming every little fever and cranky afternoon on "teething".
PS
I apologize for not posting in a while. For the past month and a half we have had at least one baby sick at all times, so we have been operating mostly in "survival mode". On the plus side, I am becoming extremely proficient with saline drops and a bulb syringe!
Posts
44 comments:
I seriously don't know how you do it! I have just two, and my days are absolutely consumed. Umm, my house is a wreck about half the time.
Wahoo for the first tooth, and almost crawling! you are an amazing women! and your babies are so cute! They look to be getting big!
Gosh, I'm tired now just reading that! LOL The babies are getting SO big, and cuter by the second! Hope everyone gets healthy and stays healthy soon!
Wow, you guys should get an amazing family award. You do everything I do every day x5. Thanks so much for sharing your amazing life!
What a fantastic post! Great update. I feel like I know your family. Thanks for sharing your amazing family.
Other than the fact that you have 5 (which I can't even imagine!!) and I only have one, your days sound remarkably similar to mine! We too are blaming every cranky day and slight fever these days on teething - but so far not teeth are visible! Loved the update! The babes are getting more adorable by the day!
I love the jump a roo. That used to be maddox's favorite thing too! The babies are so cute and growing so fast! Can you believe how the time flies. Well, it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job with those babies. Whenever I think my job is hard, I often think of you. By the way, have you mastered taking them to church yet? After going a year without taking mine, I am struggling with wanting to take them. Any advice?
Wow! That was amazing to read. You don't do all that alone do you? I am very exhausted just reading it all!
Omg they are getting SO big! They have changed so much. The only babies I can tell apart are the boys. The girls all look the same to me! They are so cute.
WOW...I had two kids, 23 months apart, and I could barely handle it. That is just amazing. We do what we gotta do I suppose! Do you still get a lot of help? I hope everyone stays healthy and you see more new teeth soon. I remember missing the toothless smiles when my girls started gettin teeth.
I just love reading your blog...i love it ! As a mother of 5 myself (a 9yr old son and 2 sets of twin girls aged 7 and 2) i understand how you feel about having the strict routine...it almost seems military style, but i'm exactly the same and it works like a dream. One different thing is my youngest twins have always gone to bed by 5.30pm and still do, followed by the older girls at 7pm and then finally Joe at 9pm.
You truly amaze me. And WTG Kaydence on getting your first tooth :)
ps, i love your stroller.
Don't worry. My Obed did not sit up until AFTER he started crawling. (Two days after. But definitely after)
I can't believe how much hair those darling babies have grown since the last time I saw them. Maybe we can do some pony tails the next time I come. five times the babies, five times the work, five times the fun, five times the tears. That makes 625 of something.
They are getting so big! Growing before my eyes. That afternoon walk does look fun! I loved the picture of you and the five babies.
Wow, I only see part of the day so that was fun to see what goes on teh rest of the day. I can't wait to see Rustin crawling this week, that will be fun!!!!
Your kids are adorable, all 7 of them. God bless your family! Cool stroller!!
Mommy of five
Your family is beautiful. I love the fuzzy baby hair phase, it's one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing your sweet family with the Internet world. I love to read the updates. P.S. You look amazing. All through the pregnancy, right after birth and now, not one picture has been remotely uncute. :)
Okay so I will never complain about getting a 5 year old ready for school and dealing with a 7 month all with my husbands help!!! Congrats on the tooth and crawling and good luck once they all have accomplished that.
I loved this post!! I'm amazed at how fast the babies are growing and dear God, they are SO beautiful!! Thanks for sharing :)
The pic with you and all 5 babies made me feel overwhelmed for you I only have twins and feel like a circus act at times. The one with the babies in the stroller made me laugh. You guys are amazing and almost through the first year. Way to go!!
Phew! I can't even believe you have time to even make a blog let alone post on it! :-) You are awesome! Your babies are all so gorgeous (all 7!) When I think of how stressed I am..... I remember you! I know you must have your "bad" days but you are admired by many!! :-) So amazing that you were so blessed with 5 more healthy and happy babies!
