Tis the season, friends. This week has gone by SO fast. I’ve had far less time to work than normal. Monday, I had to run out several times to take KJ to the pediatrician and pick up meds. Tuesday and Wednesday were short work days as my childcare had to leave early. And now, my normal nanny is sick and can’t come today. (And all the backup nannies/babysitters are unavailable.) I’ve said it once. I’ve said it a thousand times. I’m so grateful for the flexibility to drop everything when I need to without an employer threatening to fire me, but it still comes with stress to keep all the plates in the air, or at least keep them from crashing.
This is just a busy season. Any time I’ve had a baby in the house, it’s felt like I’m sprinting all the time. But I also know that this phase is fleeting. By this time next year, KJ will be in school full time, KK will be in preschool, and I will have a toddler who takes one long nap, and I’ll never have a 5, 2.5, 7-month-old again. Speaking of the chaos, yesterday I randomly decided to record a day in the life, which I don’t think I’ve done in over a year or more. I originally thought I’d post it next week, but since my childcare called out, you’re getting it today because it’s the only thing I can post before the kids wake up!
So, here it goes! Welcome to my chaos with some additional holiday fun chaos sprinkled on, haha.
515AM: Wake up, make coffee with two scoops of collagen and some oat milk creamer. I decided to put my make-up on now because I know the morning is going to be nuts.
530AM: Work on a client’s DUTCH and 3X4 Genetics Test review to prep for our meeting later.
640AM: The boys’ okay to wake light turns green, so I get them dressed.
650AM: Baby girl is awake, so I get her up and nurse her, get her dressed while the boys play
710AM: We head downstairs. The boys find the gold coins St. Nick left them for the feast day of St. Nick. I pack KJ’s preschool lunch.
720AM: I get dressed while Mr. Hungry cooks eggs for the boys. I wear the same thing I did the day before because I’m completely out of clean clothes. My entire outfit is from Stitchfix except the earrings. Those are from Amazon. I’m loving my new “non skinny” jeans from Stitchfix. Studio Blue Nikki High Rise Slim Cigarette Jeans|Gabbot Wedge Bootie (Report Footwear)|Mia Back Detail Sweater (Love Ellie)
Look how cute the back of this sweater is!
(I don’t do Stitchfix affiliate program, but, here is my personal referral link if you want to try it! It’s the only reason I look half way decent at any time.)
730AM: I start packing up all the things it takes to leave the house. KJ’s backpack with water and lunch. Water for KK. Baby bag, and grab some breakfast and a second cup of coffee for me. Nala steals KK’s larabar he’s eating right out of his hand, so I get him another one to eat in the car.
7:45 AM: I drive to school, drink coffee, and eat a Perfect Bar.
830 AM: I give some of the baby’s clothes that she’s grown out of already to a Mom at KJ’s preschool, whose due at the end of the month. I give some of the boys’ old baby clothes to a Mom who just had a baby boy in September. My heart twinges slightly as I give them away, but I simultaneously feel a sense of freedom. It’s a mixed bag of emotions. We head home.
845 AM: We’re home. I clean up the kitchen before my MIL comes to watch the kids for the day. The night before I had put all the kids down by myself, and chose to take a bath instead of clean of the kitchen after the kids went down. I figure I can find 15 minutes to clean the kitchen the next day, but there is no way I can hop in the bath. So, I clean while KK plays and baby girl is in the swing.
9:05 AM: My MIL arrives, and I nurse the baby.
9:15 AM: I head up to the office to work.
9:45 AM – 12:05 PM: Test review appointment for DUTCH test and 3X4 genetics test.
12:10 PM – After deciding I’m too sore to workout. I head downstairs to make lunch. I made a smoothebox smoothie (I forgot to take a picture, so here is a recycled one). I also eat a jalapeno jerky stick.
12:30 PM – Nurse the baby while chatting with my MIL.
1:00 PM – Work bltiz.
2:00 PM – My MIL leaves. I nurse the baby, wake up KK from nap, and get him ready to go pick up his brother.
2:37 PM – We’re on our way to pick up brother. After picking up the boys, they played on the big playground with their friends for about 15 minutes before heading home. KJ shares the rest of his lunch with KK in the car.
3:45 PM – We’re home. I turn on the TV for the boys and put the baby down for her nap.
4:15 PM – I make burgers, roasted Brussels sprouts, and air fryer (frozen) french fries.
5:00 PM – We eat while simultaneously rushing to get ready. Everyone changes into Christmas Pajamas to see Santa!
5:30 PM – We’re out the door! We’re headed to a “Polar Express” event at the rec center.
6:00 PM – We arrive and check-in. The boys pick up their gift bags and find a seat. I nurse the baby while Santa reads the Polar Express. They had a mini electric train ride, cookies, hot chocolate, popcorn, crafts, and a photo op with Santa. It wasn’t the most impressive event ever, but it also wasn’t overly crowded and lines for the train and Santa were short. For $9/kid it was well worth it.
7:00 PM – We’re headed back home. KK and the baby cry the whole way home. The joys of life with little kids.
7:30 PM – I get the boys for bed and get them down while Mr. Hungry makes the baby girl’s bottle.
7:45 PM – Baby girl is super fussy, so after Mr. Hungry gets her ready for bed, I put her down.
8:15 PM – Mr. Hungry cleaned the kitchen from dinner while I put the baby down. We both get ready for bed. I also jumped on my email and student messages. I also catch up on text messages. My sitter calls out for the next day, so we make a game plan so that I can make it to two medical appointments I have the next day. One appointment I decide to cancel even though I know I’ll be charged, and the other I will take the kids and have them watch my phone during it.
9:30 PM – Lights out.
That’s it, and now I hear baby girl fussing so it’s time to switch to Mom mode!
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