Its Official

I have been asked a lot of different questions and heard quite a few comments regarding the kids. I have heard "Wow you have your hands full", the irritating "Your oldest looks nothing like you", and I have even heard (when Madeline was a baby) "Wow you were just the incubator weren't you?" I always nod or smile or say whatever is appropriate to be polite and try not to show my complete frustration for these people who I know are just trying to be friendly. Well today I heard "Are they ALL yours?" And all was said in a long drawn out way because oh my gosh no one has four kids thats just wayyyyyy to many. So its official I am the mom of many. I responded to the man who asked the above question with a smile and "yes all mine" as I tried to cross the parking lot at OMSI today. He was still standing there going on when I got to the other side and we smiled at him as we tried to make it to our car. Which is quite a feat when the parent/child ratio at the time was 1 to 4.

So here is our day. I am rather proud to say that I (BY MYSELF!!!) managed to get all four kids ready (minus Michael's shirt somehow he only had on a hooded sweatshirt???), load up the car, the diaper bag, and go to OMSI. We only stayed for about 3 hours but the kids had a blast. We spent the first hour or two in the Children's play area. Maddy and Michael just roam to whatever section they want to and check in with me when they go to a new one. Madeline painted, played with water, went in the sand area, and did play dough. Michael spent most of the time in the sand area and animal section. Marah ran wild and I ummm lost her twice. Do not try to put on one child's shoes because when you look up your two year old will have wandered off. You will then frantically scan the area wishing she was wearing a brightly colored shirt. Then do not set your bag down and try to get the baby latched on to eat because once again your two year old will be all the way across the room before you can blink your eyes. So we survived the children's section with all four kids still alive, the baby actually fed and changed, and my pants all wet. Third tip of the day: do not help your son put on a smock at the water table because when you turn your head your two year old will pour an entire watering can of water down your leg. You will then walk around looking like you peed yourself while the other parents look at you really strange. Cause you know they have one child and this just does not happen to them. LOL. But in all honestly it was a great day. We explored, the kids played and I even got to talk to two other moms. Yes TWO conversations with adults, I am on a roll. One mom we happened to follow everywhere somehow and the other who put Marah's smock on for me since my hands were full. Actually thinking about it three conversations if you count the one where I apologize over and over for dripping pink paint down some little boys head. Yep you read it right I did it. This child now has pink streaks in his blond hair, when I tried to wipe it out it just kind of spread everywhere.

Thank you Grandma Karen for the OMSI membership!

Its a bird.
Marah built this out of wooden blocks. I love these blocks and really wish we had some at home.

A painting. She also painted a paper plate snake.


Next was the dinosaur exhibit. We had not seen it yet and the kids thought it was really cool. I can't wait to go back with Joe so that I can maybe look at some of it too. :)





Michael is hiding from the T-Rex. It roars and scares him half to death.


Marah loves the T-Rex and roars back at him.

They dug for fossils.


Look closely. Do you see it? I did not even notice until I looked at this photo. My 7 year old is stealing a little boys paint brush. Sigh...