a day in {my} life

Today you get another peek at my daily happenings.  But before I begin, I only have one more mama scheduled to post about her day.  If you are interested in participating in the series please leave your blog and e-mail addresses in the comment section of this post!  Thanks :o)

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5:43AM:  My morning insomnia strikes.  Ugh.  I seriously have some inability to sleep past 6:15.  Drives me crazy when the wee one actually sleeps past 6.  Not to mention I can't leave our bedroom or I'll wake her.  So I grab my laptop and browse pinterest while everyone else sleeps.

6:34AM:  Ryann rolls over and starts having a conversation with the ceiling.  I watch her on the monitor for a few minutes, and give her a chance to really wake up before I go in there.  On the way I  stop in the bathroom for my daily date with the scale.  Oy, staying with my parents never does anything good for my numbers.  Only half a pound lost last week.  But today is a new day right?  When I open Ryann's door she immediately starts saying buh! (book) ow-wol! (owl) har bow! (hair bow).  She tells me all about them almost every morning.  After a diaper change we head back to my bed to snuggle with daddy.  Ryann decides she needs to bring her owl night light as well as Guy (her light up chick) so we essentially have a rave in our room at 7am.  Especially after she grabs my phone and starts bouncing up and down saying dance! dance!

nothing like a little breakfast dance party.  and yes, Chris drinks pop for breakfast.

7:25AM:  Breakfast time!  Ryann has some yogurt melts and an eggo, I have my usual, one slice of toast with crunchy peanut butter, four ounces of orange juice and my vitamins.  After breakfast we load and start the dishwasher, then head to the basement to sort the ridiculous pile of laundry we have accumulated.  Then it is up to the family room for some playtime.  Ryann does laps around the room carrying her Little People toys.  She stops dead in her tracks when she realizes the DVD case for Toy Story 3 is sitting on the TV stand.  The next five minutes are spent examining it, opening and closing it, and pointing out Woody.  Unfortunately when she turned to move on to something else, she slammed her head in to the corner of the TV stand.  A good little goose egg and some big fat tears earned her a few minutes of actually watching Toy Story.  We all (Chris included) snuggle on the couch for a bit before we lay Ryann down for her first nap.

9:32AM:  Ryann is sleeping, which is great.  I am just instantly crossing my fingers hoping she will also take a nap this afternoon.  While she naps I head out for my run (C25K week 9 day 2!  So close to done!).  When I get back Chris heads out to pick up his graduation ensemble.  Time to switch the laundry.  I remember that I wanted to iron my new shower curtain (Birthday present from my parents, the Anthropologie shower curtain is finally mine!), but as soon as I get everything set up and the iron warm, wouldn't you know the little one starts stirring. 

can you tell this is the face of choice right now?

11:05AM:  I head in to get Ryann dressed and realize we are out of diapers.  You think this would stop happening to me.  After a quick phone call to Chris asking him to please stop at the store, Ryann and I sit down for a snack.  She has water, blueberries and Multigrain Cheerios, while I have a Fiber Plus Dark Chocolate and Almond Bar with a bottle of water.  When daddy gets home he gets Ryann dressed while I hop in the shower.  When I am dry and dressed Ryann helps me with my make-up.  Or throws all my stuff in the sink, whatever you want to call it.  While I dry my hair Chris and Ryann head outside to ride her bike.

12:58PM:  Now that I am finally ready for the day we hop in the car for a quick trip to JoAnn's.  I need a few things for some crafts I want to do.  On the way Ry and I play peek-a-boo in the back seat.  She has a great time trying to hide behind her carseat.  I grab what I need at JoAnn's and then we head back home for some lunch.  Salmon Stix, blackberries and milk for Ryann, a whole wheat tortilla spread with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge and four slices of deli chicken for myself.  We get an unexpected (but of course welcomed) quick visit from our friend Sam.  After he leaves Ryann doesn't seem all that tired, so we head to the family room to play.  However ten minutes later she is throwing a huge fit about nothing, so we decide it must be nap time.

like I mentioned, the word of the day was glasses, or 'gasses' as Ryann would say

3:04PM:  Ryann is asleep again and I quickly peek at some blogs and do a quick browse of pinterest (I'm addicted, I can't help it).  Eventually I head downstairs to switch the laundry and again remember the shower curtain that needs ironing.  I unknowingly spend the next HOUR trying to iron that thing, and honestly it doesn't look all that ironed when I'm finished.  The ends of the ruffles lay flatter but overall is still looks pretty wrinkly.  Hopefully after few hot showers all of the wrinkles will magically disappear.  By the time I sit down to work on a seating chart for a client, the little one is wiggling again.

