Survivor

Recently, the reality-show "Survivor" held some kind of open auditions in our area. I probably should have gone, because if I could survive a day like today, I could definitely win that show. The only catch? I couldn't possible appear on national television in a swimsuit of any kind.

But today. At precisely 6:40 a.m., I reluctantly left my warm bed for a hot shower. Before I left the hot shower, Babygirl joined me in the bathroom for the annoying Opening of the Shower Door Ritual which she performs the second the shower ends. She insists on doing this, even though I beg her to keep the door closed until I am dry. The cold is not quite so cold if I am not still dripping wet.

Then, I had to get the cats crated and ready to go to the vet. Two of them were spayed today. My husband took the cats and returned in time to pick up YoungestBoy and the neighbor for school. About that time, DaycareKid arrived and the phone rang.

I agreed to babysit for my friend whose sitter is sick. By 10 a.m., I had a houseful of children: TwinBoyA, TwinBoyB, Babygirl (age 2), DaycareKid (age 2), Kay (age 2) and CuteBaby (age 3 months). I managed to keep most everyone happy. The boys did their school lessons with my loose supervision and somehow, the three two-year-olds all napped at the same time. The baby's nap overlapped the toddler's nap, though, and I only got a ten minute break. YoungestBoy was home by 3:30 p.m. and then I had seven children here. Seven. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7.

DaycareKid's dad was late picking him up and didn't arrive until after 5 p.m. Kay and CuteBaby were here until 6:15 p.m. My mom stopped by at about 6 p.m. for a quick visit and while she was here, my husband dropped off the cats. He went back to church and then my mom took my boys to church, too. By 6:30 p.m., Babygirl was in the bath and the house was quiet, except for her splashing and singing.

Babygirl spent her day basically worshipping the baby. She held her for fifteen minutes at a time. She fed the baby her bottle. She rocked the baby in her baby carrier. She had some "tummy time" when the baby had "tummy time." She plugged the baby's mouth with her binky--every time I said, "Does the baby need her binky?" Babygirl patted CuteBaby's blanket and said, "She already has her blanky!"

I had my kids in the wrong order. This whole thing would have been so easy if I'd had Babygirl first, then YoungestBoy and then adopted the twins. Of course, then I wouldn't have adopted the twins because I already would have had kids. But, as my dad would say, don't confuse me with the facts!

Tomorrow, I'm not taking any phone calls. So, if the producer from "Survivor" calls, tell him I'm out. Out of my ever-living mind, that is.