I had kept driving through
the night; the children were all still sleeping when I pulled the horses to a
stop, allowing them to drink. Once they had their fill, they started up again.
We were going to be home in just a few minutes. I woke them letting them know
that we were pulling into the lane. I didn't even have a chance to stop her,
Skyla jumped out of the wagon, the thing was still moving!
"Skyla Videl! You get back here!" I said pulling the horses
to a stop.
"No, I want to get to
Cookies!" I rolled my eyes, deciding against my better judgment and let
her go. Sure enough, when we got there, that cub was with that little filly. It
was like watching two little girls that hadn't seen each other in a year
instead of a couple of weeks.
I called my daughter to me, I
knelt to her level talking gently but sternly, once she had gotten over to me.
"I'll let it go this
time Skyla, because I know you were excited, but the next time you jump out of
that wagon while it is moving I will give you the paddling of your life."
"Sorry Mamma." She
told me gently.
"And this telling me no
is also going to stop, is that understood?" The child nodded.
"Good now go play."
I told her.
"You too Cookies,"
I gave the little filly a gentle slap to get her moving then set about getting
the babies into the house. When I had carried Bliss I had to laugh. That baby
let out the biggest squeal and flung her arms everywhere, then whined to get
down. I then headed out to get the twins; Darlita and Shanda were still out
there with them. I had Dar get Chase, who was sleeping thankfully.
He woke just we walked
inside. He started squirming trying to get out of Darlita's
arms so I told her to just put him down. He followed me as I headed to my room
laying the smaller babies onto my bed so that I could get their little beds.
After a quick lunch I had made all the children lay down for a nap. Chase sat
there in the crib he was sharing with Bliss for the time being, I was going to
make him his own in the morning. He sat there crying his loudest. I was going
to let him just cry himself to sleep, but I had enough, I walked over and laid
him back down.
"Now you go to sleep Chase
Cullen" He kept fussing so I went ahead and picked him up and walked out
to the living room after making a detour into the kitchen getting him a second
bottle. I'm amazed at how much this little boy can eat. I mean, at lunch he
managed to eat three jars by himself, and a whole
bottle of milk and now was on his second. I just held him close to me and
started talking to him. Chase looked at me with quizzical eyes. He held onto my
shirt, like he was scared that I would leave him or something. Trying to get
him settled, I started to sing softly to him. We must have both fallen asleep
in that old rocker cause the next thing I knew Skyla and Shanda are trying to
climb up with us. Deciding that it wouldn't hurt anything, and would just be a
little stuffy, I helped them up. And let me tell you it’s not easy trying to
sit with that many on your lap. Hearing the twins, I had to get everyone up.
For about four hours Darlita
and I both were trying to figure out how to soothe the screaming babies.
"Mamma, can I go to the
playground?"
"Take Shanda with you
and stay together." Skyla nodded and ran. I had to laugh then went back to
trying to calm the colicky twins.
Even though I sent Darcy and
the others to bed, I don't think that any of us got any sleep that night.
"Mamma, can I sleep with
Cookies? They’re too loud!" Sky said, plugging her ears. At least she told
me where she was going. I had thought one colicky baby was bad, I was wrong.
Try two. By the time I laid down, it was already five in the morning.