A Daily Update

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned it, but I watched a lot of "Malcolm In The Middle" while on maternity leave with Brady.  I don't want to forget that, so I'm writing it down (perhaps, again).

Here's a quick update on our daily routine:


Mom - up super (some may say "insanely") early - either taking Emma for a walk or huffing and puffing up the rolling hills of Georgia.  I call this "jogging".  The average person would disagree.


Mom - suggests the children wake up and start their day.  Cate usually agrees.  Brady rarely does.


Cate - and Eventually Brady - eat their breakfast at "little table" on the carpet in front of Curious George.  This is an attempt to keep Cate seated for more than 1.5 minutes and hopefully trick her into eating more than 1.5 bites of cereal.  Cate usually has "Daddy's cereal" which is Cinnamon Life to the rest of you.  Brady is currently requesting Frosted Rice Krispies.  Both children need to be reminded to eat.  But they listen.  They love their vitamins and always want more than the recommended amount.  MMMMM mmm, they are good.  Excuse me while I go grab mine.


Mom - dresses children while their eyes are still glued to the TV.  Brady usually fusses about the shirt I pick out.  Emma cleans up dropped cereal mush from the table and carpet.  This is essential to our home not drowning in kid mush.  I love it. I encourage it.  I direct it.


Dad - emerges from the steamy bathroom and helps with the brushing of the teeth.  Mom manages to put both shirt and pants on.  This is a feat in itself.  At daycare I always want to congratulate fellow moms and dads in their daily accomplishment of donning pants.


WOOSH - somehow children make it into "white car" usually with a microwave pancake and a toy, Mom finds shoes and hot coffee, Dad finds Diet Coke, Billy usually gets his pain pill.  Off to school and work.  I drive the kids to school.  This week we've been listening to "Lion King Song" on repeat.  I'm happy to be off "Cars 2 song" for a while - though "You Might Think" by The Cars *is* a really great song.  That darn "Circle of Life" still hits me deep in my core.  It must be the crescendo. 


Work...boring. No summary for you!


Dad picks up Brady and Cate in grey car.  They like the windows rolled down on the way home.  Baby Cate loves her take home snack from school ("Nack! Nack!").  Roughly 30% of it makes it into her mouth.  Meanwhile back on the ranch, I'm RACKING MY BRAIN deciding what to prepare the children for dinner.  Seriously, it's like brain surgery for me.  If I manage to prep one frozen and two canned side items, I am filled with a warm and fuzzy, good-Mommy feeling. 

If it's bath night, Mom and Dad take a deep breath and head upstairs. If it's not bath night, Mom and Dad take a deep breath and watch the kids play train table.  Brady and Cate put jammies on, grab their pacis (dang it!) and we watch 3-4 Bookflix on Mom's computer.  Currently, they're requesting "Bugs Bugs Bugs," "apple tree" and "chicka chicka boom boom."  Last week it was "Danny and the Dinosaur" and "Max and the Chocolate Chicken" (Easter theme).  This week has been rocky with the babies going to sleep.  Perhaps it has been the thunderstorms, perhaps it's due to their new sleeping arrangements (we just took down Cate's pack n play and moved their beds around).  Either way, they have requested - no, freaked out about Mom or Dad staying upstairs with them. "Mama, lay on floor!"  Both have been popping out of bed at lest once at night. They're easily put back to slumber, but that darn creaky floor makes it hard for Mom to escape undetected.  At least the floor is comfortable and seems good for my back.