Mom's of More

A mom of more is a mom that has more kid's than most people would be comfortable having.
When you already have 4 kids the comments you get when pregnant with the 5th are rarely congratulatory.  They range from "Wow, already?!"  to "Don't you know how to close your legs?"

I try not to take offense at these, but it can be difficult.  People act like that since we have both 3 girls and a boy we should be done "breeding".  I grew up in a large family and enjoyed the chaos and merriment of the holidays.  It was great to be able to have a ready made playmate or choice of playmates.

My replies have become more snarky to these people as we have had more kids as well.  I tried being nice.. nice ended 2 kids ago.

• "Yes, I know how babies are made and we enjoy doing it."  
• When confronted by a very rude older Mexican woman, I told her,"We are just doing our part to keep Caucasians from becoming a minority." (Not sure how I kept a straight face for that one.)
• Or my husband's favorite: "We keep trying to make an ugly one, just can't get it right... So, how did you do it?"  

I'm tired of being treated like I haven't been married for almost 15 years to the same man.  All my children have 1 father and I enjoy spending time with them all.  I'm not saying every waking moment if full of rainbows and sparkles.  They are little stubborn people.. They take after mom in temperament.
In fact our family made the choice to virtually home school our children after our local public school district fail time and again.  One school actually told me I would not be allowed to volunteer in my own child's class.. I'm here to help my child's teacher so they can provide a better education to my child and her classmates.  Maybe it's a little selfish but I'm vested in my own child's future.  Why should she not benefit from my volunteer time?

A survey recently released stated that moms of 3 stress more than moms of two. Maybe it's just the straw that broke this camel but baby #3 is when I had Postpartum Depression.  That could also be linked to the IUD birth control I tried shortly.  I stress a lot less now with 5 kids than I ever did with 2.  With 2 they tag teamed me, or one would stand as lookout for the other.  Our oldest was always lookout as her younger sister was the better climber. (we kept cookies on top of the fridge)  With 5 children I now have older helpers that jump at the chance to learn to make dinner or do some other "adult" chore.

With your oldest you try to schedule everything, and stress about every single fever or sniffle.  With your second you learn that fevers happen as well as something scary called febrile seizures. (also normal)  With your third you know more than you did with your oldest and it scares the crap out of you.  Everything that fits through a toilet paper tube is a deadly choking hazard just waiting to ensnare your helpless toddler. (thanks to that one episode when I had to do the Heimlich maneuver on my own kid while very pregnant and home alone.)  The more kids you have you learn to pick your battles. Battles lines go from evryone in matching outfits to clean and appropriate for public. You learn that everything is scary.  There is nothing you can do about most of it, but you can prepare for the possibilities.  It's my job to prepare and protect them til they day I am forced to release them into the world to take on their own battles.