“Welcome to the Madhouse”, is how I commonly greet visitors for, in recent years, our abode has become just that.
Where once I took pride in my house-keeping skills and aesthetically-placed décor, my world has since been flip-turned upside down.
What happened? We had kids. Three of them in less than as many years.
Master Cadeyn made his appearance in 2006 and, after what seemed like an eternity but, on the scale of things clearly wasn’t, nearly two years later we learned we were having another. It was at a routine scan when the sonographer dropped the bombshell that, actually, there were two in there.
Although I’d joked about having twins it was lucky I was lying down at this point because, as I looked up at the screen, there they were – two 12-week foetuses kicking around clear as day.
I rang my husband who was working out in the wops at the time. He thought I was joking and laughed heartily. When I finally convinced him that I wasn’t kidding about having to move house because we were having twins, he almost toppled off his ladder.
As recession had hit, moving house was out so over the next six months a mad frenzy of renovating ensued.
We decided to find out the sexes this time because I wanted to know whether I was in for a house-lot of boys. When we found out it was a boy and a girl I realised I had my little ballet dancer so our family would be complete.
As my stomach expanded, a fair amount of frolicking was taking place within. It seemed a tangle of limbs was jabbing me from every which angle and I assumed it was the boy pushing the girl around. However, upon meeting my feisty little redhead I don’t doubt she was holding her own.
It turned out the girl was lying breech and transverse – therefore blocking the exit – so an elective caesarean was booked.
The day before, however, we were in for a shock when one last scan showed that, where the girl (which had been 99 per cent confirmed) had always been positioned throughout the pregnancy, there was now a willy.
Momentarily gutted I thought of the pink things I’d allowed myself to buy. However, the girl was found huddled on the other side. We could only conclude that they had somehow somersaulted and switched sides (something meant to be nigh on impossible).
So everything went smoothly and the next morning we met 5Ib8oz Jayla and 6Ib Jai (pronounced Jye).
Within half an hour the nurses had me tandem feeding while I looked down… and from side to side… at these tiny suckling creatures, dumbstruck.
Several hours later Cade was to meet them. We’d prepared for this moment by telling him each baby had a train for him so when he walked into the room, I fully expected him to demand his gifts. Instead he made a beeline for the cot and, hopping up on a stool, pressed his nose against the glass and stared in awe at his new baby brother and sister. Someone kindly took a photo of this moment and it is something I will cherish for today things are a quite different.
Only yesterday the four of us had a meltdown in unison.
Picture this: I’m standing at the stove trying to cook dinner for three hungry kids hovering at my feet. Cade wants me to fix the wheel of his train and is relentless with his demand. “Not now,” I inform him. “Just let me finish cooking dinner.”
His fury reaches a crescendo until, unfortunately his brother bore the brunt. Jai subsequently loses the plot. That’s two down and I’m very near breaking point. Jayla, who until this point has been watching on in amusement from the corner, decides she’d like a piece of the action so, in slow motion, throws herself off her stool ensuring to bump her head on impact. Now the three of them are howling down the house with me shrieking amongst it, while casting tentative glances out the window to make sure the neighbour isn’t on the way over to check my sanity.
With dinner brewing I have no choice but to ignore this carry on and concentrate on dishing up.
Finally meals are on the table and peace is restored.
At this point in walks hubby having missed the furor. He is greeted by three happy kids while I stand there still taking deep breaths.
Welcome to my world.
Intro
“Welcome to the Madhouse”, is how I commonly greet visitors for, in recent years, our abode has become just that.
Where once I took pride in my house-keeping skills and aesthetically-placed décor, my world has since been flip-turned upside down.
What happened? We had kids. Three of them in less than as many years.
Master Cadeyn made his appearance in 2006 and, after what seemed like an eternity but, on the scale of things clearly wasn’t, nearly two years later we learned we were having another. It was at a routine scan when the sonographer dropped the bombshell that, actually, there were two in there.
Although I’d joked about having twins it was lucky I was lying down at this point because, as I looked up at the screen, there they were – two 12-week foetuses kicking around clear as day.
I rang my husband who was working out in the wops at the time. He thought I was joking and laughed heartily. When I finally convinced him that I wasn’t kidding about having to move house because we were having twins, he almost toppled off his ladder.
As recession had hit, moving house was out so over the next six months a mad frenzy of renovating ensued.
We decided to find out the sexes this time because I wanted to know whether I was in for a house-lot of boys. When we found out it was a boy and a girl I realised I had my little ballet dancer so our family would be complete.
As my stomach expanded, a fair amount of frolicking was taking place within. It seemed a tangle of limbs was jabbing me from every which angle and I assumed it was the boy pushing the girl around. However, upon meeting my feisty little redhead I don’t doubt she was holding her own.
It turned out the girl was lying breech and transverse – therefore blocking the exit – so an elective caesarean was booked.
The day before, however, we were in for a shock when one last scan showed that, where the girl (which had been 99 per cent confirmed) had always been positioned throughout the pregnancy, there was now a willy.
Momentarily gutted I thought of the pink things I’d allowed myself to buy. However, the girl was found huddled on the other side. We could only conclude that they had somehow somersaulted and switched sides (something meant to be nigh on impossible).
So everything went smoothly and the next morning we met 5Ib8oz Jayla and 6Ib Jai (pronounced Jye).
Within half an hour the nurses had me tandem feeding while I looked down… and from side to side… at these tiny suckling creatures, dumbstruck.
Several hours later Cade was to meet them. We’d prepared for this moment by telling him each baby had a train for him so when he walked into the room, I fully expected him to demand his gifts. Instead he made a beeline for the cot and, hopping up on a stool, pressed his nose against the glass and stared in awe at his new baby brother and sister. Someone kindly took a photo of this moment and it is something I will cherish for today things are a quite different.
Only yesterday the four of us had a meltdown in unison.
Picture this: I’m standing at the stove trying to cook dinner for three hungry kids hovering at my feet. Cade wants me to fix the wheel of his train and is relentless with his demand. “Not now,” I inform him. “Just let me finish cooking dinner.”
His fury reaches a crescendo until, unfortunately his brother bore the brunt. Jai subsequently loses the plot. That’s two down and I’m very near breaking point. Jayla, who until this point has been watching on in amusement from the corner, decides she’d like a piece of the action so, in slow motion, throws herself off her stool ensuring to bump her head on impact. Now the three of them are howling down the house with me shrieking amongst it, while casting tentative glances out the window to make sure the neighbour isn’t on the way over to check my sanity.
With dinner brewing I have no choice but to ignore this carry on and concentrate on dishing up.
Finally meals are on the table and peace is restored.
At this point in walks hubby having missed the furor. He is greeted by three happy kids while I stand there still taking deep breaths.
Welcome to my world.
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