And then there were four

My sister called me last night to talk about the current kid situation. She's not planning on giving her notice at work for another couple weeks due to some financial stuff, and plans on giving four weeks notice, so it's not looking like I'll be down to just my three kids until mid-to end of January. Anyway, she called because she feels bad that this is taking so long, knowing that I wouldn't have told her that I couldn't do this anymore unless it was really tough. Soooo...she offered to have her niece, visiting from St. Lucia, watch the baby each day so that I would only have to focus on the other four kids. Today was my first day without her. All the other kids were in school for the morning. Aaaaaahhhh...

I met up at Starbucks with two great friends, totally unencumbered, able to give my full attention to their stories of their sons without having to keep the baby happy.

I then went to Staples to do a bunch of copying and I did not need a cart or have to talk baby talk to appease a cranky baby even once.

Afterwards I went to the produce store and did not have to juggle with the stroller or comfort a child who, if she had been with me, would have been miserable due to missing her morning nap.

It's a nice feeling to be free for a little bit!

Tonight I hosted a Moms' Night Out for the MOMS Club (Hi, Beth and Jean!) at my house - a wedding theme. We all brought our albums, had some champange and cake, I had my video playing in the background, we all shared our "how we met" stories - a great time was had by all. I just finished cleaning up and am now upstairs about to get ready for bed. I'm glad that I got it all cleaned up - it's always so much nicer than leaving it for the morning. Morning is going to come way too soon anyway. I decided to leave our old coffee table back in the living room (we had moved it into the playroom for the kids to use as an activity table and had left the living room free of extra furniture to give the kids more room to play). I hope it won't throw A off too much when he goes downstairs in the morning.

DH is out of town until Sunday. I sincerely hope that J stays in bed all night tonight. Last night she got up five times. Luckily we "take turns" getting up to put her back in bed, but I always am the one to wake up and nudge him when it's his turn. Tonight, on the other hand, it's just me. And I'm tired!

Okay, enough writing, I've got to get to bed. I plan to write a belated Thursday Thirteen because SOME people gave me grief tonight about not posting one. :) Stay tuned!!!