A First Time For Something

Full House

Family game night. That's something normal right? Wrong. I don't know why I ever thought taking in eight kids after I had my son, but this was a disaster. Every Friday night we have family game night, the ten of us playing with 2 sets of cards or in teams of two or three with me as moderator. I walk away for ten minutes to help my youngest use the bathroom - he's in training pants and I'm really proud of him - and come back to find the living room a mess. At first glance it looked like the room was split in half before I noticed that there were two separate arguments. After I set Jon down between Matt and Mark, I picked up my second youngest and second oldest to separate them from their own fights. From my left arm I heard whining from my only blood related son who was trying to get out of my arms, and from my right arm I only heard yelling in very broken English and Norse thinking he was out of trouble.

“Now what in the world happened in here? I go to help Jon with the bathroom and come back to half of my kids fighting! One at a time explain what happened while I was out of the room.” I let the duo in my arms sit on my hips so I could rub my forehead, I'll be needing something to fight this headache after I take care of this all.

“Eduardo hit me! He sawid I was gwerly and that gwerls were yucky and that I am yucky.”

“No I didn't!” I sighed pinching my nose, how wasn't this obvious?

“Both of you quiet. Eduardo go to the west corner, Edd you're in the east corner. Face the wall or you're sitting there longer.” Setting the load in my left arm down I watched the two go to their corners before turning to the other argument that still continued from my arm.

“Tord be quiet, Tom explain what happened.” Hearing the younger of the two finally cease in his yelling, I looked to the other that participated in the argument.

“He was trying to cheat in the game and take your cards mummy! I was trying to stowp him but-”

“Woo cheater! I nej cheet! Tom grab min cards!” After Tord, who was still in my arms, had begun yelling once more, I closed my eyes for a good few seconds trying to keep myself calm. It always seemed like these two would start an argument whenever there was something they didn't agree on.

“Both of you quiet! Tom go to the north corner and Tord you're in the south corner. Face the wall and if I see you looking at each other or hear either of you you're going to be sitting there for longer.” I glanced over to the clock noting that it was only a quarter after seven.

“Mark, Paul could you please clean up the cards and deal out while I take Jon to bed. Patryck, Matt come on it's time for your medicine.” Picking up Jon who was yawning softly, I motioned for Matt and Patryck to go to the kitchen while I put their little brother to bed. Now none of them were related literally, but legally they were all brothers since I had adopted them. Well most of them. I didn't actually adopt Edd, but hey that's a story for another time. Moving to the kitchen after making sure that Jon was asleep and would stay asleep for at least a few hours, I took the nightly medicine down from the cabinet. I would be taking my medicine after they were all in bed. Giving Patryck his allergy medicine I pulled down the thermometer before putting Matt onto the counter. He's been out of school for the past few days because he had a fever. It had thankfully gone down so he'd be able to go back next week. Giving him an oral syringe of children's tylenol I let him down off the counter before putting it all away. I'll wash the dishes when they're all in bed.

“Okay guys only a few more rounds before bed. Tom, Tord, Edd and Eduardo come here. I don't want to have to put you boys back in the corner tonight, so no more fights. Do you hear me?” Receiving four nods, I smiled before joining the kids at the table, dealing cards out for go fish.

Yeah my family's a little hectic but I love them with all my heart.

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766 words

Edd is my biological son in this [if it makes sense]. Brown eyes are recessive in my family so that worked.

Ages of my kids:

Patryck 9

Paul 8 ½

Mark 7

Edd 6 ½

Eduardo 6

Matt 5 ½

Tom 4 ½

Tord 4 ½

Jon 3 ½

Patryck has bad allergies and asthma while Matt gets sick easily. [not mentioned but Edd has mild seasonal allergies but nothing else, Tom is allergic to citrus, Paul has an oral fixation, Mark needs glasses, and Tord is in need of speech therapy].

Honestly if anyone wants I would possibly be willing to do a side series for this… I have a few childhood stories that I could use to fuel it [my brain wants me to replace my brother with Tord right now and I'm trying not to cackle]

~ Mama Mari