The mothers of all mothers | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

The Pasadena mother of six doesn't mind when her triplets and the other children get her up early. What she really wants is simple: just for all her children to get along tomorrow and spend a nice day together.

"I don't put a huge expectation on it, because we have five kids," she said.

Mrs. Marshall plans on going to a special Mother's Day brunch at her sister-in-law's home, and doesn't have a set agenda after that. Asked what else she might want, she added, "I love flowers. You can always do well with flowers."

Turns out her wish isn't all that unusual among mothers of multiples, said Dr. Joan Friedman, a California-based psychotherapist and author of a new book on parenting twins.

"I think it's a really normal request," she said. "It's so never-ending."

Dr. Friedman said the best thing mothers of multiples can do is accept the fact that they're not going to have the same experience as parents who have one child at a time, and not expect things to be perfect.

"You have to say, 'I'm doing good enough,' " she said.

Jen Julian knows all this, but said caring for her triplets is still hard work - actually, she said it's the hardest work she's ever done. She used to put in 60-hour workweeks before her babies were born, but even that isn't as difficult as her current stay-at-home assignment. A well-established schedule is the Edgewater woman's best defense against exhaustion, but she wouldn't mind a little respite this Sunday.

"My husband and I call our lives 'Whac-A-Mole,' " she said, because as soon as one child is put down, another pops right up.

If her children's wishes hold true, Roline Bouie is in for a really nice Mother's Day.

Asked what they'd like to get their mother, her 8-year-old quadruplets replied, in order: a nice ring and necklace, a cinnamon candle, a bracelet and necklace, and high-fashion clothing.

Then, after a brief pause and some quick calculations, Cobe, Cameron, Carl and Carli figured out they had $8 between them. "We have to earn some money to buy her something," reasoned Cobe.

Actually, Ms. Bouie, who also has two other children, just wants what the other mothers also desire: "a peaceful day."

She'd like to maybe go to the beach or have a night out without the children. Nothing more.

But it'd be a definite break from the norm, considering she not only cares for her children, but runs a gift basket business and works at a hair salon with days that sometimes begin at 4 a.m. and end around midnight.

Ms. Bouie said it's actually harder now that the quadruplets are older, because each is involved in different activities and pulling her in different directions.

"(People) see them when we're out and say, 'They're so cute, they look nice.' (But) it's really hard work. You have a lot of good days, though. ... As long as you keep them on a good schedule, you've got it made."