a day in {my} life

I set out to document a day when my mom was out of town, so I could record a day that I actually had to do everything by myself.  But in a lovely turn of events (lovely for me anyway), my parents ended up coming home early and my mama took care of me like she always does.  My mom is pretty much the best.  I'm beyond spoiled by her.

So this is a look at February 2nd.  Ryann is 5 years 10 months, Elsie is a few days shy of 3, and Thea is six months old.

***

12:31am.  I wake up to Thea crying.  Ugh.  Anything before 1:30am is generally really hard for me.  I'm grateful that we seem to have put the 5+ wake up nights behind us, but I'd still love to ditch this earlier one.  I go to the nursery to feed her.  I try to scroll instagram to keep myself awake but I almost drop the phone multiple times.  I think I nodded off for a minute or two.  Once she is finished eating I lay her back in the crib.  The clock reads 12:59am when I crawl back in bed.  Thea is rolling around and doesn't seem to be going right back to sleep, but she must not have been too pissy because I passed out pretty fast.

5:03am.  Yesssss.  Thank goodness.  Again I'd like to ditch that first wake up, but being woken up in the 5 o'clock hour doesn't bother me too much.  I know I can just get up for the day once I"m done feeding T, life is just easier that way. I also change her diaper this time.  If I try not to change her until we are officially up for the day her diaper usually leaks.  I briefly scroll instagram while I am feeding her, and then I browse Pinterest to finalize the menu for Elsie's birthday party.

5:32am.  I lay Thea back in her crib, then head to the bathroom to get myself ready to run.  I notice it's raining outside, it is so loud on our skylight.  I hope that it stops by the time we have to go anywhere.  After I'm dressed I check the monitor.  Thea is still rolling around but not crying.  I don't want to wake Christopher, but I do want to get on the treadmill and if I don't wake him a bit he probably won't hear her if she gets super pissed.  I give him two more minutes then let him know I'm heading down to the basement.

5:55am.  I hop on the treadmill for two miles.  I'm currently planning on doing a half April 16th, and I'm roughly following Hal Higdon's Novice 1 plan.  Really I'm trying to make sure I get in 3-4 runs a week, utilizing the distances he has.  I should be doing strength and cross training too, but right now I'm doing good if I manage a 4th run each week.  I watch HGTV while I'm running, there is a show on I haven't seen before (that is hard to find on HGTV, I've watched a lot of it in my life), called Renovate to Rent I think.

It isn't pretty, but it gets the job done!

6:20am.  Done on the treadmill.  I head upstairs for a drink and am surprised to find everyone still sleeping.  Usually Chris and Ryann are moving around by now.  I take advantage of the situation and sneak in a shower.  Chris is up by the time I'm done so I take a quick shower.  Then back downstairs for breakfast.

6:50am.  Ryann makes her way downstairs.  Impressive.  We rarely get past 6:30am without seeing her.  She works on some stuff from school.  I'm sure most people try to get it done the night before, but it just seems to work out better for us to have her do it in the morning when her sisters are still sleeping.  Occasionally she sleeps later and it makes it tough, but later is generally like 7:10am at the latest.  We've almost always got plenty of time in the morning for things.  Christopher works on Ryann's lunch.  Elsie is up by 7am and I make both her and Ryann Vans waffles in the toaster.  Once they are ready we all sit down to eat.  I've got some sweet potato hash topped with leftover carnitas and two fried eggs.  Pretty much my favorite breakfast right now.  Shortly after we start eating Elsie manages to dump a bowl full of beads everywhere.  Sweet.  Chris heads off to work.  The girls start fighting about something stupid while I'm doing the dishes.

7:29am.  Ryann goes to the bathroom and gets dressed.  I turn PJ Masks on for her and Elsie.  I run upstairs to grab clothes for Elsie and get her dressed as well, then I fix their hair.

7:53am.  I manage to sneak in blow drying my hair.  #winning  Then I make sure everything is ready for Ryann for school.  The girls shut the TV off at 8:00am and play until the bus comes.  I watch out the dining room window until I see it round the corner, then yell at Ryann to head outside.  I can't wait until it is nice again and the girls can play outside until the bus comes!

