YES, I’ve Got My Hands Full, Thanks for Noticing!

Sitting in my car in the hot, dirty parking garage, hands shaking, I looked down at my phone and pressed my husband’s number. He answered immediately.

“Well, how was it? Was there a heartbeat?”

“Um. Yes. Yes, there was. There were two.”

“I’m sorry, what? Two?!”

“Yes. Two.”

“I’m driving. I will call you back.” Click.

I stared at the silent my phone in my hand. I’ll call you back? When? In five minutes? When you’re not operating a large moving vehicle in heavy traffic? After you drop off our six- and two- year-olds? When you’ve reached the closest international border? Never?

Nine months from that phone call our family would double. I’d always wanted three kids; dreamed about three kids since I was old enough to want a family. And there we were, having four. Suddenly all our plans were thrown off track as we thought through adding not one more baby, but two to our family.

As my baby bump got larger and people learned we were having twins, and I’d sometimes hear “Well, four is the new two! Congratulations!” Was that true? When did that happen? No one told me! I started counting one day and realized I knew or knew of almost 20 families with four children. If we all got together at a giant Four-Kid-Convention, there would be 80 children. Eighty was twice the size of my high school graduating class (small town girl). Slowly I began to realize maybe four was the new two, although we were still overwhelmed at the thought of four college educations.

When I became noticeably pregnant people would ask me “Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?” I enjoyed the slow, dawning realization on their faces when I answered “Both,” with no further explanation. When it clicked they’d exclaim, “You’re having twins!” while eyeing my busy almost-three-year-old and seven-year-old screaming or wrestling in the check-out aisle.

Then came the inevitable, “Wow. You’re going to have your hands full.” Now there are three ways someone can say this to you, no matter how many kids you have:

  1. As a statement of fact. (Because yes, kids are a handful.)
  2. As a best mama friend. (Wow, you’ve got your hands full, let me pour you another glass of wine or five.)
  3. As a judgy know-it-all. (Wow. I can’t possibly see how any of your children are going to be well mannered, well behaved or successful in life in general. How could you be so irresponsible?!)

Then our two became four, and we became a family of six. We learned the hard way quickly that four kids means a lot less time for our marriage, one on one time with each child, money, and parental patience. Four kids means a lot more cleaning up, doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, drying tears, piles of laundry, spilled formula, hitting, squabbling, missing pacifiers, crying – someone is always crying – and plastic crap all over the house.

But there is something else you often hear with four kids, including a set of twins:

“Wow, you’re so lucky.”

On bad days, hearing this makes me exhale, be silent for a moment and be thankful for the reminder. On good days, I just agree. Four kids is more kisses, more hands to hold, more hearts to mold, more minds to shape, more giggles, tickles, snuggles, and hugs.

Yes, I’ve got my hands full, thanks for noticing! But, by the way, so is my heart.

 

Meg Sacks
Meg is a working mom of four and an avid community volunteer. She has worked in corporate communications and media relations for more than 18 years, for a Fortune 500 company as well as a non-profit. She took some time off to enjoy life as a stay at home mom after the birth of her first child in 2008. Her sweet, introverted daughter, was excited to welcome her baby brother in 2013, and then boy/girl twins joined the family in 2016. Meg finds being an “office mama” a constant balancing act and never-ending challenge but enjoys the opportunities it offers her for personal growth. A Virginia girl at heart, she loves Florida’s warm weather, the great quality of life Jacksonville offers her family.

3 COMMENTS

  1. As a mother of 3 grown children living in 3 states, please allow me to tell you just how LUCKY you are!!! My 3rd is 7 years younger than his sister and 9 1/2 years younger than his brother. I was HOPING the pregnancy would result in twins, as I thought 4 was such a nice number, and didn’t want him to have to be an “only child” as the others grew up. It all worked out for me, and it will be more than wonderful for you. Right now, take deep breaths and accept any help you can get. Your older children are capable of a lot. (I had to remind my daughter that the baby was MINE and had the ultimate care-taking responsibilities!) Your “blessings” will come back to you in so many smiles, laughs and hugs, and then later….what could be better than 4 fabulous grown children? I suggest you take a couple of minutes before falling asleep EVERY night, to jot down a couple of sentences about the best thing in your day.

  2. Our family also went from 4 to six members 3 years ago. We had an 11 year old and a 9 year old when our twin boys were born. Managing babies and now toddlers while still being an involved parent to older kids and now an incoming high schooler is not a position in which I’d ever dreamed I would be. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

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