Typical

When I hear the muffled cry, I open my eyes.

The first thing I notice is the soft blue light in my room. That dreamy color that exists somewhere between 4 and 7 am. I know it’s still early in the morning. I lay stock still holding my breath, waiting for it to come again, and it does. I quickly assess that the cry is Evelyn and I roll silently out of bed. Her bedroom is located next to mine and after a few soft steps I’m by her side replacing a lost binky and whispering quiet words of comfort. I leave as quickly as I came and rush back to the warmth and comfort of my own bed. I don’t really want to know what time it is, but I’m already punching the light on the alarm clock before I can stop myself. 5:56 glares back at me, mocking my tired eyes with its glare. Before I work myself up about the lack of sleep I’ve had, I tuck my legs up underneath me, snuggle down deeper into my pillow and fall back asleep before I ruin the last hour of sleep I still have.

The vibration of Ryan’s alarm wakes me 30 minutes later. His alarm on his phone vibrates twice before actually sending the alarm off. I’m always wakened by the first vibration. Always.
5 minutes pass. Snooze button.
5 more minutes pass. Snooze button.
5 additional minutes pass but this time I poke Ryan quickly in the shoulder blade, hoping to end the charade of snooze buttons. It works and he moves groggily towards the bathroom. I duck my head under the covers and try to get 20 more minutes of sleep. It sort of works.

The next thing I know, Ryan is kneeling by the bed and he’s ready to walk out the door. We pray together, it’s my turn, and he’s off with a kiss and a “See you in a bit”. I listen to him leave out the back door, get into his jeep and drive past the bedroom window before I even start contemplating the day ahead. I can hear muffled voices from the boy’s room, something about a book and a duck but no yelling yet so I just relax for a few minutes more. Evelyn is babbling away in her crib.

5 minutes later I think. OK, time to get up, and I do.

Clothes, bathroom, contacts, redo mused hair, turn on De-humidifier, stare longingly at my bed, leave room. Mostly in that order.

I walk through the house quietly in my stocking feet.I turn on the heater when I get to the family room. Our home has wall units for heat in each room and I turn them off at night. It’s usually pretty chilly first thing in the morning so it’s always the first thing I do. Second, I prepare drinks. Evelyn her milk, Russell his chocolate milk. Sam usually joins me at this point, as he’s heard me walk past their bedroom and knows I’m up. He doesn’t drink anything first thing in the morning but he requests cartoons and I always oblige. PBS Kids is great and educational, right? No Mom guilt yet, it’s early.

I get Russell up and we immediately start playing the bathroom game. He’s potty training by the way. It’s been a week and things are going well. Except for his desire to constantly ask to go to the bathroom and then NOT go. It’s imperative that I go with him EVERY time so I am constantly trying to decipher which requests for the bathroom to ignore and which ones to comply with. So far, I’m winning the game. I can’t wait to have only one child in diapers. Yes Russell, of course I will spend most of the day in the bathroom with you. I see success in every potty celebration and we’ve had 4 dry days now. I am pretty sure I can see the light!

Boys are settled, time to get Evelyn. I love getting my baby up. The moment I open the door she’s more excited to see me than anyone has ever been in my entire life. She looks at me, mused hair in her eyes and breaks into the biggest dimpled cheek grin you ever saw. Her legs kick wildly as I walk to her and pick her up out of her crib. Good morning my angel! I hum to her as I gather a change of clothes and a diaper. My day has officially begun.

Change diaper, sit with Russell, make pancakes, check e-mail, get Sammy dressed, feed boys pancakes, trick Russell into eating more than 2 bites, unload the dish washer, make orange juice.

A good friend and I car- pool and take our preschool children to school for each other. It’s Wednesday, Yea! So it’s her turn and I delay getting truly dressed for the day till later in the morning. Car pool is here, off Sammy goes. He loves school.

Time to feed Evelyn. I grab some pureed pears, a little rice cereal and a yogurt. She really likes strawberry. Feed Evie. Watch her chew on her raptor between bites and take Russell to the bathroom twice. When she is done I actually feel a little lighter, knowing I have a few hours before I need to cook and feed everyone again.

Clean up baby girl, load the dishwasher, and take 2 more trips to the bathroom, yea he finally goes!

Evie plays happily in the family room while I pour myself a bowl of Life cereal. I eat, reading a favorite magazine

while choosing to disregard Russell’s request to go to the bathroom again. I finish just in time to watch Evie disappear down the hall. I hurry quickly to close the doors to the bathroom and the office. She is getting faster and faster. For the next hour or so I play with Evie and Russell. We crawl around growling at each other, playing peek a boo, and wrestling while I work on teaching Russell some more of his colors and shapes. I really can’t tell if he knows them or not as it’s anybody’s guess as to whether he will answer my questions or run off laughing. I think I really taught him something today. The toilet is white.

