I looked and it’s been SO long since I’ve done a “Day In The Life” post.  Like 2 years ago long (seriously.  go look at how little my kids were!  crazy how time flies!).  And after taking all the pictures that you’re about to see and then sitting down to type out the day’s events, I remember WHY I seldom do these posts.  They take so much effort!!  Constantly snapping shots = me wanting to throw my phone into a bush by the end of the day. 

This was last Tuesday.  A good mix of the normal, mundane and the exciting.  Grab a snack – this is a little long.

Here’s how it went down:

A Day In The Life

4:02am:  I hear something.  Poke Travis and he hears it too.  I make him get up and go through the house to see if there’s a burglar (am I the only wife that does this?!!).  There isn’t.  It’s just Porter kicking the bottom of his bassinet.

4:10am:  He finally wakes all the way up, hungry.  I nurse him in bed, return him to his bassinet and fall back asleep myself.

6:30am:  I vaguely remember Clara and/or Henry coming in the room.  Travis saves the day (as always) and hops up.

7:10am:  Porter wakes me up, hungry.  I nurse him in bed and play on my phone.  He doesn’t nurse well – too sleepy.  Since I want this to be his “official” wake-up time for the day, I unswaddle his arms and start talking to him.  He begrudgingly plays along.

7:25am:  I make my way through the house, starting with my own bed.  Then Clara’s room (make bed, straighten up) then Henry’s (the same).  Start a load of laundry.

7:40am:  Since Porter didn’t nurse well, I pump off the extra milk.  I’m going to work out real quick before the day starts so I drink half of my Spark.  Kiss Travis goodbye as he leaves for work.  Tell Henry to dress himself.

8:00am:  Change Porter’s diaper and outfit – lay him in the middle of the floor with stern instructions for H & C to let him be.  I let Clara pick the movie (Henry picked yesterday) and she turns on “Three Little Pigs.”  Change into my sports bra and a pair of Travis’ boxer briefs.  Head downstairs to work out.

8:10am:  We got a new (old) rower!!  I come up with a really quick basement WOD and work up quite a nice little sweat!  (LOVE that I can go downstairs anytime I want (within reason) and get a great workout in.  It’s really the best and we’ve got a list of other fitness equipment that we slowly want to accumulate.)

8:30am:  Come back upstairs.  Drink the other half of my Spark while pouring cereal for H & C.  They choose Crispy Rice (that’s the Rice Krispy off-brand) and Golden Grahams (for which I haven’t found an equal-in-taste off-brand).

8:40am:  Change Porter’s diaper.  Swaddle him and put him in his crib.  Hop in the shower, get dressed, put hair in messy top bun and do minimal makeup.  Put clean laundry into the dryer.

9:00am:  Make breakfast for myself (eggs, spinach, nut butter, granola and local honey – it’s good – promise!) and coffee.  Sit down at the computer.  Read some blogs.  Respond to emails and then work on the Blend thank you card.  Start dishwasher.

9:35am:  Porter wakes, hungry.  I nurse him – the first half sitting, the second half walking around the house getting H & C ready to leave.  I know we’re going to the pool later so I tell Henry what items we need and he helps me pack a bag.  <-one of the perks of having an almost six year old.  Take Clara potty.  Dress her.

9:50am:  Once Porter is finished nursing, I notice that he’s pooped.  A lot.  All over himself …and me.  Quick outfit change for the both of us.  Tell H & C to put their shoes on.

10:00am:  We’re late (always) but we somehow make it to the car without forgetting anything or anyone.  Drive to the library while listening to this cd (a favorite).

10:10am:  Luckily we live in a small town and everything is close.  We arrive at the library for a special children’s hour called, “Nursery Rhyme Animals,” where the Balsam Mountain Trust brought in a few animals for the kids to see and touch.  H & C LOVED it!  Porter and I watched from the sidelines.

11:20am:  After the special event ends, we head to pick out some books.  When we try using the self-checkout scanner, the computer rejects us.  This might have something to do with the $4 late fee that’s on my account.  Luckily I know the head librarian (small town, remember) and she lets me check out the books.  I feel like a rebel.

11:30am:  We’ve got 30 minutes until our next appointment.  I snack on some almonds and an apple in the car while running errands.  The bank, the post office and then to see Travis.  Porter naps while we drive.  H & C shout and sing and be as loud as they possibly can.

