Last Sunday Mike, Annie and I spent the night at Mike’s sister’s house. His sister and brother in law were having a much-deserved overnight away, so we minded our nephews and niece.

When we arrived, my nephews Spencer (six and a half years old) and Danny (four) were jumping up and down with excitement. Mike and I were basically rock stars. We did everything we could to keep them thinking we were – we ran around in the back yard, drank tons of juice together, ordered pizza, and bought the COOLEST! MOVIE! EVER! on pay per view (Yogi Bear is the bees knees, according to the boys).

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We did all this in an hour.

Meanwhile, Annie and Michaela (21 months) were into evvvvvvverything. If Michaela knew a non-baby-proofed section of the house, she led Annabel to it. If Annie knew a new and exciting way to make noise (and believe me, she always has a new and exciting way to make noise), she showed it to Michaela. At first I was like, “OMG, they are playing together it is soooooo cute!” Cut to me an hour later and I was hissing at Mike, “WE HAVE TO SEPARATE THEM!”

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All the kids play together really well. The boys are very patient with the girls and don’t mind sharing or being around them. I know this won’t last for much longer…not because the boys will get older, but because the girls will get really annoying. I mean, the high pitched shrieks! I was not aware those started before the age of two.

While I dealt with the girls (and my eardrums waved a white flag), Mike had to help Danny in the bathroom. Mike was unaware that children can still require assistance in the bathroom. When I told him that they aren’t always coordinated enough to wipe themselves, I thought he would pass out. “Well,” he said, “Danny will just not poop when we’re there.”

He pooped twice.

We also got a taste of what it would be like to have twins when Annie and Michaela both had bedtime meltdowns. Just as one would calm down, she’d see the other freaking out and start back up again. I contemplated giving both of them xanax.

Mike and I were exhausted by the time the kids all went to sleep. We were only one sixth of the way toward having a Duggar-sized group and we were toast by 9pm. How do you people with multiple kids do it?