Mackensie Rohloff 

Section:   College Comp 57+ 

September 17, 2007 

Comparison/Contrast 

Six Children Later 

It was me, all me, only me.  For six years, I was the only child.  Nobody took my toys, nobody bossed me around.  Soon things began to change around our house.  My mother got pregnant and at age seven, I was going to be a big sister.  I was so excited.  Hillary was born in July.  She never stopped crying.  She still cries a lot.  Thirteen months later, I was a big sister again.  Brittany was born in September.  She was so cute and cuddly.  Between the two, they became my baby dolls and replaced my toy baby dolls.  Then two years later, along came my brother Howard.  He was the apple of my parents’ eye, the first boy.  Marissa was born three years later.  She was and is still spoiled rotten - the baby and all.   Our house was very chaotic.  I wasn’t the center of attention anymore and my life was about to unfold to a future full of excitement and unexpected events.

My life completely changed from being the only child to the oldest of five in a matter of a few years.  I was no longer the baby.  Attention was hardly ever on me anymore, as one might imagine with four other children age six and under.  My father worked during the day and my mother worked afternoon shifts.  Daycare was not an option because the cost would have set them back financially.  My father became an alcoholic and spent most nights at the local pub.  I would end up babysitting the kids after school until my mother returned from work around 11:00 pm.  This was fine until early high school when all I wanted was to be with my friends.  Tagging along four kids to the movies and to the swimming pool was neither cool nor fun.  Babysitting started to wear on me.  I vowed I would never have any children because all they do is take up a lot of time and energy.  I resented the fact that my father depended on me to do his job as a father.  I felt like a parent to these children at the age of twelve.

After graduating from high school, my thoughts on having children slightly changed.  I thought I would like to have two children.  Boy was I in for a surprise!  I married my husband, Chad when I was 22 years old.  He made me a step mother right away to Haley.  My first born, Peyton, was born in February 2001, Preston in March 2003 and Paxton in July 2005.  At this point I was ready to be done having children, I was content with three boys and a step daughter.  Chad was supposed to have a vasectomy, but he wanted me to have my little girl.  We decided to wait for his surgery and just see what would happen. 

In April 2006, I began to feel nauseous, which is the first sign of pregnancy for me.  I took a pregnancy test right away and sure enough, I was pregnant.  A few weeks past and I felt huge already.  I figured I was further along than I originally thought or by chance there may be more than one child growing inside me.  I had an ultrasound right away, the only one that my husband was unable to attend.  The assistant barely began the procedure and she looked at me with huge eyes and said, “There are two of them!”  I instantly began to cry.  I was filled with mixed emotions. 

“Oh, how much fun twins would be.” 

“That bastard, I told him to get fixed.” 

After very little thought, the negative emotions went away and I was so excited!  Immediately after the ultrasound, I took the pictures to my husband and he jokingly asked, “So, how many are there?”  I said, “Look at the pictures”.  It took a while, but he eventually found two little babies.  He was ecstatic.  November 2006, Kaitlyn and Karleigh were born.  I got my two little girls. 

As one could imagine, our house is very chaotic, having five children all within five and a half years.  Peace and quiet is seldom heard in our home.  I now appreciate the life I lived as a young child and teenager.  I learned quickly how to cook, clean, do laundry and be a positive role model for four innocent children.  It prepared me to become the mother I am today.  My children experience one-on-one time, educational time and family time.  We are a very loving family and each of us knows how important we are to one another. 

Having a job and paying daycare is not an option for us either, so I am an in-home day care provider.  My days usually consist of twelve children running around our house.  They keep my children entertained.  I also get paid to enjoy raising my children.   I get the gratitude of helping other families raise their children and seeing the joy and excitement of their days as well.  Wanting two children and having six is quite a difference, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.             

Now that I am a grown, mother of six, I still am not the center of attention, nor will I be for many years.  I imagine my life will continue to be filled with excitement and unexpected events which I am eagerly awaiting.  I am, however, very blessed to be the mother of such wonderful children.