Once in a while we have a little chat with someone (or some more) with a special job, an inspiring life, a remarkable character or an out of the box vision. This time we spoke with Manon Proper, married to Jorn Wegter and mom of Julie, Bas, Hannah, Faye and Cécile. 
What about her?
Name: Manon Age: 34
Child: Julie, Bas (twins), Hannah, Faye and Cécile (triplets) Age: 2½, 2½, 6 months, 6 months and 6 months
Business: Online Payments
Five kids, that’s amazing! Was this always your intention?
Haha, no not really... We had never imagined having such a large family and certainly we didn’t expect to have twins and triplets. This amazing stroke of fortune clearly proves that life can’t be planned!
What’s your best parenting moment
Generally, we most enjoy the mornings, especially on weekends. We usually have breakfast in bed together with Bas and Julie while the babies have their bottles. A very nice, and usually harmonious start of the day.
And your worst?
Nothing in particular pops up into mind, but generally those moments at the end of the day when the kids are tired can be quite a challenge.
What / who brings the fun?
Who doesn’t! With five kids there is always something to laugh about. Especially Bas and Julie make us laugh when we overhear the conversations they have between themselves.
Your daughters are…
Julie is the comedian for sure! She says the funniest things and also knows how to entertain people. She’s quite a character and everybody thinks she looks exactly like my mom. Hannah and Cécile are the identical twins of the triplets. They look quite similar but are different in their way of laughing, playing and crying.
Cécile is very active and moves around a lot while Hannah usually makes a lot of noise and is exploring her voice a bit more.
Faye always smiles when you look at her. She has very chubby cheeks that make everyone love her! She isn’t as active as her triplets sisters which reminds us a lot like Julie when she was a baby.
Your sons are…
Bas is the only boy…poor Bas ;) He’s a very sweet boy who doesn’t like to be in the center of attention. He loves to be at home with us and he really enjoys doing things with the family. His favorite word is: “Gezellig”, which is quite a funny word for a boy his age.
Your big dream is…
That everyone in our family stays in good health.
What’s the story your babies should not hear when they are teenagers?
I guess they shouldn’t be too keen on hearing our diaper-change war stories, of which unfortunately we have so many… We once calculated that by the time all the kids are potty trained, we will have changed a grand total of almost 40,000 diapers…
What advice do you wish to pass on?
Stay calm and have a glass of wine once in a while.
Do you have rituals, like before going to bed?
Yes! Everyday we bath the twins and triplets before bringing them to bed. I believe such a ritual makes them calm and relaxed which really helps in getting them in the right sleeping schedule. After the bath there is also a moment that we can cuddle with the babies and then they usually fall asleep immediately. Either Jorn or I will read a story to Bas & Julie before they go to sleep. They love it!
What products do you use: skincare, shampoo, etc?
We use many products of La Roche Posay since it’s free of parabens and perfume, I love the Lipikar Baume AP bodylotion.
What do you absolutely avoid?
We try to avoid ready-made food or take-away.
What does the internet mean to your family?
It’s pretty important to us, especially if you consider that we can’t leave the house all that much. We use internet a lot to stay in touch with friends and family, who can’t seem to get enough of the pictures we share on Instagram .
What’s the best of the city you live in?
We live in Leiden, which is a beautiful and cosy old town. We like to go out sometimes for a simple pizza at City Hall: great staff, nice atmosphere and good food. Also, we love to buy our bread at Mamie Gourmande, a wonderful French bakery. On Saturdays we try to visit the food market along the Leiden canals, which is a treat especially during summer.
Any advice for parents who get stuck in the roallercoaster of family life?
Don’t try to escape it, but embrace it.
