I was thinking about this concept of what I actually spend time on the other day, and my routine in general. I kept a log, and here’s what the average day in the life is like:
6:00am: Wake up! The two little dogs want their breakfast now and Voxie wants to take a walk. They are all usually extremely enthusiastic about mornings, which can help me drag myself out of bed, most days.
6:30am: In from my walk/jog with Voxie. Make breakfast for myself. Drink coffee. Watch 10ish minutes of news.
Note: OK, ok. I haven’t been walking Voxie this past week since it’s turned cold. But it’s COLD! And DARK! I’ve been trying to at least throw her toy a few times so she can get some energy out.
7:00am: Baby I wakes up. Get her dressed. If she’s going to my in-law’s on a particular morning, I just give her milk because she eats breakfast over there. If A is home for the day, we feed her breakfast together. Get myself pulled together for work in between hugs, kisses and cuddles.
7:30am: If I’m riding my bicycle to work, I leave around now. If not, I get about 10 more minutes of Baby I cuddle time in.
8:00am: Arrive at work. Check email. Down to business (most days).
12:00pm: I am very lucky in that my work offers a comprehensive wellness program, so I participate in workout classes a couple of times a week. I try to make classes, because I feel so much better after working out, but also it makes me feel great that I’m taking advantage in this very cool benefit. When I do a class over lunch, I eat at my desk afterward. If I don’t do a class, I might do some reading, creative writing, or walk to the library over lunch. Or I go out to lunch. Sue me.
5:00pm: Get home ASAP for more baby cuddles.
5:30pm: Start dinner. We’re early birds in my family. I usually cook while A plays with Baby I for a bit to distract her, otherwise she’d prefer me to hold her while chopping veggies with an extremely sharp knife. No thanks. While I’m cooking, I also try to get in some quality time with my little dogs. They hang out in the kitchen with me and I sneak them treats (shhh).
6:00pm: Dinner. Baby I is just a few months away from her big 0-2, but I think the Terrible Twos are already setting in. This girl’s favorite thing to do at dinner is pick at her food, then pick up a giant handful, squish it, and let the remains slide to the floor. The carpeted floor. She gets a stern warning the first time or two (depending on how close together the offenses happen), but inevitably smiles at us as she does it again. So she has a time out in the corner. By the way, A has to do all of this, because I am usually turned around in my seat, hiding my uncontrollable laughter. She may be a bad baby, but she is a cute baby.
7:00pm: Baby I’s bath/toothbrushing/story/bedtime. This usually gets jammed all in together, and it’s my territory, because as you may have noticed, I don’t get a whole lot of time with Baby I on a typical work day. This is the tough reality of being a working mom that I struggled to come to terms with for a long time. But something I realized is that the precious minutes I get with Baby I on weekdays are just as meaningful to us both as an entire day – as long as that time is quality. I’m working on it. Some days are tough – I have trouble turning work hecticness off, I’m tired, or burned out on the daily routine – in those times, I admit, Facebook is sometimes too tempting because it’s soothing and Baby I can be difficult. Again, I’m working on it.
7:30 – 8:00pm: Baby I is down for the night, and there’s a 50/50 chance I’m doing dishes or cleaning. If I’m not doing that, I’m sprawled out on the couch until bedtime. I mean, just look at my day. It’s nuts. I get tired. The upside of sprawling is that I get some quality cuddle time with A and my dogs.
I have to admit, my lifestyle can be a little rough. Lately, I’ve been feeling really burned out, and I’m running out of solutions for this feeling. What do you do when life starts to overwhelm you?
Friday's Child 
It was not boring at all. I actually really enjoyed reading it, it gives me a glimpse of what having a family would be like as we start to prepare and attempt to get our hearts ready to consider going down that road. What you said 7:00pm is powerful. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Having a family is so rewarding, but it is a lot of work. Lots of mixed feelings.
Take xanax.
HA! Some days I think I should.
Haha that wasn’t really a suggestion, but my answer to your question for what we readers do when we get overwhelmed 😉 I do recommend it though!
Hahaha! I don’t know what it says about me that I was ready and willing to take it as a suggestion, but that’s how it goes some days 🙂
I don’t see my 2 year old all day either while im at work, but that just makes the time we do have together so much more special. i get 3 hours a night with him and that includes having to cook for him and get him ready for bed – i hear ya that some nights you just want to lay down after a day like that. some nights i do dishes and pack lunches – other nights i just make a cup of tea and read a book and relax – the other stuff can wait until the morning because my sanity is essential!
Absolutely – sanity comes first! That was one of the first and most difficult lessons I had to learn with Baby I.
The “Terrible Twos” started at about 1 year, 10 months for my daughter, so you might just be entering the “fun zone.”
I think we are. It’s not all bad, but boy can she throw a tantrum!
I see so much of my day in your day. Evie is every bit as ornery as your little darling…and she does the EXACT same thing at dinner, and I also can’t help but laugh. I agree that quality time is so much better than quantity time, and I’d recommend squeezing in five minutes or so a day to write down a couple of adorable things baby I does so you can look back in a few years and remember these little things (or just keep blogging, I suppose it’s all the same!)
To answer your question, when life overwhelms me I go to the rock climbing gym 🙂 If that isn’t possible, I usually self-medicate with sugar and cigarettes. I wouldn’t recommend the latter, though.
OMG, it’s so hard not to laugh when you can tell they know they’re being naughty. I love your suggestion of squeezing in a bit of time each day to write about just her. I want one of those line-a-day journals so I don’t feel like I need to pressure myself into writing oodles and then give up after two days 🙂
It’s so cool that you’ve found solace in climbing. I usually end up self-medicating with Facebook. Also not advisable.
Since you asked, I sometimes have to take stock of all the distractions in my life. I tend to escape into TV, books, or other little obsessions but they don’t fill me up. I go bits of time cutting things out to allow me to refocus and reprioritize then add it back in more carefully. *Shrug* I struggle with self discipline but prioritizing something (like mental health) helps motivate me.
I really identify of having to consciously take stock of all the distractions in my life. It’s so hard, because there are SO many. I struggle with self-discipline, too. It’s inspiring that you’re able to cut things out of your life, even if it’s just for little bits of time.
Oh yes, these romantic ideas of having a family and / or “crowning our love with a baby” and the like often enough lose their appeal in everyday’s life. But wait and see: Even though far away, the day will come when the last child has left the house into adulthood and like our mom, your memories of these busy times will retain the positive aspects only. Now our mom says that she misses this sometimes, being around for the kids, preparing this and that, driving you guys here and there – now there is nothing left. I hope for you that you will find or regain the strength to manage your family.
Thank you for your kind words! It has been difficult, but I know that even on the hardest days, our family is making precious memories together.