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Okay, so getting five kids and two grandparents all to look at the camera and smile IS impossible! This is the best of five shots.
As crazy as it may be to have five children under the age of six years old all under one roof it sure is a lot of fun! Our kids, Michaela and Carrie, always have so much fun with their cousins, Jack and Elisabeth. Lily is a little too young to join in on the action this year...wait until next year!
I caught it on camera! Grandpa really does hold the babies once they stop puking! Lily, your day is coming!
After paper was shredded off the beautifully wrapped presents and time was spent playing with the new gifts Michaela, Jack and Carrie were off and running up and down the hallway. Laughter echoed off the walls and they chased each other in and out of the three bedrooms down the hall. It's amazing how a four, five, and six year old can sound like a whole herd of elephants when they run!
The stampede and excitement lasted until doors started slamming and parents (and grandparents) had to intervene. With the running and screaming put to a halt the kids had to find something else to do for entertainment. Bring out the dog toys!
If you read the previous post by Don you will see Buzz curled up in his toy basket. Imagine about 20 of these toys flying up and down the basement stairway with kids chasing after them laughing their heads off. Who would have known old tattered dog toys would entertain kids when their brand new toys lay just a few feet away!
Nice post, kiddo. I liked the irony of the kids' choice of toys. Next year we should give them the worn-out dog stuff and give the dogs new playthings.
What a treasure your kids have in each other! I remember the first Christmas we brought together my brother's kids and mine, and they were all between the ages of 1 - 4 years. It was chaotic, but ironically, it was less work for me. I could just sit back and watch until a referee was needed.
I think it is times like this that is harder on the Grandparents since they want to be a part of each kid's life. Exhausting work, if you ask me :).
Tiffany, you really nailed it when you said Grandparents want to be part of each child's life. That is it exactly! You never feel you are involved enough, you haven't seen them enough, you haven't spent one-on-one time, the list goes on! What is a grandparent to do?!