craziness

If I don't write down about this day, I will surely forget it. And, as I think about it, this is just part of the regular craziness around here; not bad, just a bit crazy.

I woke up at 8:00 (starting here, because there's no sense in counting staying up til after midnight and then getting up once (or was it twice?) with JL in the night) The kids were up and JMC had already begun his daily pleading session for oatmeal for breakfast. I got the oatmeal going, brought everything to the table, we prayed and the older 3 began breakfast.

By 8:30, I had changed JL and was nursing her. The kids were actually eating somewhat quietly, so I took the opportunity to call my dad. We enjoyed a rare half hour long conversation while JL nursed, with only minimal interruptions on my part while I directed the kids.

By 9:00, I realized that if I was going to get a shower, I needed to delegate some of the tasks. So, JA and JT were ecstatic when I said they could skip the regular morning chores and work on making lunch for our day. I made a list of what they should do (JT can make PB&Js, while JL makes a great tuna sandwich) and then headed for the shower.

On the way, I passed the laundry room, and realized that Papi had put diapers to wash the night before (thank you, Papi!) and that if I didn't get them into the dryer before leaving for the day, I would have to wash them again. Also, that would leave JL without dipes for the evening, which just isn't an option. So, I separated the wash, putting inserts and wipes in the dryer and hung the covers.

It was now 9:25, and we were supposed to leave in 5 minutes. Hmmm. Well, I still really wanted to take a shower, so I added to the kids' list that they get the changes of clothes for themselves and their siblings together, and fill everyone's water bottles, and then I finally made it to the shower.

9:40 I'm out and getting dressed. When I come out of my room, I find JMC hasn't gotten dressed yet. So, I choose clothes for him and JL and get them both dressed. I tell the kids to put on socks and shoes ("yes, socks, and no, no sandals, you're going to be running around in the gym...") and to begin taking things to the car. I ask JMC to go ahead and get in the car and begin to put on his seat-belt (it can take him up to 3 minutes, but it's worth it if he does it himself, as long as I plan ahead for the time it takes.) I remember JT telling me that I should take JL and "la bolsa." I assumed he meant the diaper bag...

It's now 5 til 10:00. We're supposed to be there by 10:00. Oh well, there's nothing I can do about it. So, I get everyone into the car. We started off and a block away I turn around. I had forgotten a baking dish that I needed to return to a friend who had brought a meal when JL was born. I had already seen her 3 times over the summer and kept forgetting, and I wasn't about to forget it again. So, I run back in, and remember that I had lost the thank you note I had written to her. I grab the notes, as well as some bills I needed to get in the mail, walk out to the car, only to turn right around and go back in to grab that darn baking dish.

We finally make it out of the neighborhood by 10:10. As we're driving along, I thank the kids for helping make lunch, because if they hadn't, we'd still be at home getting things ready. A block away from our destination, it occurs to me to ask where are the water bottles? "Estan en la bolsa roja." Oh, ok. Ummm, where is the red bag? "Mami, no la traijste tu?" No, I grabbed the diaper bag.

Yes, you guessed it, our lunch and water bottles were at home. We're already 20 minutes late, and I know that if I go home now, we'll miss the whole thing. There's the option of buying a pizza, but I don't have cash on me. So, my plan is to drop off the kids, and then JL and I could head home to pick up the lunches.

I drop off JA and JT in the gym, and then take JMC to the preschool class. The class hadn't really started yet, as there were a few kids crying and not settling in.  So, I briefly tell the other moms about my morning, and how crazy it had been. One of the moms suggested that I add our name to the list for pizza, and I asked if they would accept a check. She leaned over to her purse and handed me the cash for a pizza. So nice!

I leave JMC in his class and head back to the gym, wondering why I hadn't taken JL out of the infant seat, as my arm is beginning to ache from carrying her in it. We sign up for a pizza and leave the cash. Then I lean over and remind JT that his right hand is the hand he writes with (so much easier to remember in English, by the way) and JL and I head off to the nursery. We make it there by 10:30.

The craziness of the day doesn't end there, but there is a brief interlude during which I can relax with JL and the other moms in the nursery. We chat about mom topics (nursing, pediatricians, temper tantrums, etc.) and it was quite relaxing. The rest of the day was just as crazy, with no nap for me or any of the kids (what 3 month old refuses naps?!?) and a very late dinner, but it was nothing like the craziness of the morning. In fact, when Papi came home and heard about our day, he sent me to bed and took the kids (even JL) grocery shopping. I must have looked exhausted for him to take that on!

What a day! They aren't all like this, and even if they were, it's not bad, just crazy. As much as I need to get out on occasion, my favorite days are the ones we stay home, reading and doing projects on our own schedule.