Day In The Life - Fall 2015

This fall marks five years of recorded "Day In The Life" posts on this blog. So many changes -- babies! jobs! moves! -- it's fun for me to look back and read about the details of life during various stages.

While every day has its ups and downs, lately I have an overwhelming sense of gratefulness for the generous amounts of time I get to spend with my kids, and for the life my husband works so tirelessly to provide for us. I guess I'm feeling extra mushy today (blame PMS!), but I truly am thankful for each and every moment in this life of mine.

Here's Monday, October 12, 2015

Tory is 4 years, 1 month old
Aden is 22 months old
Andi and I are both 34 years old
Chloe (the dog) is 10 years old

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12:30am: Aden cries out from his crib. I roll over and notice Andi isn't there (he must be sleeping downstairs) so I fold easily, retrieve Aden and bring him into bed with me. If Andi knew I did this, he'd be upset, and I feel a pang of guilt for fueling the fire of bad habits. But ... tiredness wins this time.

The next few hours are filled with frequent wake-ups as I sense Aden restlessly rolling around in bed. He lays his head on my stomach, then snuggles beside me with one leg flopped over my side. Eventually, he crawls on top of me and sandwiches my entire body which ... isn't the most comfortable sleeping position for me. At one point, I wake up to him actually trying to sit on my face! All the while, I can hear Aden struggle to breathe through a snot-filled nose which means he's come down with another cold this season.

3:00am: I'm jolted awake when Tory walks into the bedroom saying she has to potty. I sleepily tell her to "just go" and think to myself how she's really at an age where she should be able to do this nightly task without my help. Surprisingly, for the first time ever, she actually does go to the bathroom on her own and then returns to her bedroom. Not two seconds later, she yells for me to "smooth out her blankets" after she crawls back in her bed. 

6:30am: I wake up again when Aden sits up in my bed and asks for a cup of milk. I'm both relieved to see it's 6:30am and upset I didn't get a work-out in before he woke up for the day. I get up to pour him a cup of soy milk and grab an applesauce pouch. He mirrors Tory in demanding sustenance immediately upon waking each morning. 

6:45am: Andi enters the bedroom to find Aden and I laying in bed watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He says good-bye to us and leaves for work. Aden lazily blows him a kiss without tearing his eyes from the television screen.

7:00am: I drag myself out of bed and pull on some gym clothes. If I hurry, I can still squeeze in a 30-minute workout and shower before the kids' gymnastics class this morning. Tory wakes up as I'm doing this and Aden exclaims, "Hi Tory! Hi Tory!" the minute he sees her. The two embrace in a morning hug and Tory crawls into my bed to watch a show with her brother. 

I grab Tory a yogurt tube (because = needs food immediately upon waking or has an epic meltdown) and head to the kitchen with Aden to make him breakfast. This kid is a huge breakfast eater. Today he's having a frozen waffle, two chicken and apple sausage links and a bowl of Cheerios. I turn Curious George on the kitchen television so he can watch TV while I exercise in the living room.

7:30am: I feel like doing cardio like I want hole in my head, but I turn on the Beachbody DVD anyway and start working out. To say I'm struggling today is an understatement. I feel dehydrated and sluggish after a weekend of indulgences in Lexington, KY visiting friends. All the more reason I need to finish this so I just-keep-moving.

Aden announces he's done eating half-way into the video, so I stop to clean up his hands and face and fill up my water bottle. So thirsty -- I've had 48oz. of water already this morning.

8:00am: Work out = complete. Fortunately, Aden wandered into the bedroom with Tory for the last few minutes so I could finish it. I hop in the shower while Tory's still watching TV and Aden's aimlessly roaming around the master bedroom with his blanket and pacifier. My little Linus.

After my shower, I get dressed in comfortable clothes as today at gymnastics class I have to participate in the gym with Aden. Aden hears the sink turn on while I brush my teeth and comes running. He smears his hands in toothpaste on the sink and plays in the water, as per usual.