8:22am.  Ryann is off to school.  I have to wake up Thea so I can feed her a bit before we take Elsie to school.  I always debate whether or not I should wake her, or just throw her in the car seat right when we need to leave.  But I'm paranoid she'll be screaming if I put her in the car without feeding her.  She doesn't seem super eager to eat, I keep trying, but she just keeps unlatching and looking around.  Suppose I should have just let her sleep.  While I'm attempting to feed her Elsie runs off to the bathroom.  She does a pretty good job by herself, but I still don't love letting her go alone.  Fingers crossed she doesn't pee on the floor and actually washes her hands.  We all head downstairs to get on shoes and jackets and jump in the car.

8:58am.  We pull out of the driveway.  Their day starts at 9.  But bonus, it takes us 90 seconds to get to school.  Again, I can't WAIT for nice weather so we can walk there!  After Elsie is in her room I see the sign up sheet for conferences.  Man, I didn't realize we needed conferences for MMO (not actual preschool), and I also didn't realize they didn't have class for a week.  Sad freaking story.  I sign up and then Thea and I drive by my mom's house to pick up a package (they are out of town), except it's not there.  It was supposedly delivered the day before and I forgot to go grab it.  Crap.  I really hope it wasn't stolen.  We head back home and play for a little bit, then I decide to try and put on a little bit of make-up and straighten my hair.

9:44am.  Thea gets pissed real fast.  I guess maybe she's hungry?  Or tired?  Or both, or neither.  I really never can read her.  Either way, my getting ready turns into mascara and blush and a few passes with the straightener.  I take her to her room and change her diaper, then nurse her a bit before laying her down for a nap.

10:15am.  Thea is in her crib, and not real pleased about it at all.  I go to my room to edit some photos and hope she falls asleep quickly.

10:26am.  All is quiet in the nursery.  I go to the kitchen to grab the monitor and my water, then back to my room to continue editing.  Naturally I have two photos left that I want to edit when my mouse dies.  Back downstairs to grab a couple batteries, then back upstairs to finish the photos.  Once I'm done I get on my shoes and jacket.

11:20am.  I wake up Thea so we can go pick up Elsie.  Her face is so crusted in boogers.  I'm completely over all of these colds.  Where is spring?  Where is the nice weather?  I need it now!  When we arrive at school I find out they were petting a dog today?  Ugh.  Please don't let this aggravate Elsie's asthma.  I'm pretty sure her forms all say she is allergic to cats and dogs, but whatever.  Hopefully it isn't a big deal.  We head back home to make lunch.  Elsie 'takes care' of Thea while I get it ready.  I check on them at one point and Thea is trying so hard to crawl.  I am just not ready for that kid to be mobile.  Elsie has 'cold ham & cheese' for lunch.  She was obsessed with hot ham and cheese sandwiches for a bit, but now she doesn't have any interest, and prefers cold ham and cheese.  Whatever kiddo.  Elsie sits down to eat and I realize Thea needs a fresh diaper.  Of course while I'm changing her Elsie spills some squeeze pouch on her shirt and it is the end of the world.  After she is cleaned up I sit at the table and nurse Thea while Elsie eats.  I didn't write it down, but based on the pictures I'm pretty sure I stuck Thea in the jumperoo and ate some lunch after she was done nursing.  Leftover pizza spaghetti pie.  Mmmm good.

 

12:35pm.  We're all done eating so we head up to the playroom for a little bit before quiet time.  You can tell we've been playing at home the last few days, the room is a disaster.  I remember that Thea is another week older, so I need to snap a photo on my phone.  After that it is time to get E ready to be in her room.  She goes to the bathroom, then I read her a couple of books.  Once she is settled I get Thea ready for another nap, change her diaper, nurse her a bit, and lay her in her crib.

1:20pm.  The house is quiet, time to be productive!  First up is dishes.  Then I try to figure out the cat ears I'm going to make for Elsie's birthday party.  But I'm not really sure what I'm doing.  I give up on those and start trying to work on a cake topper.  But I don't really know what I want to do with that either.  I end up just cutting out random crap with my silhouette and making a couple of multi colored yarn poms.  I feel like I am being pretty unsuccessful with everything.  So much for productivity.

