Mortons: A new year of Marryin', Birthin', and Writin'

[JermajestyDuggar]

Just looking at this picture makes me tired. 

[usedbicycle]

27 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Just looking at this picture makes me tired. 

Can you imagine changing 20-30 diapers a day? I can't even imagine washing my hands 30 times a day. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

6 minutes ago, usedbicycle said:

Can you imagine changing 20-30 diapers a day? I can't even imagine washing my hands 30 times a day. 

Everything would be absolute bare minimum if I had 3 kids 25 months and under. All three would either be in a sleeper or just a diaper at all times. I would try and change their diapers all at once if I could. But that wouldn’t always work. Newborns poop constantly. They are little shart machines. I would not bathe them everyday that’s for sure. And their hair would stay short and easy for their first few years of life. 

[fundiefan]

They're cute kids and I hope everyone is happy and healthy. But I still believe it is nothing short of insanity to reproduce the way they have and borders on irresponsible. Norah never got to be a toddler without a job - handing mom diapers, getting a bottle, waiting for attention until the newborn is cared for even though she was a whole year old and still in need of pretty constant attention and care. Same thing happened immediately with Victoria, although Norah probably took more responsibility because she's the big girl now at all of two years old. 

How do you console a screaming, teething one year old when you have a two year old with a full diaper and a newborn needing to eat? How do you rock a teething toddler to sleep when you have a screaming infant and another toddler having a meltdown? How do you soothe a crying infant when the one year old threw off her diaper and the two year old fell out of the crib because she's starting to explore? 

It all makes my brain hurt and my heart heavy. Those poor kids. 

 

 

[ophelia]

 

3 hours ago, fundiefan said:

They're cute kids and I hope everyone is happy and healthy. But I still believe it is nothing short of insanity to reproduce the way they have and borders on irresponsible. Norah never got to be a toddler without a job - handing mom diapers, getting a bottle, waiting for attention until the newborn is cared for even though she was a whole year old and still in need of pretty constant attention and care. Same thing happened immediately with Victoria, although Norah probably took more responsibility because she's the big girl now at all of two years old. 

How do you console a screaming, teething one year old when you have a two year old with a full diaper and a newborn needing to eat? How do you rock a teething toddler to sleep when you have a screaming infant and another toddler having a meltdown? How do you soothe a crying infant when the one year old threw off her diaper and the two year old fell out of the crib because she's starting to explore? 

It all makes my brain hurt and my heart heavy. Those poor kids. 

 

 

I could imagine Adeline helping out quite a bit. But in the end it doesn't really matter. Alyssa was raised to live exactly this way. She's been told that this was her role and even if she feels overwhelmed (which she probably does) she has to keep cute and feel blessed by having so many little ones in such a short amount of time. 

There is no way she can meet all of her kids needs appropriately, especially not since I expect her to get knocked up again pretty soon. Unfortunately I think a lot of discipline in her home will include beating, spanking and things like blanket training. She was raised this way and her husband as well so that won't be a big deal for them. 

[NachosFlandersStyle]

I wonder if there won't be a longer gap before the next one-- ok, maybe not a long gap, but a gap.

I think that in addition to Adeline, some of Katie's older kids are probably already helping out a lot with their littler cousins.

[SolomonFundy]

There's a zero percent chance that Alyssa is providing all, or possibly even most of the care that those kids get. She's undoubtedly feeding them (since they are all probably still nursing at least part of the time), but her kids are in her siblings' and in-laws' social media pics multiple times a week. And that's just what they choose to post. The sheer volume of helping hands is incredible. It's not just the grandparents, sisters, and fond aunties. She's got a passel of babysitting-aged Morton cousins within sight of her home. Her sisters are in DC at the moment, shilling for Womb Control, so the kids are suddenly in Alyssa's feed all together for the first time since Audrey was born.

My guess is that she has in-home help for baths and naps daily, actual out-of-the-house babysitting (specifically of Norah) weekly, and help with meals at least once a day. I'm not saying she has it easy, but she sure as shit isn't curling that head of hair while keeping up with three infants.