8:30am: I tell Tory it's time to get dressed and she responds with an audible "Ugh." I can tell she totally wants to phone-it-in today after our fun-filled / exhausting weekend. I feel ya, girl! I lay out Tory's clothes but she's not budging, so I eventually dress her myself in a leotard and leggings. Next, I dress Aden in a onesie and sweatpants. 

Tory finds me in Aden's room and randomly says, "So, Mom, when we were in Kentucky in Ashley's swimming pool, Aden Boy did pretty good. He had his wings on and he kicked and kicked and kicked!" "With Daddy's help?" I asked. "Uh, nope!" she said, "He's a pretty good swimmer." Typing the conversation here doesn't sound so funny ... but it made me smile. It's the way she says things in her cute little voice that just cracks me up.

9:00am: In the kitchen, I make a protein shake with coffee for my breakfast and toss together some after-gymnastics snacks for Tory and Aden. Tory runs into the kitchen and tells me she has something to show me. "It's a surprise, close your eyes!" she says. I walk into the bedroom and find she's made my bed for me. "Ta-da!" Tory exclaims. "Are you so happy?" Yes, sweet girl, you make me so happy.

Back in the kitchen, I fill up water cups for each of us, put everyone's shoes and coats on, and we head out the door to gymnastics class. 

9:30am: At gymnastics, Tory uses the restroom and we all wash our hands together before leaving the bathroom. I shove all our coats and shoes into a cubby locker and rush into class as it begins. 

Tory is in the Little Hoppers program and she absolutely loves it. Today, they practice balance by shifting their weight from one foot to the next during various activities and I see her flying all around the gym pretending to be a dragon. 

Aden is in the You & Me (parent + child) class and really enjoys it, too. He has a hard time listening to direction which is typical of his age, but does well climbing on all the equipment with my guidance. His class today is all about bending and stretching and those stretches are incorporated into every station. I love how this program is so much more than tumbling!

10:10am: Aden's class ends and he sits still as a mouse waiting to receive a reward stamp on the tops of his feet. Maybe I should utilize reward stamps at home! The two of us head to the restroom to wash our hands, and then he has a snack in the waiting room while we watch Tory's class through the viewing window. While I snap a few pictures of Tory participating, Aden dumps his entire bowl of dried cereal onto the ground and a helper (with special needs) approaches him shouting "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" I reassure her it's OK, and that I'll clean up his mess on the floor. Luckily, Aden doesn't seem to be phased by the scene.

10:30am: Tory's class ends and her coach comes to the waiting room to recap today's lesson with all the parents. As it happens every week, Aden erupts into a full-on meltdown the second she begins speaking. It's like he hits a brick wall of exhaustion twenty minutes after his class ends and he's had a chance to come down from the excitement. I struggle to put on Tory's socks, shoes and coat while holding a flailing Aden in my arms, then hightail it out of the building as quickly as I can manage. Aden continues to freak out in the car when he realizes I forgot his beloved blanket at home this morning. I offer him another snack and he maliciously throws it back at me, sending dried Chex cereal and pretzels all over my backseat. GAH! I start driving, Aden keeps screaming and Tory quietly sits in her car seat munching on her snack. Ten minutes later after Aden calms down, Tory says, "So, Mom, this is what we learned today...." Bless her little heart for waiting so patiently.

11:00am: We arrive home and Aden's asleep in his car seat. I unload Tory, carry in all our bags, cups and snacks and then retrieve Aden. I make lunch -- Tory has an egg and cheese sandwich with homemade applesauce and cottage cheese. Aden eats green beans, applesauce and buttered noodles and I toss together a tuna salad for me with tuna, plain Greek yogurt, sunflower seeds and celery over romaine lettuce. 

