Samar on the Board, Avasha on the side
All 4 kids are signed up to do swimming classes for the next 5 weeks.Mon to Friday 10.00a/m to 10.30a/m. We arrive at the swimming pool. The girls are wearing their suits under their clothes. The boys are already in their trunks. Everyone strips, lines up and I spray sunscreen and off they go to their classes.
I meanwhile lay out the towels and line up all the Crocs. The whistle blows, class ends. I wrap Samar up. The rest wrap their towels and we head to the changing room. I then place each girls outfit with chadi on the top out on the bench while the girls go and shower.. Help Neil with his shirt, he puts on his own pants. Fold a towel, lay Samar down, spread lotion all over, put on diaper, and make him wear his clothes. Girls come out, change their clothes. Wring swimsuit dry, Make sure there is 4 . Make sure all 4 towels and goggles accounted for. Pack everything up and head to the bleachers to get their Crocs.
Ashwina swimming
Today, as we were walking out, one of the moms came out to talk to me. She said, I was watching you all this while and I am really impressed with how super efficient you are. The way everyone changed and lined up to get sunscreen is damm impressive.
I just smiled modestly and said, I have good days and bad days. You saw me on a good day.
She said No, I was watching you guys since Monday and I think its great you have 4. This will be my 3rd and I think I want one more after this(She has 2 and is preggo with her 3rd)
I laughed and said See you tomorrow. Sometimes, it’s wonderful to hear something nice instead OHMG YOU HAVE FOUR.
- Neil doing Starfish
And because I need to brag, once in the car everyone gets cut up strawberries as snack and we head to the gym. Reached there at 11. I did a 2 mile slow run on the treadmill and 20 mins on the elliptical. Had raisins as a snack break.
Met with my trainer from 12-12.50. I almost died today. My arms are super sore. I bench pressed 45 lbs, 3 sets of 12, did another incline bench press with same weights and same no of reps.Did supersets of bicep/triceps free weights 12.5 and 10 lbs dumbbells. (I need to compose a post abt doing superset. They are hard,hard work.) It was painful to drive afterwards.
Quick shower, got the kids from the daycare at 1./ NK called. Meet him at the local chinese restaurant. He did some grocery shopping. Had lunch. Samar loves pork congee.
Loaded the van. Reached home at 3. Put groceries away. Samar is napping. Dishes..I took a 45 min nap and its now 5.24 and I am having a chai.
You are a super D duper woman. I salute u.
Me
You make it sound wonderful and easy! Yea for 4!
Me:Once you are in zone-to-zone defense, the no doesnt matter.. You need one more A.
PHEW!!! you do quite a bit in a day. i still remember that slideshow you put up.
Me: I should sent you the link to the slideshow I did 2 years before that. Its fun.
that mom must have made your day, and i’m sure you made hers
Me: She did. It so nice to hear something positive abt having 4 kids.
and i really admire your willpower…it takes me quite sometime to get going to the gym (and its just down in my condo), tho once there i manage to stay there for atleast 45 min…
Me:Baby steps. I get tired of the gym too. Then I think if we stayed home, the kids will fight or watch TV and its better if we all go out.
Hats off to you, Supermom!
Me: Thanks Suki
Thats a whole lot of stuff packed in one single day re!!
)
(I think I have told you before – you inspire me
Watching your kids swim and having fun – pure bliss, right? And to have your kids’ behavior and your efforts praised – Again, pure bliss… isn’t it?
Me: Yes. I didnt write this but my 2 boys were the only ones in the beginner class who were okay with being on the board and floating in the pool. The other 2 kids refused and just sat on the steps.
Sounds like a very full day! Looks like the pool is outdoors.
Me:Yup outdoors. I plan the days so that we are always out doing somethng, or else the 4 at home all fight and scream and shout.
Me: I pretend to be efficient.. I have been stuck many times unprepared.
Yeah ms. organised but what did you cook for dinner?
Me: Left over pork congee for Samar. The other 3 had Costco pizza. I had roasted duck from the Chinese store.
For me, it dosent seem to matter how good and organised a mommy I was all day, because when it comes to deciding what to cook for dinner everynight… urgh…. all my organization and planning seems to fall apart. At about 4 pm, I look in the refrigerator and realise there is nothing worth cooking in there, even though I went grocery shopping that morning.
Me:Its sucks to plan what to feed the kids day in,day out. But because of Samar’s allergies, we dont have a choice. I have to cook. I always start dinner at around 4-5 while having my chai.
Maybe I need to drink chai at 5.30 too!
