So, how is it going for the mom of four? I have to say, for the most
part is has been as smooth as it could be thanks mostly to all the
help I have had. Ben's mom, "Nanna" being here made the first two
weeks of Ben returning to work super smooth. She cleaned and changed
babies and soothed babies and hung out with early rising boys and
folded laundry and basically made it possible, easy, for me to focus
on spending time with the boys and feeding the girls. Easy. Now I
have stretches of a few hours here and there when I am alone with all
four. Not so easy but not always hellacious. I fixed a simple dinner
tonight – cut and boiled pasture raised sausage (thanks, Nance!),
cooked up some lima beans and roasted an acorn squash with butter and
brown sugar – all prepared with one hand! I had one baby in a sling
and the other in my arm. It was either that or listen to a screaming
banshee baby while I got dinner together.The success/easiness of an afternoon is dependent on so many factors
that are not really in my control. A rested and content Art makes for
a happy and entertained Lewis and me, babies that nurse completely and
efficiently makes for longer stretches of hands-free time for me and
more attention for boys and house, and then there's the fussiness
level of each individual girl. That will also determine how much
availability I will have for the rest of the household. But really I
can only encourage these factors so much, otherwise I just have to go
with the flow.So, today my Mom was here helping out and we got both babies bathed, I
trimmed their nails, Lewis and mom played in the backyard for a good
while, I got to Walgreens to get my prescription and I eventually did
get a nap, but not until 2:30pm and there was no real down time before
then. Netta's been a fussleskins today and required a lot of holding
and cajoling and Lewis, though very creative and able to play alone,
can't be a loner all the time! And of course the girls need to nurse
every three hours or more and then be soothed and such. So we were
busy.Right now I am very very tired. It's 8:36pm and I'm ready to go to
sleep. I'm hopeful and "excited" that I will get that three-hour
stretch of sleep that I got last night!

This Friday Nov 12th at 7:30pm I’ll be at Nina’s coffee in St. Paul for a little book signing, likely my last. Common Good Books is putting the thing on (they’re right under Nina’s in the basement). I hope you can come! Here’s a link to the event at the bookstore’s site:

And, for those who don’t know the work, here are a few images from the book:

Today, exactly a month after being born, Bailey and Netta met their cousin Charlotte.

From Follow Art 5

Our elderly neighbor Kit (nearly 90 I think) came over the other day and gave Bailey and Netta two little piggy banks and a dollar each to Arthur and Lewis. Well, until the girls are old enough to appreciate their pigs Jessica smartly let Art and Lew co-opt them. And today after dinner, as requested by Art throughout the day, we took their pigs to Walgreens to buy something with their buck.

Art ended up a with a bag of peanut M&M’s and Lewis with a chewy 100 Grand (“uh stuck, Papa,” he said after he opened his mouth, caramel lining all his tiny teeth).

Here they are searching for something affordable. All the toys cost more than $1.

The payoff.

Jessica and I were just chatting tonight about something worth sharing here. I realize trying to give our four kids what they need (time, attention, love) requires Jessica and I to take really good care of ourselves. We’ve been making sleep more a priority, and having been napping more and going to bed earlier.

I’m also learning that, with four kids tiny, the expectations I have waking up and starting the day are inevitably toned down. If I hope to get out the door by nine I’ll suffer a certain grumpiness when we’re heading out at 9:30. And Art and Lew will feel rushed and less able to experience things at their pace.

We have to go with the flow, not try and redirect it. And of course I fail constantly at this and have expectations even for Bailey and Netta (nap, dammit!). But the truth is, the only way Jessica and I will be able to survive the next few years is by being more chill and getting more shuteye.

Today, when everyone went to sleep, I immediately took a nap on the couch, something I don’t normally do. But it was so wise! I woke up well rested to a grunting Bailey and a sleepy Lew:

Jessica’s sister Emily and her husband Mike have started a family blog after the birth of their daughter Charlotte. Go here to check it out:

http://parkernawrocki.blogspot.com/