Give it 6 months

Right after I had Taryn, a good friend of mine and wiser mother of 6, told me, "Give it 6 months." The whole dynamic of a family and each person's ability and life experience changes every 6 months. How TRUE!
Six months ago, when I found out or admitted that I was pregnant with number 5, Alina was seven months old, barely crawling and sitting up, being spoon feed, and crying was her only means of communication. Taryn, was 2 1/2, and not potty trained. Kendall just turned 4, and spent the whole year not really enjoying preschool or any other activity that took her away from me. Garrett was 6, independent and self sufficient for himself, but not really capable of constructively assisting the girls. We were doing okay, but I wondered how I'd have the capability to care for one more.
Now six months later, Alina is walking-running all around this house. She feeds herself, and is starting to communication and have opinions about what she likes and does not like.
Taryn is potty trained! Yippy! Her and Kendall are great friends which really helps to entertain them. Taryn has even started to play with Alina and likes to help out. The cutest thing about, Taryn that she is SO excited about the "baby monkey boy" in my belly.
Kendall LOVES preschool, and she loves to go to friends houses.
Garrett has turned into my life saver! Just this morning, I thought, I don't know what I'd do without him. Keith is out of town, and I was up with sick baby Alina all night. I finally got her to sleep about 5:30, so I was crashed this morning. Garrett brought the other two girls downstairs, made toast, and cereal for them, turned on Taryn's Max and Ruby, pulled out a blanket for everyone because it's FREEZING already, got himself ready for school and sat down to play Wii until I woke up. I LOVE that boy! I wouldn't have woke up if, sweet Taryn's movie hadn't ended so she snuck up stairs to snuggle in bed with me. Not two minutes after Taryn crawled in bed with me, I could hear Garrett outside, "Taryn come out here, I told you not to bother Mom, so she could get her rest!" He sound just like his father. Keith is training him well.
I'm not saying we run smoothly but I do think we'll survive. Who knows what the next 6 months will bring?