It really sounds like you really have it all together. Very impressive. And your workout made me even more impressed. Supersets are hard!
Me: I am going to pay for it tomorrow.Hey, where’s the Fitness Update?
Wow, the water is soooo blue..
i am juz impressed by reading this.Is like so systematic..Like robots.Do this, do that, do this….LOL
Me: Yeah they are training to be robots.
.And especially that the kids could line up to apply sunscreen…
This is really one of yr best days..
And that nice lady, i think u made her want to have 4….Coz she was wondering if she shld have another one after her current birth..And every1 told her not to be stupid, but after seeing u, she decided she will have 4….
Me: You so nice no!
So proud of yr workouts….
I think u shld colour yr hair….
Me: Color hair for what? What color?
wow – and to think that I, single (now), staying with parents and no kids, crib about having to go for a walk every morning (can feel myself shrinking in shame)……. Super huge thumbs up to you!
Me:
yet again i will sya, tussi great ho!!
and yes, am glad you come across some nice people too! not just morons!!
cheers!
Me: Thanks Abha.
Is that one day? I do so much work over a week!
Please do a post about your strength training.
Me: Yes its was yesterday
A m composing that post as we “speak”
After seeing you I want another 3 too..my son is all of 5 and fiercely independent now and I know having kids are much better than lingering throughout the day making plans of what to do and what not…Kids make you so spontaneous and add a spring in your feet…I envy you super mom
Me: 5. yrs old. you need to have the 2nd one like right now. Its the perfect age gap
S, can I bring mine to you for some training? ok, just the older one? How do you do it girl !!!
Yay! for the sweet other mom. Its so easy to be nice and say simple things that can make another’s day but still there are so few of them.
Me: Yes! I love it when someone says something positive abt the no of kids I have.
Wow! That was a packed day! Hats off to you.. U rock..
From now on you are my role model for a mom
When i first came to your blog and saw 4 kids in the header even i was like OMG she has 4. but it was more like OMG.. WOW what fun it must be to have 4 kiddies.
You are too good.. I always admired you for having 4 kids and always wondered what fun it must be to have 4 kids around all the time. Though i crave for as many as i can, i think i will just settle for 2 whenever i decide to have them.
Keep writing about both ur good and bad days.. It is really fun to read.
And yeah..it is really grt you have kept up your fitness regime.. hats off to you supermom !!!
Me: Its been getting easier now that the girls are older and Samar is independent. It was really astruggle when Samar was an infant. I was completely exhausted and sleep deprived all the time.
You are a superwoman!! But why don’t I see your chuds over your pants then?
Me: rofl.. I only wear costumes in the bedroom.
Now, what else is called efficiency??
You never stop to amaze me woman..!
I am pretty sure I can never be where you are and do so well
Me: Oh I’m sure you could. I never though I could. My parents never thought I could but I am and am doing it very well if I say so myself
Wow! Just reading it made me tired.
I am going to get some chai for me now. My head is spinning reading this. I am playing in my mind what I would do if I were in ur place. Its not a pretty picture. Among other things I am visualizing calling the pool office and making trips back for lost glasses, towels and children…the thing I like best about you is the commitment to workout. Because in the visions I am making myself have, there is no working out. Because everything else is sorta required. You need to be organized and super efficient but then If you were anything like me ( take a moment and thank ur stars that you are not!), you’d cut out any more effort than is needed to survive. There will be no gym, no lifting weights, no running and potato chips for dinner all allergy free people in the house. Also there is a possibility that if I were you, my mom will be living permanently with me. And lunch with the husband. I will always be mad at him for that to ever happen. In fact I don’t think he will ever want to meet me any more than is necessary so no lunches together.
Time to put my dream sequence to an end. I need some chai.
Me: I wrote a long reply and then when I hit approve, the rpely dissappeared. Will type it out again later
Hey Superwoman.. I have so much to learn.. I abandon my only one.. what would I do if I had 4.. definitely I would be far from what you are .. so competent
Glad you got a diff perspective for once.. I am sure you are an inspiration to all the moms out there!!
Me: I abandon all 4 of them as well. When we were camping, I would randomly do a head count and then try and figure out who was where,
You are my new HERO
Me:pssst who did I replace rofl
Hey supermom, the reason I am subscribed to your blog is because you have four kids. Before I had my first one, I *thought* that 4 was my ideal number. After having 2, I just chickened out and couldn’t imagine having any more. Naturally, I admire you very much!
Me:
Thanks MJ..
I jinxed myself. Today both sat on the top steps and refuse to do anything. Oh well.