11:30am: Andi's dad, Jim, comes over to bring Chloe home. Andi's parents watched the dog over the weekend while we were traveling. Jim plays with the kids for a few minutes, and I see Aden coming around the corner of the kitchen wearing Jim's baseball cap. He must've discovered it sitting by the front door, so I snap his picture. Tory busily tells Jim about our trip to Kentucky.

Noon: Jim leaves. I change Aden's diaper and read him a few books before nap time. As I carry my sleepy boy to his crib, he pleads with me "No please! No please!" and cries for about three seconds before falling fast asleep in his crib. 

12:15pm: I set Tory up with a show in my bed for her rest time, then head to the kitchen to clean up the massive pile of dishes on the countertop. My life feels so scattered today! I find myself wandering around in a million directions, but not really accomplishing anything. Half-way through the dishes, I run downstairs to start a load of laundry.

12:30pm: More chores .... dishes, laundry, picking up toys in the living room. 

1:00pm: I'm still cleaning up the kitchen (geez, what a mess!). At some point, I notice Tory sitting in the corner of the living room playing Barbies. She is so good at entertaining herself during nap time (for the most part), and I'm thankful. Chloe is sleeping soundly in her dog bed nearby, happy to be home.

 

1:30pm: Tory asks me to get out the watercolor paints, and paints at the kitchen table while I put laundry away in the bedrooms and clean the fish tank. I loathe the task of cleaning this tank every week, but I'm always reminded that if it weren't for this stinkin' fish Tory would still be waking up frequently during the night.

2:00pm: I finally sit down for the first time today and begin to plan our menu for the week. We are drastically low on groceries having been gone over the weekend. I'm trying to eat healthier these days, so I scour Pinterest for meal ideas, and other websites. While I'm working at the computer, I drink a cup of coffee and eat a handful of almonds. 

More loads of laundry and working on my computer while Tory rests beside me and watches Octonauts.

4:00pm: Aden's awake from his nap, so I change his diaper and pull on his shoes. I tell Tory to get her shoes on, too, so we can go to the grocery store. She doesn't listen, and runs around the house doing something or another. I ask her several more times to get her shoes on (now with more authority). She's upset and I can tell I hurt her feelings, but GAH -- why can't anyone do something the first time I ask? 

We drive to the library first, so I can pick up some Halloween children's books I reserved. As I pull into the parking lot, I realize Tory's asleep in her car seat which explains her sensitive feelings. I wake her up and together Aden, Tory and I all hurry into the library on this chilly fall afternoon.

4:30pm: Inside the library, we discover a new science & engineering exhibit in the children's section. Aden is awe-struck as he watches a plastic toy gear rotate through a towering maze one older boy has constructed. Tory runs to my side and says, "Mom, come look, I found some fascinating things!" She discovered a magnifying glass with a tray of small objects under glass. So cute, these two! I love how our library has rotating children's themes to keep kids engaged in learning.

We pack up to leave and I let Tory check out the library books on the digital machine. Aden crawls up onto the step-stool with her, but there isn't much room and he falls off backward. Oy.

5:00pm: We leave the library and head to Target to buy groceries. Shopping with two kids at Target during the after-work rush is not my idea of fun, and I practically cringe as we walk inside the building. I have a big list of groceries, too, so I promise Tory and Aden a prize from the Dollar Spot if they both behave. As I strap Aden into the Beco carrier and plop Tory into the seat of the cart, a man walks by us, smiles and says, "Boy, you have your hands full." Yes I do, sir, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I say a silent prayer to the Target gods to go easy on me during this trip.

6:00pm: And, wouldn't ya know it? The kids were awesome during our shopping trip. I am beaming! I can't believe it. I thank Tory and Aden a million times each for being so well behaved. They each pick out a prize from the dollar section; Tory selects a Halloween activity book and Aden picks a ball (which I secretively put back on the shelf because he'll never know the difference).