4:38PM:  Ryann is awake and it is time for another snack.  Chris gives her a nutrigrain bar while I work on hanging up the new shower curtain.  I am so excited about it :o).  After snack we decide to go for a little walk, and end up heading to the park.  Ryann is pretty hot and cold with the swings, but today she seems to like it.  She has the cutest little smile on her face and says a quiet little 'weee' while Chris pushes her.  It is beyond adorable.  We head back home and spend a little time working on the ABC's, numbers, colors and shapes.

6:20PM:  Dinner time!  Ryann has a little Gerber meal (mac 'n cheese with chicken and veggies tonight), plus some peaches.  We have been trying to get her to eat other things for dinner, like I don't know, stuff that we make, but she won't do it.  She is, however, willing to try anything that comes out of one of those Gerber containers, so I think I need to start washing them out and putting food we make in them.  I eat leftovers from the night before, Sweet Potato Sausage Skillet.  I'll share the recipe on Friday, it was surprisingly good.  Ryann's teeth must be driving her crazy, because during and after dinner is a complete meltdown.  Her and daddy spend a little time on the bench with the iPad (which sounds like happy when she says it).

7:25PM:  Time for a bath.  We only use soap on her every other night, but it has become such a part of our routine that we put her in the tub everyday.  She doesn't seem to love baths as much as she used to, but that is just because she enjoys lots of things now.  After bath it is time for lotion, pajamas, a sippy of milk and some books.  It is Chris's turn to put her to bed so I get started watching the Biggest Loser.  Hello make-over week, my favorite one.  Although I didn't find it as exciting this time.  While I have the Biggest Loser and The Voice on I work on some items for a client.

8:00PM:  Chris decides to head out for a run.  Of course he goes about three miles, even though I can't tell you the last time he ran.  He always says he is not a runner, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't want me to show him up :o).  Ryann is still rolling around in her crib, quietly, but she isn't sleeping.  Finally around 8:30 she falls asleep.

9:15PM:  I finally finish up the current client project I was working on, so I take a minute to grab my nightly snack.  Chocolate frozen yogurt with raspberries.  Seriously, that little dessert is one of the best parts of my day, and I'm always a bit sad if I don't get to have it.  I decide it is about time to finish up Ryann's thirteen month post, and start editing photos.  I'm not real happy with the quality of the ones I have to choose from, but I suppose that is no one's fault but my own (well, and the fault of an extremely active little girl, but I can't really blame her can I?).

10:53PM:  The post is finally published.  I consider getting to work on my day in the life post, but decide I'd rather go to sleep (which explains why this post will run a little late, well and lets not forget that I do everything last minute).  Good night!

And even though I've answered these questions before, I'll give them a go again.

1.  What is the most surprising thing about being a mother?
Right now, honestly, it is how easily I put Ryann's needs before mine.  Sometimes I really want to be selfish, or do things for me, but in the deep down bottom of my stomach I always feel it.  She is the absolute most important thing in my life, and before I do anything I always think of her.

2.  What are some tips you would give to new moms, or soon-to-be moms?
This is still essentially the same... go with your gut, do what works for you, and don't be afraid to ask for help.  For me going with my gut and asking for help when I need it are the two hardest.  But so very important.

3.  What are your top three baby products (I'm going with best right now)?

• Summer Infant Tiny Diner Placemat - we recently started using this and it is awesome.  It gives your little one a clean surface to eat off at restaurants, and it rolls up and contains the mess when you bring it home for an easy wash.  I highly recommend it.
• Playtex Insulated Twist 'n Click Straw Cup - I know I've mentioned these before, but I thought I'd touch on it again.  Ryann never would pick up and tip a regular sippy cup, so we quickly decided to go the straw cup route.  She might have eventually picked up a regular sippy (she loves to play with them now), but she easily figured out how to use this cup so we went with it.  We tried other brands of straw cups, but honestly I couldn't even drink out of them because of the no-spill valve.  Honestly the reason I got the insulated ones over the basic ones?  For some reason they were cheaper at Target.  Go figure.  
• Britax Boulevard 70 CS Carseat - My mom has the Graco Snugride in her car.  In comparison to the Britax, I absolutely hate the Graco.  The straps aren't as easy to use, it is bulky, and it reclines too much.  The Britax is so easy to get Ryann in and out of, and it is a highly rated seat.  Not to mention it has velcro tabs to hold the straps out of the way while you're putting the babe in, obviously awesome.  :o)  It is definitely a pricey seat, but if you can swing it, I say go for it.