The Law of Multiplicity

I don't actually know what this law is....or if there is such a mathematical law in place. But I do know that lately, the numbers in my house have been growing exponentially! Food, laundry, toys, dishes - here, let me explain.

When I got married, it was just me and Nathan. Just two people (and they were both adults!). As the main housekeeper, I took care of cooking for two, doing two sets of dishes, washing two sets of laundry, etc. Sometimes I didn't even have to wash two sets of dishes - we'd share a plate, or keep a glass all day long. Sometimes I didn't have to wash two sets of laundry - we'd wear pants more than once, because they didn't have poop or pee or mud or puke on them; we'd use only one washcloth a day because, hey, men don't use washcloths. Even our food intake was at a minimum - and man, we like to eat! It was just a simpler way of life.

Then came Lydia, and things began to multiply. Now I had to wash another plate, or two, or three bowls because she was eating too. The laundry pile began to double because she wore at least two, sometimes three, outfits each day and I wash my cloth diapers too. I needed to double my juice purchases because she drank two cups a day and we only drank one. See what I mean??

Now with Luke, Lydia, Nathan and me....it's just a little crazy sometimes. We could literally do the dishwasher once a day, but we try to stretch it to two by using cups over again and saving clean silverware. The laundry pile is ginormous - especially in the winter! - when we have 5X4 = 20 socks each load, 3X5 = 15 pairs of undies, all of Luke's peed on outfits, Nathan's dirty work stuff, Lydia's second change of the day outfits.....and oh yes - at least 2-3 washcloths each day; one for faces after meals, one for blood or dirt, one for cracks and crevices. You get the point.

As for food, don't even get me started. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed food prices going up, and of course, my kids are now both "kids" and eat a ton! We actually go through a gallon of milk in less than a week, a bag of cheese sticks in a week, and gogurts - well, they'd last 3 days if I let them. I am still a food rationer, but there's only so far you can stretch it.

These thoughts all bring me to contemplate my future, where I hope there will be more kids.....and dishes...and laundry.....and food consumption....happening at some point. I am quite fascinated with the families that I know that had five or six kids, and still had time to do anything beyond housework. I guess you work out a system - or just start giving kids bigger chores. Hmmm.....maybe that would work!