"Mom, You Have Too Many Babies"

Tonight I pointed out that the living room could not be left as it was, pillows and snack trash on the floor, video games out, and other such things. Nope, the kids were required to clean up after themselves.

I've decided I'm not paid enough to be a maid.

And tomorrow, I said, we would be doing a general clean up for the weekend, that we could get done quickly and easily if everyone would help.

Quinn (6) looked at me and said, "Mom, you have too many babies."

"Um, yeah, I don't really have any babies anymore kiddo. You guys keep growing up, even though I keep telling you to stop it."

"But mom, there are a lot of people in this house!"

"Well, I can't argue that logic. But, how many is the right amount? How many babies should I have had? Which ones should I give back?"

"I don't know," he said. "Who would you give them back to?"

I thought about it for a minute. "The baby-giver."

"But mom, I thought we lived in you! We can't have lived in you and come from a baby-giver too."

And here I thought they didn't really listen to me.

He wasn't really judging our family size, it turns out. He just wanted it noted that he finds our family a touch on the large side.

And he's right, of course. But it was a bit of a relief when I realized it. I can handle being judged by strangers who balk at big family. But one of the kids? That would be a bit much. I mean, if we didn't have a big family, he wouldn't be here. After all, he was number 5 from me, and number 6 shared. So, in the grand scheme of things, he should probably be grateful.

Quinn really says most of the best things around here. If we were a sitcom, he'd be the quick-witted middle child. And I'm so glad he doesn't want to give any of the kids back. Not only because we can't, but because there's not a damn one of them I could imagine my life without.

*****
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