This Day in My Life

I recently finished reading "This Day in the Life: Diaries from Women Across America". I thoroughly enjoyed the book, a compilation of 24-hour true life stories, all written on June 29, 2004. The entries were so humorous, I was inspired to create my own......

2:54AM - Talia is crying, shoot. Mike came to bed late after watching yet another graduate course lecture, so I'll get her tonight. She smiles at me as I lean over the crib. I'll wake up for that smile any time of the day. Feeding doesn't go very well for some reason - and this never happens in the middle of the night. She's been a picky eater recently and I have to trick her with the pacifier. Not exactly what I was hoping for at this time in the morning. Finish nursing and place her in the swing for the remainder of the night. What will we do when she doesn't fit in the swing anymore? Quietly pump the milk she didn't eat in her nursery, hoping she doesn't wake up. Go downstairs to put milk in fridge, use the bathroom, get back in bed.

7:01AM - Okay, it's officially time to wake up. Talia is up for the day and Mike is changing her before he leaves for work. Feeding goes horribly again. I think a growth spurt is bothering her.

7:40AM - Pour a bowl of cereal and eat quickly from the couch while Talia plays with her Exersaucer arch. Thank goodness she is amused by toys now.

8:29AM - She's down for a nap. Rush to the bedroom to get changed into sweats. It's cold and wet this morning, but this makes the ground perfect for the task of planting the perennials I purchased Friday.

8:55AM - Finish planting the perennials just in time as cries come through the monitor I brought with me outside. Take off shoes, wash hands, and run up the stairs to stick a pacifier in her mouth. She falls back to sleep.

9:10AM - Put shoes back on and clean up the mess outside. I think I'll buy some more marked-down perennials. The garden is getting fuller, but still not full enough. Make my way inside, do dishes, water downstairs plants (contemplate watering ones upstairs, but decide it's best not to chance waking the baby), peruse cookbook to determine which dessert to bake for Mike this week, scour cupboards for ingredients, and make grocery list.

9:36AM - Crying again. Run up the stairs - pacifier back in mouth.

9:54AM - Crying again. Wow. She isn't exactly napping well this week. Run up the stairs to find her crying and pooping. Nap is officially over.

10:01AM - Changing and nursing. This session goes beautifully. Why can't they all? Of course, she poops again while eating. I think about 75% of her poops occur in my arms - I'm so lucky. Change her again. Place Talia downstairs with some toys and rush upstairs to pump what milk she didn't eat. She never eats everything at once, and will inevitably be hungry again soon (but won't nurse). I usually just pump and prepare a bottle to avoid the fight. Hope the bumblebee continues to amuse her for a bit. Come back downstairs and play: Stories, Singing, Sitting up, Tummy Time. I'm really going to miss her smile during the day.

11:34AM - Diaper change in an effort to calm fussiness. It works for a bit, but not long. Decide to sing Row, Row, Row your Boat while making funny faces. This does the trick for another ten minutes. I wonder if this talent will come in handy with disgruntled coworkers when I return to work in 2 weeks?

11:45AM - Feeding Talia again. A Menard's commercial airs on the television and I'm reminded of the bathroom stall graffiti my brother told us about this weekend. Someone had written "God Saves" on the stall and someone came back later and added "Big Money at Menards". Too funny.
12:00PM - Talia is groggy from eating. Decide now is the best time to run the errands around town. Successfuly buckle her into her car seat without angering her. Quickly log on to work computer and reschedule a work meeting from tomorrow to October 28th, per teammate request. Bummer that I have to start paying attention to emails since I'll be back to work soon.

1:24PM - Arrive back home. A guy at Meijer noticed my Penn State sweatshirt and asked if we won our game. Are you kidding? Did I need to be reminded of the pathetic loss? Didn't make it to Michael's. Another day. Talia smiled all through Meijer but then screamed all the way home and through the Walgreen's pick-up. While waiting in line, decided to get out of the car and soothe Talia with a pacifier. The guy in the line beside me looked over and smirked.

1:49PM - Nursing and bearing the brunt of another poo.

2:06PM - Place Talia down to play. Swap around laundry Mike started last night, retrieve and put away groceries from car, grab mail, put away clean dishes from last night's dinner, place hand sanitizer that I purchased in car (hope to avoid the flu this fall). Realize I haven't eaten lunch yet, and heat up some leftovers. Eat lunch on the floor while playing with Talia. Make loud "yummy" noises after each bite because that makes her smile.

3:11PM - Talia just went down for her afternoon nap. We would normally head out for a long walk now, but it's cold, windy, and raining. Wow. I have 3 voice mails? One is from Talia's daycare provider so I call her back, give Mike a quick call, then head down to the basement for a jaunt on the elliptical trainer. 59 seconds in and she's crying. Wow, that was a fantastic workout:)
4:42PM - Bumbo, singing, assisted sitting, playing, and now in swing so I can at least finish the laundry. Get back from laundry and she's asleep! Down I go to the elliptical again.... for 16 minutes this time before she awakens.

5:27PM - Mike gets home from work. Give my parents a call and catch up for 45 minutes. Play on the floor with Talia (who still hasn't napped)!

7:47PM - Settling down to dinner - homemade soup and fresh whole grain bread. Mmm.

8:43PM - Mike is bathing Talia. I love how her little lizard tongue goes in and out.

9:15PM - Lay our beautiful baby down for the night. Clean up all toys and put things away from the day. Finally water the indoor plants upstairs. Pour a glass of wine and settle down to watch some Monday Night Football.

9:47PM - Never mind the football. Crying began again at 9:25PM. Mike is now trying to get her to sleep. How can an infant have more energy than 2 adults? She's been up since ~9AM!

10:05PM - She's officially asleep now. Going to bed myself...... It's been a good, but exhausting day. They're not all like this, and every smile makes it worth it.