12:00pm:  Clara gets her teeth cleaned for the first time!!  My mama is a dental hygienist and has cleaned all of our teeth for…forever.  She kisses on only her prettiest patients.  Clara does SO well in the chair and comes home with a bag of goodies (like floss and toothbrushes…not candy or money).  I nurse Porter while we’re there.  Change his diaper.

12:45pm:  We’re late for a pool date so the drive-through it is – cheeseburgers and fries for the kids.  Katy calls and says she’s picking me up a Gazebo salad!  Thanks sis!

1:00pm-3:00pm:  We SWIM!!  A good friend invited Katy and I over to her pool so we happily obliged.  Porter naps the entire time we’re there, leaving me with freedom to splash and play with H & C.  Henry works on his jumping.  Clara works on her tan.  I eat my salad and then a Quest bar.

(AD:  I charged my phone poolside with this Motorola Power Pack.  Holds up to two full charges – fits Droids, iPhones and other devices.  It was almost too easy.  The perfect pool bag accessory.)

3:20pm:  We arrive home.  I immediately put Clara down for her nap.  Nurse Porter.  Change Porter.  Lay all of our wet suits out to dry.

3:40pm:  While Porter plays in his swing, I sit down with Henry to do some schoolwork.  We found this trio pack of Star Wars workbooks and he loves them.  While Henry works, I eat about 58 handfuls of the best popcorn ever.

4:10pm:  Travis comes home to watch the soccer game (Brazil vs. Germany) and takes Henry with him across the street (he watches most of the games at his parent’s house).  Clara is still sleeping.  Porter and I have some quality one-on-one.  We sing, make funny faces and work on our belly time.

5:00pm:  Change Porter, swaddle him and lay him down for a nap.

5:10pm:  I take my second shower of the day and rinse off the chlorine from the pool.  Make note to clean shower sometime soon (uh huh).  Sit down to download pictures and type up some of this post.

5:35pm:  Clara wakes up from her nap.  Take her to potty.  She asks to play games on my phone – I say sure and we both lay down on my bed.  Wake up about 15 minutes later – lots of drool on the pillow.  Later, I find this picture on my phone.

6:00pm:  Henry and Travis come back.  Germany has beaten Brazil by the largest margin in World Cup history!  I feign excitement – soccer really isn’t my thing (unless we’re talking little kid soccer then I’m majorly concerned).

6:15pm:  Travis asks what’s for dinner.  Crud.  After evaluating the fridge, I make a quick trip to the store.  I could easily amble around in there, in a daze, looking at all the products – it’s one of my favorite things to do when I don’t have kids pawing at me.  This trip is quick though – in and out – and with not a thing for dinner.

6:40pm:  Arrive back home with enough to make a cereal-almond salad.  Travis and the kids are watching some instructional swimming video (Henry’s learning for our upcoming beach trip).  I’m pretty sure he needs actual time IN the pool but I keep this to myself.

6:42pm:  Reheat some leftovers for Travis and I (enchiladas) and make the kids a quick quesadilla.  Knowing that Porter will wake any minute to nurse, we eat pretty fast – talking about the day and all those animals we saw earlier.

6:55pm:  Porter wakes, hungry.  I nurse him while Travis cleans up the table.

7:10pm-7:45pm:  Hand Porter and the kids over to Travis.  Start after-dinner chores which tonight include:  unloading the dishwasher, loading with tonight’s dishes, swiffering the floor and wiping down the counters.  I also cut and cube the cantaloupe I bought earlier so we’ll have it ready for breakfast the next day.  During this time, Travis has been reading “Fox In Sox” and playing hide-and-go-seek.

7:45pm:  Give Porter a bath.  Lotion him up, dress and swaddle.  Give H & C a bath.  Brush teeth and put them all to bed.

8:10pm:  My #15minutesforyou today consists of laying on the bed and reconnecting with Travis.  Tonight we need 30 minutes.  We talk and laugh and look each other in the eye – it’s wonderful to just BE PRESENT with my best friend.  I decide to put the phone away for the rest of the night –> sorry, no more pictures.

8:40pm-10:15pm:  Cereal and TV are musts!  Not needs…musts.  We watch “The League” and “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee” while eating a hearty mix of Golden Grahams, Honeycomb and TJ’s Fiber Twigs.  Porter wakes up to nurse.  Nurse him, change his diaper and put him back to bed.  We soon follow.  I’m exhausted and the bed feels amazing.

As I lay there I remember the load of clean laundry in the dryer.  Oh well…first thing tomorrow.

Where the new mercies are found.

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QUESTION:  What’s one thing that happened in YOUR day yesterday??

splendid…lindsay