Becoming a mother of 5

I have been meaning to write about this for a while now, and now that my due date is less than 4 weeks away, I think I really should. Having 5 children in Allentown, PA, feels a lot different than having 5 children in Holladay, UT, simply because not many people here do that, where as there they did, so it kind of defines you as that crazy woman with all those kids. I don't know if it is just me, I have noticed that people out here use the word "nuts" for crazy a lot more than in Utah. Anyway, so here if you have more than 2 kids you must be nuts, at least that is what I gather is the general consensus. At first I was a little reluctant to let people know that I was expecting, but the more I thought about it and got used to the idea, I realized that I really didn't mind being defined by it, it is after all what we wanted and I can't imagine my life any other way. Most of the women in my neighborhood work, and I feel it a great luxury that I can stay home with my kids and still live in this neighborhood. When we go on walks, Nikolay often muses, "What do these people need these big houses for if they only have 2 or 3 kids?" Where he came from in Ukraine, most people grew up in multi-generational apartments, and there was no concept of a bedroom, each room had people sleeping in it at night, regardless of it's daytime use. I am happy to have a full house where each room is being used and is full of life. I think that growing up with siblings really enriches your life experiences. I love that my older kids play with my younger kids. On the flip side, being a parent is one of the hardest things I have ever done, and I know that I am always making mistakes, but trying to improve.