My alarm goes off at 4:47, I wake up tired, because Myra is teething and she woke up three times last night. I roll out of bed, hobble to the bathroom, and stare at myself in the mirror until I'm awake enough to put in my contacts and get dressed. At 5:15 I leave on a run, or go to the gym. This is 'me' time. This is the time I set aside to do what I love, to be energized, to accomplish something at the beginning of the day so, regardless of how the rest of the day goes, I will have gotten at least one thing right.
I get home and shower, (possibly my favorite part of the day), feed my hungry kids, kiss Devin as he leaves for work, check the calendar, make a list of things to tackle today. While I turned my back, I lost Bridger. I found him. He is on the couch with a spoon and the brown sugar.
I run errands here and there. I like getting out of the house. Because if I stay home the mess continues to grow. Stop at Wegmans for grocery shopping. Myra rides in the cart, but Bridger is a big boy now so he likes to walk, sometimes he rides the front of the cart. I have to keep my eye on Bridger. "How 'bout this mom?" He is trying to put brown sugar in my cart. I check all of Bridger's pockets before we leave because he likes to stick his "specials" in his pockets. Last week we got out to the car, I buckled the kids up and then he gleefully produced a sucker from his pocket. I unbuckled them, walked back in the store, while Bridger said "sorry" and returned the sucker.
We get home and the kids are tired. It's freezing outside and Bridger is stuck in place, too cold to move. I drop Myra off inside, who screams as she sees me leaving her, I go back for Bridger and the groceries, come inside. Warm up lunch. Bridger takes a bite and then jumps on his bike and starts doing circles through the kitchen, entry way, and through the living room. Stop for a bite, keep going. Myra is sitting up in her chair, throwing her food on the floor.
Nap time! I read Bridger a book. "Just one book" I say. "How 'bout two, five, six, seven, eight!" Bridger tries to persuade me. I compromise with two. They are both down. I feel relief for about 30 seconds, and then it starts... The chorus of Myra crying and Bridger knocking on the door, sometimes yelling my name. In concert, I repeatedly lie Myra back down in her crib and remind Bridger that during quiet time we need to be quiet. More knocking, "MOMMMY! I have to go potty!" I let Bridger out to use the toilet, get a drink, back to bed.
One hour! (As I listen to Mormon Channel, I ...) Clean the house, sweep the kitchen floor, do the laundry, start thinking about dinner, too much to do, Myra is awake. Start unloading the dishwasher, follow Myra up the stairs, carry her back down, unload a few more dishes, check on Myra who just climbed the stairs again.
Wake Bridger. Oh no... shreds of paper littering his bed, the library book is missing a couple pages. Oh well, I'll deal with that later. Time to go to swimming lessons.
Devin meets us at the gym. We smile and give Bridger thumbs up as he blows bubbles in the water. What's that on my sleeve? It's on Myra's back too... Oh man. I run to the car for an extra diaper and wipes. Lucky Devin came today. Lucky they have a shower in the family changing room. Myra and I get back to the pool, watch the last five minutes of Bridger's lesson. Myra is wrapped in a blanket, only wearing a diaper.
Home. Bridger is begging to watch Shaun the Sheep. Dinner first, struggle to get Bridger to take a few bites. Bath time. Scripture and prayers. Kids in bed. I'm exhausted. The kitchen floor somehow looks like it hasn't been swept in a week. Sweep the floor for the second (or third) time that day. Still a mountain of laundry to tackle. Devin and I fold while we watch Downton Abbey. Hear a creak on the stairs. Bridger's up, afraid the wolf is going to get him, we tuck him back in bed.
Sometime after 10:30 I finally climb the stairs for bed.
This was Tuesday. I added in the library book ripping, that happened a couple days before. I left out several of the tantrums (resulting in "Uht Oh" time on the stairs and the screaming and resultant banishing to outside until we remember to use our inside voices). I should have added how cute it is when Bridger and Myra play together and the way he gets her giggling. I left out my scolding him for stepping on, pushing, or hitting Myra. Also left out the funny way Bridger dances naked after he uses the potty, and runs from me as I try to clothe him.
There it is, the good and the bad, strewn throughout my day. There are sweet moments I love and others I feel like pulling my hair out.
Well, I feel like I ought to add a few pictures, a small reward for making it through my long day. . .
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| The library book, I really thought Bridger was past this stage... |
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| Bridger is going into blind designs, this is the window by his bed. |
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| Playing with dad! |
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