A Day in the Life

5:40ishAM- Elias wakes and needs a change and a bottle.  He doesn’t go back to sleep right away either.  Since Maisy (the cat) had me up multiple times that night I was disappointed that he didn’t sleep later.

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7AM – I hit the snooze button for the first time.  I hit it a few more times before finally getting out of bed about 7:30.  OK, maybe it was closer to 7:40.  Still enough time to get the kids breakfast though I do recognize how lucky I am that my 1st grader will get himself up, showered and dressed usually before I’m even out of bed.

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8:25AM – Head out the door with all the kids to take Gabe to the bus stop.  I’m super excited about this today and grab my camera.  This is why:

The night before I’d secretly run to Target while the kids slept and got Zion a new carseat, came home and installed it for her to find in the morning.  And not just any carseat.  A GIRLY carseat!  It’s purple and she loves it!

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9:45 – It’s clear that Elias is ready for his first nap early.  No surprise considering that he was up at 5:30.  I’m ready for my first nap too.  Elias has, however, hit that stage where when I put him to bed instead of going to sleep he pulls himself up to a stand and is then “stuck” there.  This requires many, many trips up the stairs to lay him back down so he can fall asleep.  It is currently 10:19 and he’s still awake up there.  I’d better go check to see if he needs help getting down again.  Back in a bit…

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10:26AM – I’m embroiled in that age old argument that every mother (goodness, I hope EVERY mother and it’s not just my weird kids) has with their two-year old at some point (or points, like three or twelve times a day).  If Gideon insists on staying in his jammies then he doesn’t get to go outside.  It goes a little something like this:

Me: Do you want clothes on so you can go outside?

Him: No!  I wa’ stay in jammies!  (And he puts his arms around himself and holds his jammies even tighter to his body so there’s no mistaking his preference.)

Me: Oh-Kaaaay.  Then you don’t get to go outside.

Him: I WA’ GO OUTSIDE!

Me: Then you need clothes on.

Him: No!  I wa’ stay in jammies!

You get the picture.

He’s still in his jammies in case you were wondering.

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11:11AM (I LOVE 11:11!) – Made lunch for us.  Snack lunch today, no surprise there.  It’s their favorite and it’s easy.  Zion had spread her blanket on the floor and put out pillows, books and her play tea set so I suggested she have her lunch there.  So she added Eva’s food bowl too and invited me to join her.  So we picnicked in the living room today.

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Noon – lunch is over and Elias wakes.  Over the monitor I can hear Zion singing nonsense songs to keep him happy while I finished putting that picture of our picnic up.  She’s such a sweet girl.

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1:23PM - I attempted to have a photo session with Elias as it’s his 9-month “birthday” today.  He was less than cooperative.  I managed to read Zion a good length story with only about a half dozen interruptions.  I have Elias at the table eating some Puffs and was about to put Gideon up for nap when he announces that he’s poopie – again.  I’m off to … well, you can figure it out.

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2:06PM – All kids down in areas of rest.  Gideon is quiet in his room probably snoozing on his back with his hands behind his head, his favorite sleep position.  Elias is in his crib yammering in his way that leaves you to wonder if he’s going to break out in a full cry or just fall asleep (fingers crossed it’s the later).  Zion is utilizing the blanket she had previously laid out for a picnic and watching the Charlie and Lola DVD we borrowed from the library.  In all likelihood she’ll fall asleep by the time it’s over.  I am torn between trying to spiff up the photos I took of Elias or going to sleep myself.  Or dear, full cry. Later…

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2:13PM – False alarm.  I got up to make him a bottle and he got quiet somewhere in between my filling the bottle with warm water and trying to find a can of formula.  That reminds me, I need to order more formula.

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2:16PM – Crap, both of the websites that reliably carried Elias stinkin’ expensive formula have jacked the price up.  Off to contemplate whether I should sell my blood or pawn something.

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2:55PM – Elias really didn’t give me much time to contemplate my taking a nap.  He’s awake already.  Maybe that bottle will be what he needs to fall back asleep.