6:15pm: Back home ... before I unload groceries, I prepare the kids' dinners. I cut up the warm rotisserie chicken I just bought at the store and pair it with green beans and orange slices. The minute Tory sits down to eat, she already protests to eating the green beans. "I tried it one time and I didn't like it," she tells me. I ask her to try one green bean for me, but I can already tell it's going to be a battle to get her to eat any. Aden, meanwhile, scarfs down his food and asks for more.

6:30pm: I hurry to unpack the groceries resting on the floor while the kids are occupied with their meals. Next, I cut open an acorn squash for roasting in the oven. It'll need at least 45 minutes to cook and that's about all the time I have left until Andi's home from work. I also toss together a panko breading for baked chicken, get that cooking in the oven too, and boil some quinoa on the stove-top. As I wash Aden's face and hands after eating, Tory sweetly gathers pajamas for she and her brother, and turns the water on in the tub. Of course, it's running ice cold but the very point that she tried to help just warms my heart.

7:00pm: Aden throws an epic tantrum the minute he sees the bath running. "No, please! No, please!" he shouts. (At least he's polite about it.) I have no idea why he despises bathing so much; he hates showers too, but loves the swimming pool. I undress him against his will and place his flailing body into the bathtub, soap and rinse him, and pull him back out in a matter of minutes.

I attempt to give Aden some all natural cough syrup / mucus reducer for his cold, but he fights against taking it. I pour a tiny bit into his mouth and he lets it all trickle down his chin and into the crook of his neck. Ack! At some point, Andi walks into the bathroom having just returned home from work and tries to persuade Aden to come with him to read books before bedtime. Aden's screaming for me at first as Andi takes him, but eventually calms down and sits with Andi in the rocking chair. Meanwhile, I wash Tory in the bathtub, get her dried off and into pajamas.

7:45pm: After books, Andi puts Aden to bed in his crib and I bring Tory into the living room to read before her bedtime. We're on a heavy rotation of Halloween books right now, and I love listening to her "read" the words to me. One of our favorites is Ten Little Pumpkins sung to the tune of the classic song, and hearing her sweet little voice say "One little, two little, three little pun-kins..." is the cutest thing.

8:00pm: I tuck Tory into bed and kiss her good-night. No sleep drama which is a welcomed change from so many past DITL's. I join Andi in the kitchen and we set down at the table for dinner. Sometimes I wish for more family dinners together (and we do enjoy those on the weekends), but it's also nice to have quiet dinners with Andi during the week where we're able to talk without interruptions.

8:30pm: I clean up the kitchen after dinner and tackle some vegetable chopping for future meals this week. I find if I can stay ahead of meal prep by having fresh fruits and vegetables ready to eat in the refrigerator, meal times are far less chaotic in the moment. It's the difference of me washing, chopping and cooking a meal at 5:00pm vs. throwing already prepared ingredients together for cooking. Tonight's dinner was a prime example of the chaos when I'm not prepared! So, I wash and chop grapes into bite-size pieces, lettuce for lunches this week and bell peppers for an egg muffin cup recipe I'll make tomorrow.

9:15pm: I've suddenly hit a brick wall and need sleep. I pull on my pajamas, crawl into bed and read the book Crazy Rich Asians on my iPhone for a few minutes before falling asleep. Andi's laying in bed next to me, presumably doing the very same thing. 

I think Aden slept until 3:00am the next morning and no wake-ups from Tory until morning. Better than the night before!

Writing out the details of this day makes Aden seem like a total gremlin and Tory appear to be an angel. That's hardly the case! Well, truly Tory is awfully sweet most of the time, but she has her moments too. This DITL shall forever be remembered as the beginning of Aden's Terrible Twos because, whoo boy, we're knee-deep in them! I see that clearly now.

Regardless, at the end of the day I choose to fondly remember the happiest moments. Those are the ones that fill my thoughts at night and carry me into the next day. As chaotic as it is sometimes, I love this little life of mine. 

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Thanks to Julia for hosting another DITL link-up!

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