A DAY’S WORK

And then one day there were seven, all under one roof. Two grownups and five children ages 2 and under. Four babies who needed additional night time feedings due to their small size, as well as cuddling, diaper changing, bathing, dressing, singing to, rocking and comforting, as well as a toddler who loved to “help” as much as possible. If you, like me, are wondering how in the world this is possible, Erich’s candor says it all, “Yeah. It’s out of control. It’s insane.” And yet, when you’re around the family, it’s clear that things are actually incredibly under control and surprisingly sane. Performing like an all-star relay team, Sally and Erich juggle two full-time careers while keeping their children at home each day. Most weekday mornings Erich is out of the house shortly after 5:00 for early morning swim practices. Supermom Sally’s day starts about the same time with an intricate dance of feed a baby, take a shower, feed a baby, get dressed for work, change a diaper, do her hair, make another bottle, brew a pot of coffee, lay a baby down for an early morning nap, put her makeup on, find a pacifier, find her shoes, change a diaper, pack her lunch. (Anyone else exhausted yet?)

By the time Erich gets home, Sally is ready to sprint out the door, taking a moment to give him a quick rundown of the morning report — “This baby didn’t get her bottle yet, this baby was just changed, this baby has a stinky diaper, here’s when to give Ruby her heart meds … go team!” And with that she passes the baton, throws a kiss, and is out the door.

For the next eight hours, Superdad Erich takes charge, feeding, changing, soothing, playing, reading and being a chill, champion dad. “Yeah, I mean, it can get a little crazy. But it’s mostly peaceful I’d say. It’s getting a lot better now that we know how they all tick. You just gotta learn to be okay with a baby crying. I mean, they’re babies. They cry. So if someone is freaking out while I’m changing someone else’s diaper or feeding another baby, I’m just like, ‘It’s okay buddy, I’ll be with you as soon as I can,’ and until then I just know he or she is going to cry. It just is what it is.” An immeasurable gift in this crazy life is that both Erich and Sally’s parents live just a few blocks away. “Our parents are all in. I mean, all the way in. They all have car seats in their cars, Pack ‘n Plays at their houses, and they help us out as much as possible.” If big sister Elsie needs some extra one-on-one time, grandparents are quick to jump in and whisk her away for an afternoon. If a baby needs to be rocked and there aren’t enough parental arms to go around, grandparents are ready to rock. If a parent needs a sanity break, relief is just a text away. “Our entire families have come on board to help us. We couldn’t do this without them.”

After school Sally sprints home so that Erich can meet her at the door, give her the afternoon report, and pass off the parenting baton. Erich then heads to a full six hours of swim practice, with the Sheyenne teams first and then Gators for the rest of the evening. Sally, in turn, undertakes the tremendous task of feeding supper to four babies and a toddler. Astonished, with my jaw all the way open, I asked her how in the world she accomplishes such a feat. With a flippant wave of her hand, she responds, “Oh, it’s just an assembly line.” Using a table with builtin highchairs, she seats all the babies in a row and goes down the line one bite at a time, while big sis provides their entertainment by dancing around the living room. After the babies get bathed and tucked in, Elsie and Sally steal a little one-on-one time before an exhausted mama tucks in the toddler. By the time Erich arrives back home around 9:30, the house is quiet, allowing Mom and Dad to eat a calm dinner together and get a few hours of sleep before the nighttime bottles begin. And then at the bright and shiny hour of 5:00 a.m., it all starts again.