The most compelling evidence for this is the little bit of sharing that she does do on social media. She's articulate, and actually LUCID. She's functioning at a much higher level than Katie was after #2 or #3. A lot of this could be personality, but it really seems like she's getting more sleep than anyone in her position should theoretically be able to get. 

For all of these reasons, I am starting to doubt my previous prediction of a shall gap between Audrey and #4. If Alyssa has enough help to keep her sanity now, she's got no reason to avoid the inevitability of another December birth. 

[fundiefan]

I've always belived she has huge amounts of help. Someone once said she looked good-not warn out-a few weeks post birth. I'd bet anything it's because she isn't exhausted as she has many he ping hands. But, I don't think that help covers the caring/hands on/available (emotionally as well as physically) mom those babies deserve. Her help doesn't seem to pick any slack, it simply takes some responsibility from her. 

[ophelia]

You all are probably right - she has plenty of help by Adeline and the older Morton cousins. 

Which made me think: Katie's oldest just turned 12 a few days ago. He'll probably start working in the construction business pretty soon, since we all know that the Mortons don't care that much about academic education. And so the circle of life continues in Morton land. 

[NachosFlandersStyle]

You know, I have read somewhere that the exhaustion of parenting is something of a modern Western phenomenon, because in other societies new parents would typically be living with a large extended family who would share childcare, allowing everyone some sleep and sanity. That may be the sole regard in which the Mortons are actually doing something right.

[anjulibai]

5 hours ago, NachosFlandersStyle said:

You know, I have read somewhere that the exhaustion of parenting is something of a modern Western phenomenon, because in other societies new parents would typically be living with a large extended family who would share childcare, allowing everyone some sleep and sanity. That may be the sole regard in which the Mortons are actually doing something right.

I have heard that, too. Humans evolved in small bands of people, and everyone was related and helped each other out for the survival of the whole group. A new mother would just have to focus on basic care of a child, and would have 4 or 5 other women around to help watching older children or preparing food or getting or other tasks - and probably several other men as well. We did not evolve to single family groups, even multi-generational ones. 

ETA: I want to add, though that women in those groups also didn't expect to have a baby every single year. Generally, they'd have one every 2-3 years. The sort of fertility Alyssa has is very unusual. 

Edited January 24, 2019 by anjulibai

[JermajestyDuggar]

6 hours ago, NachosFlandersStyle said:

You know, I have read somewhere that the exhaustion of parenting is something of a modern Western phenomenon, because in other societies new parents would typically be living with a large extended family who would share childcare, allowing everyone some sleep and sanity. That may be the sole regard in which the Mortons are actually doing something right.

I have a lot of resentment for our culture of “pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do it yourself” mentality. Especially in regards to children. I had very little help when my kids were born. It was mostly just my husband and me. It’s weird because I know my parents got tons of help from their families when I was growing up. But I got much much less just because I live a little over an hour away. You would think I live states away or something. I think PPA and PPD would be reduced if new mothers had more support. 

[usedbicycle]

These kids are very brave to be going on a hike...

Edited February 5, 2019 by usedbicycle

[JermajestyDuggar]

2 hours ago, usedbicycle said:

These kids are very brave to be going on a hike...

They weren’t the only ones on the hike. Like most of their lives, there are lots of other Morton’s around to lend a hand when needed.

[ophelia]

They both look so young and it is hard to imagine that they'll probably have a fourth child by February 2020 and yet it would surprise me if they took a longer break this time.

Edited February 6, 2019 by ophelia

[SolomonFundy]

It's so bizarre to think that if the next Mortana comes along at any point in 2020 instead of 2019, it will be viewed as a "gap". And I guess it technically would be, despite the fact that, even if she pushes it out to the full end of the year, she'd still have four kids aged 4 and under. 

There's basically a 100% chance Alyssa has a baby before the end of 2020. If she sticks with tradition, she could have TWO MORE CHILDREN by the end of next year. 