You have quads! You do not have to update everyday. You have a very busy schedule. Dance time is so cute with all the kiddos:) Hope everyone is well soon!!!~Elyse~
WOW, what a day. I cannot even IMAGINE! Sounds like you've got a great routine down though. Thanks for sharing!
A fellow Austin Mom! - Melissa
I love the picture of you with all 5 and you're holding a baby in one arm, a bottle in the other, a baby on your lap and one climbing on your leg. Talk about multi tasking! You guys are doing such a great job! Thanks for the post- I always enjoy reading!
I love that stroller! So fun to push around the neighborhood with all the little tykes in it. Thanks for posting a new blog. This one looks like it took a lot of work. Good job Rachelle!
Love it. SUCH a beautiful family!! The post was fun, albeit anything but *typical* for most of us! :D That was great---you guys keep hanging in there & get rest!
Sounds like you have a pretty crazy life. I'm a little bit jealous of all the baby love you must be getting. But only a little! :)
Emily,
Friend of Matt and Mindy
they have grown so much since you last posted and are doing such grown up things - teeth, food, crawling, oh my!
you continue to amaze and inspire, and I didn't think it was even possible, but those babies are EVEN cuter than ever.
love to all1
I was wondering what kind of help that you have during the day, and if you used to work outside the home?
I am another wondering if you still receive help, by the looks of the highcair feeding schedule you have a few people. Do you ever have the babies and older kids by yourself?
I....will.....never....complain...again!
I thought introducing solids to one baby was tough! I thought my days were hectic!
You my dear, are an amazing Momma!
:)
Love the pictures of the babies. They are so sweet. And yey for Kaydence on getting her first tooth! My babe who is 7 months doesnt have any yet!
Oh my golly, I got worn out, just reading about your day. You are so lucky to still have help. I sure hope you also take some "me" time along the way... ;-)
how fun that you get 32 comments on your blog! you are widely read :) love your posts...
loved this post. You are such an amazing mother to all 7 children.I don't know if this is possible, but they get cuter by the second. that is including Riley and Kiya (spelling?). Riley is so handsome and Kiya is such a beautiful little girl. All of you children are beautiful.
Is it bad that I was exhaust by 7:10 AM? I don't know how you two do it. You guys are amazing!
I will never complain again. You have to be the most organized woman on the planet. You are my hero. And those kids are so dang cute!
I love your babies! They are so sweet and Lindsey and I are extremely grateful to get to spend a little time with them here and there. Keep up the amazing, great work. You're doing fantastic with this miracle you've been blessed with.
I will never complain about how tough my daily routine is with 2 kids ever again! Amazing. I love this post.
-Jennie N.
This was so much fun to read! I can't wait to see the babies and the rest of you on Sunday...They have gotten so big!
Hi!! I found you through a blogger friend and think your babies are just just beautiful!!!
I have quads who will be two in a couple of weeks. It's CRAZY to see the run about with an extra seat. That's awesome. I don't know what I'm gonna do when our kids out grow ours!
Keep up the great work!
You are amazing!
HUGS!
Gen McNulty
www.mcnultyquads.blogspot.com
gmcnulty@gmail.com
What a day! It is so jam packed, you can never be bored!
And, all those chances for cuddles too! YEAH!
LOVe the babies all in the stroller. They all look so happy to be getting outside! :)
Oh. my. goodness!
I'm exhausted just READING about your day! Do all of the babies sleep through the night now? HOW WONDERFUL!!
The Jumgle jumpers are great, my cousin who is almost 6 months on the 9th loves it and can shake the poles sometimes. Last week it was warn and we took her outside on our deck put her shoes on and she loved. The animal sounds can get really repeatative though.
Oh man I'm tired! It sounds like sticking to a schedule is key to sanity. Great work, your children are PRECIOUS! Pretty soon they will be in college and you will be amazed at how quickly it all went by.
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