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3:21PM – He took some of the bottle, got a fresh diaper and put back down with a teether (a ring, not something edible) but he’s still kind of fussing.  Stinker.  Gabe will be home in 20 minutes.  I need to figure out what to make for dinner (or should I just order pizza, hmmmm).

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3:43PM – It’s a nice day so instead of driving to the bus stop to get Gabe Zion and I step out the front door and watch the street so he can walk home.  When Zion sees Gabe round the corner she always runs to him as if they are long lost siblings.

Once back in our yard she suddenly notices that our trees are pink.

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3:48ish – I settle down on the couch to download the most recent pics including this lovely which is straight out of the camera (can’t wait to “play” with it a bit):

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3:50ish – Zion begs me to come outside to see the beautiful yellow flower she found.  She is using a sandbox shovel and a pool of water in one of the ride-on cars to water it “To help it grow!” she says proudly.

5:04PM – I back out of the driveway having bundled us in the van.  Sonic for dinner.  The food may be mediocre but since we don’t have to get out of the van I needn’t be concerned as to whether or not we’re presentable for public.

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6:10PM – Elias was strangely fussy so we’re home.  Now he’s laying in my lap with a paci (highly unusual for him to want one) and being stll (even more unusual).  I’m typing with one hand.

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6:30ish – Elias got all restless for a bit but finally takes his bottle again.

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6:44PM – I carry Elias upstairs and put him to bed as he’s fallen asleep in my lap. 

I can’t recall the last time he did that.  I hope he’s just tired since he didn’t get much of a second nap and not getting sick again.

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6:48PM – I realize we’re out of licorice.  Dagnabit.  Who let that happen?!

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6:55PM – Jellybeans leftover from my Christmas stocking will have to do.

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7:30PM – I have the kids brush their teeth and potty downstairs since Elias is already asleep and then try to usher them quietly up to my room for devotion time.  Half way up the stairs Gideon lets one rip and shouts “TOOT!”

So much for quiet.  At least Elias didn’t wake up.

In my room we hunker in and around the rocking chair and read our devotion and have prayers.  I tuck Gideon in and tell him Gabe will be in in a minute, he doesn’t like to go to bed without his big brother.  Zion is snuck into her room where I whisper-sing her goodnight song in her ear.  Yay!  Successfully got the two loudest in bed without waking the baby.

Then Gabe and I get to have reading time, just the two of us.  Right now we’re reading Alcatraz Verses the Evil Librarians.  We’re a few chapters in and laugh continually, it is a really good book.  Alcatraz, the main character, is a young boy with the power of destruction.  Where we’re at in the book it hasn’t sunk in yet that this is a power and not a curse, he’s not your average klutz.  The day after he turns thirteen he receives a surprise visit from a grandfather he never knew he had.  He has the power of being late to things.  Yep, a really fun book to read.

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8:22PM – I’m writing this.  No really.  Right this mi– oh wait, now it’s 8:23.

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11:11PM (woohoo, twice in one day!) – Rob called a few minutes ago to let me know if plane landed and he is headed to the lot to get his car.  Elias has been fitful tonight.  He woke up at 10 and he got a new diaper, jammies and a bottle and he just had a hard time settling afterward.  He felt warm but I didn’t want to bring him downstairs in the bright light to check his temperature so I don’t know if he does have a fever.  Poor baby though, something’s amiss whether it’s just teething or yet another sickness.  I have been puttering around the house getting some tidying done and puttering around on Photoshop with the pictures that I took today. You’re going to have to wait for the rest of the pictures I took of Elias but here are two versions of the photo I took of the pink blossoms earlier:

The one above is what I just learned is called a “clean edit”, just minor adjustments for levels, saturation and contrast.  The one below is the clean edit copy texturized.  Whenever I do stuff like this I can never decide which I like best.  I love them both.

Well, the day’s not over yet but I think this will be my last update on my “Day in the Life” post.  Good night, y’all!