What I Learned from Having 4 Kids for a Week...

1. Four kids are definitely a LOT more work than two. Kudos to all you moms who have more than me. You have one tough job!

2. Even though they smell lots better, giving 4 kids baths/showers every night is not all it's cracked up to be.

3. Never under-estimate the power of sleep! Even the most cranky kid (or kids) can be transformed by a simple time out/nap or overnight sleep. The same works for over-tired, impatient moms!

4. Never forget how to change a diaper. And never, ever forget how bad they can smell! Then, you can't possibly be surprised with the amount of or smell of poop made by a two-year-old.

5. Every child deserves to be worn out beyond their (or your) wildest imaginations. It is a certainty that when kids are kept busy, they are less likely to destroy a house or whine about being bored.

6. Keeping on a schedule is VERY important for the well-being of everyone in a house with multiple children. While 1 or 2 kids can be flexible, most likely the others are not.

7. Plan more crafts/activities than you ever think you'll need in a given time period. Kids' attention spans are very, very short. And weather will ruin some of your plans, without a doubt, so have back-up plans for your back-up plans.

8. Just when you think you're sick of singing your ABC's or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, you can find the strength to sing it 100 more times, when a sweet little voice asks you to. This also holds true for reading the same book seemingly a million times in a week. That cute kid can convince you to do anything!

9. Messes are a part of life. And with 4 kids in the house, they are even more a part of life. And it does no good to clean them up until everyone's in bed for the night... otherwise, they'll come back two-fold within mere minutes.

10. The more kids in the house, the more love in the house. More kids = More cuddles, hugs, kisses & I Love You's.

Here are a few pictures from our time with Kara & Noah (our niece & nephew). They stayed with us for 9 days while their parents were in Jamaica. We had a blast every day. And slept very well every night! I love them more than they will ever know, and am grateful for every second I get to spend with such wonderful, amazing, special children. Thank you to Ryan & Stephanie for trusting us with your precious babies. I hope you enjoyed your trip, and I hope they loved being here.

** For more pictures, click on the link to "Cousins or Siblings?" on the right.