The Moms on the Move Show


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Kathy Griffin

  Kathy: I try to forget about keeping the house clean all the time because it just doesn't work with quints.

After 6 years, Kathy Griffin is an expert on how to raise 5 children, all the same size, all the same age.

Linda: How did it come about that you were pregnant with 5 children?

Kathy: Well what happened with me was we tried for 5 years to become pregnant. So we talked to the doctor and we decided we want to go with Invitro.

And in the early stages of Invitro, doctors recommended implanting many embryos in the hopes of a single birth.

Kathy: We didn't know what to do so we took five and all five took. They were born the end of my 27th week and they spent a lot of time in the NICU – three months. Three months started out a little over two pounds with Austin and Lindsey was 1.7 pounds. 

Linda: And all of them are in perfect health yes?

Kathy: Yes they are. Released at 4 pounds. 

Linda: When they have diaper changes are they all on the same plumbing schedule?

Kathy: No, no they aren't! I had lots of people coming in and out the door with the feedings cause the needed so much in the beginning.

Linda: Which one of your children wears these?

Kathy: The biggest kid of them all.

Linda: Your husband?

Kathy: He really enjoys that greeting he gets when they wrap around his legs when he gets home. Daddy-up!

Linda: What do you do when you have 2 hands and 5 babies>

Kathy: You just do the best you can. They learn to wait and they learn patience at a very young age. Every day it's basically following a routine.

Linda: What are some things that are easier for you as a whole group at once?

Kathy: To dip their hands instead of running the water and getting the soap all over. We just get dressed if it gets to be a big deal it's not going to work, not with 5. 

Linda: And what happens if you’re acting up at the lunch table?

Kathy to kids: What happens if you act up at the lunch table where do you go?

Kids: You get three warnings.

Kathy to kids: And then you’re what? 

Kids: Outta here.

Kathy to kids: Are you going to be good? 

Kathy: Okay now you can come back.

Linda: Clean up then you can come to my house and clean up! 

Kathy to kids: Are you ready to behave yet? Let's go play outside

Linda: If anyone has experience with multiples it would be you, so what is your best advice for women who have multiples? 

Kathy: Put aside some things that are not as important in life the cleaning, read to your kids spend time with them. I try and balance my life. I try and create time for me, and time for the kids. It's really neat to see things through a child's eyes. When they come to you and they never thought of it in that way and you say “oh yeah it really does look like that.”

Linda: And you have 10 eyes to look through. 

Kathy: Yeah all those personalities. At times I sat and cried I didn't know how I was going to handle it all. You learn your mistakes and you pick yourself up the next day and rearrange things and maybe you’ll have a better day tomorrow.

Linda: I can't wait to come back and see how your managing five 16-year-olds that's going to be a fun interview! (laugh)
     

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