2:54pm.  Thea is fussing on the monitor.  That isn't a horrible nap, but it isn't exactly going to make the evening easy.  I start to clean up, then it seems like she has fallen back asleep.  It is after 3:00 and I realize Elsie hasn't come out of her room.  I crack open her door and she is passed the heck out in her bed.  Completely snuggled up and everything.  Well crap.  That should make for a long evening.  We don't really encourage her to nap anymore because she has a hard time going to bed if she does.  Back to crafting random crap.  I get started on a tutu for a stuffed cat.  Yup.  I'm that ridiculous.

3:09pm.  Ok now Thea really is awake.  And majorly pissed.  Yay.  I change her diaper and sit down to feed her.  Not long after that I hear the garage door.  Hooray for Grammy!  They came back from out of town early because my dad wasn't feeling well.  I'm sorry that he didn't feel great, but I can't say that I'm sad my mom is back.  She makes my life so much easier, I'm not sure how I'd survive three kids without her!  I take Thea downstairs to finish nursing her while chatting with my mom.  Just before 4:00 I decide to wake Elsie, and we all hang out until the bus comes.

4:17pm.  Ryann is home from school.  She is in one crazy mood.  Her behavior is driving me batty.  Anymore she is just a nut when she comes home from school.  I don't really know how to deal with it.  Ugh.  I get Ryann and Elsie ready for dance and then get them a snack.

4:39pm.  My mom takes Ryann and Elsie to dance.  She generally takes them, stays until they are done, and then brings them home.  But tonight is parent watch night and I haven't seen Elsie in class yet.  Plus I had promised them that I'd be coming to watch since Grammy was going to be out of town.  So once they are out the door I nurse Thea a little bit more just to make sure she won't be screaming at me, and then we get ready to leave.

5:09pm.  I pull out of the driveway with Thea.  We watch the big girls, walk around the 'mall' a little bit, and watch the end of their classes.  I tried to get Thea to fall asleep in the car seat for a short snooze, but no such luck.

6:10pm.  Back in the car to head home.  Dinnertime!  Except Ryann and Elsie don't feel like eating.  Lame.  Whatever, I feel like eating.  It's leftover paleo stuffed pepper soup for me.  Chris didn't seem overly excited by it, but I really liked it.  Chris gives the big girls a shower, and Thea is getting crabby so I nurse her yet again.  The big girls head back downstairs to watch a little bit of a movie.  In the meantime Thea gets her shower and then I get her ready for bed.  I let her nurse just a bit more until she is pretty much asleep.

7:23pm.  Thea is conked out in her crib.  I work on the dishes (why are there so many dishes in a day??) and do a little picking up on the main floor.  Ryann reads us her accelerated reader book, then it is time for the big girls to go to sleep.  As expected Elsie is rather wound up.  I lay with her for a bit before heading downstairs.  I browse instagram, and then whip up some 'ice cream'.  I'm still currently eating Whole30 compliant foods, so my ice cream is frozen banana and frozen mango whipped up in the food processor.  I top it with unsweetened coconut flakes and cashews and it is pretty damn good.  Though the Ben and Jerrys I saw in the freezer while locating the mango doesn't really sound all that bad either.

9:10pm.  Elsie still isn't asleep.  I can hear her running around in her room.  I start working on Thea's monthly post on my laptop.  Shortly after that Elsie comes down claiming she pooped in her diaper.  I change it, but there is nothing in there.  Chris takes her back upstairs and we hope that she will just fall asleep soon.  I spend a little more time working on Thea's post.

9:42pm.  I'm tired and can't really concentrate, so I give up.  I'm not being productive so I might as well sleep.  I brush my teeth, go to the bathroom, and snuggle under the covers.  Good night!

10:24pm.  Or not.  Thea is awake and crying.  I'm so groggy.  I hate when I'm woken up two hours or less into the night.  It just makes it so hard.  I toy with the idea of just rubbing her back and seeing if she'll fall back asleep, but I don't really feel like listening to her scream.  So I feed her yet again.

10:46pm.  I lay Thea back in her crib.  She is mad, but not full on screaming.  I watch her on the monitor for a few minutes.  She starts to taper off and I can't keep my eyes open any longer.  I assume she fell asleep quickly, I know I did.