It’s a phenomenon I’ve noticed over time: with each baby added to the family, I’m a little later getting places. Now with 4, I think I’m destined to always be late getting places and it’s no wonder why! This is what it takes to get everyone ready and out the door:
Send girls upstairs to get dressed.
Bring boys up, carrying Pipsqueak and holding Doodle’s hand.
Remind girls they’re supposed to be getting dressed.
Send Doodle into his room to get a clean diaper.
Change Pipsqueak’s diaper and get him dressed while listening to Doodle scream because it’s dark in his room.
Tell girls to stop arguing and get dressed.
Head into Doodle’s room to change his diaper.
Ask Doodle what he wants to wear.
Tell the girls to get out of the baby’s room and get dressed.
Fold and put back 5 shirts and 6 pairs of shorts that don’t match.
Finally agree on an outfit that almost matches and get Doodle dressed.
Go to my room to get myself dressed as Doodle screams because he’s ready to go.
Tell the girls to brush their hair and find their shoes.
Pee and put some clothes on.
Brush my hair and put on deodorant while Doodle continues to scream.
Head downstairs with the boys to find the girls playing.
Tell girls, again, to brush their hair.
Ask Doodle to find his water and listen to him scream because he doesn’t know where it is.
Sit down to feed Pipsqueak one last time before we go.
Ask girls to fill up my water bottle.
Remind girls, again, to get their shoes on.
Ask Doodle to bring me his shoes.
Notice Pipsqueak is wet and change his diaper and clothes again (and sometimes my clothes, too.)
Ask girls if they need their waters (they always say no.)
Put on Doodle’s shoes.
Get my water and Doodle’s cup and fill them up.
Put on my shoes, grab my purse and tell everyone to go to the car.
Set the house alarm and lock the door.
Realize I forgot my phone and go back in the house while girls argue about who is going to get in the car first and Doodle wanders around the garage (note I’ve been holding Pipsqueak this entire time.)
Reset the alarm and relock the door.
Get to the car to buckle up Pipsqueak and Sugarplum tells me she forgot her water. I say I asked and she said no, too late.
Listen to Sugarplum scream while I buckle up Doodle.
Get into the driver’s seat and hear Sugarplum yell “I can’t buckle my seat!”
Get back out, all the way around the car to buckle up Sugarplum.
Back around the car to the driver’s seat. “Is everyone ready now?”
Out of the driveway we go, finally on our way.
5 minutes down the road, I remember I used the last wipe in the diaper bag yesterday…
Yes!!!!! I actually had to reopen garage door 3 times last week and go back in the house- that doesn’t count the 6 or 7 ins and outs I did before closing garage door the first time!!! I laugh sometimes when I think of people getting ready and leaving by themselves… You just *walk out the door ;). What a concept!
I know, right? You would think it would be easier with so many other people around to help!