But, as crazy as that is, it still seems even crazier to me that she could essentially go two full years before giving birth (Jan 2019-Dec 2020), and still manage to have four children aged four and under.

[freethemall]

While i imagine Alyssa gets lots of help during the day, i cringe thinking what her nights are like. I don't Adeline or others are sleeping over. Thinking about the awful night i had with my 2 year old last night (he refused to sleep between 3:30-4:30), i can't imagine that times 3.

[JermajestyDuggar]

26 minutes ago, freethemall said:

While i imagine Alyssa gets lots of help during the day, i cringe thinking what her nights are like. I don't Adeline or others are sleeping over. Thinking about the awful night i had with my 2 year old last night (he refused to sleep between 3:30-4:30), i can't imagine that times 3.

I’m guessing they implement some cry it out with the older two. Otherwise she would be up all night long. 

[SolomonFundy]

I'm going to go ahead and call it: I think Martha is preggo. The times she's appeared in Instagram stories lately, she has looked unbelievably similar to Katie at the same age, while pregnant. Her face is quite a bit fuller as well. She looks happy.

In other news, there have been a few different references to "justice" in recent family posts. I have no idea if something is in the works regarding Alan's status, or if maybe someone just had a super satisfying day harassing women at an abortion clinic. Either way, they seem to feel celebratory about something.

[NachosFlandersStyle]

 

23 minutes ago, SolomonFundy said:

In other news, there have been a few different references to "justice" in recent family posts. I have no idea if something is in the works regarding Alan's status,

A couple days ago Captain Bret asked people on Facebook to pray for Alan. Also, Addie posted a picture of her and Katie's kids at a hotel pool with a caption mentioning that it was a difficult week. I'm guessing he had a court date of some sort and Katie had to travel to attend.

Edited February 7, 2019 by NachosFlandersStyle

[fundiefan]

3 hours ago, NachosFlandersStyle said:

 

A couple days ago Captain Bret asked people on Facebook to pray for Alan. Also, Addie posted a picture of her and Katie's kids at a hotel pool with a caption mentioning that it was a difficult week. I'm guessing he had a court date of some sort and Katie had to travel to attend.

I agree. There are enough seemingly unrelated pieces out there to put some of them together. Bret rambling about Jacquie's miracle back cure incessently after asking for prayers for his son tell me he didn't get the results he wanted so he will never mention it again and instead fill the space with other miracles for other perfectly godly Smiths.

Whatever it was all about, I can say I am glad to see the Morton's happy. I know they're ugly fundies just like all the rest and normally their happiness is at someone else's expense (a pregnant woman, a democrat, a non-fundie, women overall...), but their happiness/"justice is served" in this case is directly connected (I think) to a horrific situation that Katie & her kids will forever have to cope with.  And if they got results from whatever happened that help them move forward, I'm all for it. 

 

[picklepizzas]

I went searching for his post on Alan and noticed that The Cap'n is a FEDERAL EMPLOYEE. ? Are the smiths not of the anti-guvmint work-for-yourself variety of fundie?? I somehow assumed they were bc homeschooling and alan never really having a job.

[dramallama]

Isn't he an air traffic controller?  I seem to remember that from a while back, and wondering how on Earth he manages to behave "normal" enough at a regular job and work with - GASP! - women, most of which are probably wearing - DOUBLE GASP! - pants to stay employed.  I can just picture him lecturing all of his co-workers about THE FOUNDATIONS OF BIBLICAL BETROTHAL AND THE BRIDE PRICE in the break room.

[Nikedagain?]

I saw the posts and hashtags. It seems like something happened that garnered the full Morton support, like perhaps a court room appearance? and that the best interests of the children were served. His criminal case is decided, obviously,  so I wonder if Katie filed for TPR,  Alan refused and it was decided by a judge? Because surely it wouldn't be for any type of visitation upon his release, right?? 

[JermajestyDuggar]

All I know is that I hope that man has zero contact with his children until they are each 18 and then they can make their own decision as to whether or not they have contact with him.