Very quickly 11:45 rolls around and Sam gets home from school. The kid does the same thing every time he walks in the door. He takes his coat off (if he’s wearing it), his shoes and socks, and his pants. Then he asks me if he can watch a cartoon while I fix lunch. Ummm, sure Sam, after you put your clothes and shoes where they belong AND tell me how school was. Sometimes he complains, sometimes he doesn’t, but every time I talk to him and eventually he tells me what he did at school. Afterwards, I let him watch the cartoon. Sometimes I don’t, but today I do. I let the Mom guilt wash over me for a second wondering if there is something educational or stimulating for my child to do besides watch TV but I don’t get carried away from it, he did just get home from school right?

Lunch time.

Make lunch. Cream cheese and blackberry jam sandwiches on wheat bread. Sam hates peanut butter and it’s best to avoid different lunches unless requested that way. Russell usually wants what his older brother is having. I smile inwardly as I spread the homemade Jam onto the bread. I made this myself. Next I cut crusts off and carve sandwiches into little bite size triangles. For some reason they eat them better if I do. I add carrots to the plate and get out the goldfish crackers to barter with. When the boys arrive at the table, I get a few whines (Only from Samuel) as is typical I am sorry to say and I let them stew and contemplate their food before I try to barter bites with goldfish crackers. Sometimes they will eat and no bartering is required, today Sam and I trade 2 bites for 5 crackers, about 3 different times before he declares lunch inedible. Ah, if he only knew. Russell eats better and manages to only leave the table once for a bathroom break. Evie has pureed lasagna, squash and mixed berries for lunch, not mixed together or all at once. Her smiles manage to brighten my mood, even though I lost the lunch game with Sam. I swear he eats a bunch of snacks during snack time at school because sometimes he eats hardly anything for lunch. I clean up.

1 o’clock pm marks the halfway point of my day. It’s also Evie’s nap time and so after diaper changes and a few tickles I’m off to put her in her crib. I lay her down gently, kiss her sweet cheeks and put her favorite soft blanket over her. She usually squirms excitedly and watches me check the heat thermostat in her room before I slip out the door with a whisper “Good night”.Anything is possible but usually she rolls over and falls right to sleep. Today is such a day. I smile and watch her drift off to sleep from the baby monitor I have in the kitchen. I love my video monitor. Best splurge ever. I Don’t think I can live without it. Within 5 minutes my angel is asleep.With no baby to watch, I use the time to accomplish household chores. The boys request a movie (Larry Boy) and they play cars, super heroes’s and draw while simultaneously watching the movie.

Laundry, pick up office, file, return e-mails, pay a few bills, take out garbage, finally get dressed, organize recycling, clean kitchen, take Russell to the bathroom 5 times, break up an argument over who gets to sit in the rocking chair, clean overused bathroom, make a few phone calls. Before I know it, it’s 4 o’clock and Evelyn is still asleep. I love when I get done what I want to. I text Ryan to see when he’ll be home, read the recipe for dinner to make sure I’m prepared and sit down for a few minutes to relax. Ummm, let me re-phrase that. I sit down, get clobbered by Sam and Russell and play cars for 5 minutes before Evelyn wakes up.

Snack time.

Evelyn-Milk and fruit puffs.
Russell and Sam- Fruit grain bars, juice and goldfish crackers.

I realize I forgot to brush their teeth after lunch. Think to myself, don’t tell Ryan. Brush AND floss their teeth after snack time to make up for it.

Chiming sound. I’m getting a text message. The only one today, it’s been very quiet. I finish feeding Evie and go check it out. It’s good news. Ryan will be home around 5:30 for dinner. It’s almost 5 so I prepare the ingredients while the kids play and watch a library movie-episodes of Curious George. I fold laundry, clean up the mess from snacks and set the table. It’s almost 5:20 when I set the water on to boil for the pasta. Russell is sort of a mess of emotions by now and is very edgy because I think he’s not feeling well. He has not gone pooh yet today and is so afraid of going he tries to hold it in instead. Poor guy. So I spend some time trying to convince him of the relief that will follow a nice bowel movement and hope he listens. He doesn’t and we spend some quality time in the bathroom together. Sam announces he’s starving at about 5:40 and every 5 minutes till dinner time thereafter. Ryan walks in the door about 10 to 6.

I love When Ryan gets home. It’s like a wave of handsome relief. Quick greeting, Ryan takes over watching Evelyn and trying to figure out what’s wrong with Russell. I finish dinner.

We sit down to dinner a little after 6. Russell is a mess, he can hardly sit, and Sam is eyeing dinner with a wary eye.It’s a new recipe –Tomato & Olive Penne and he’s already decided it’s a no go. I’m not really sure where I went wrong with my kids and eating. Ryan and I talk about our day best we can with the chaos that surrounds us as we attempt to get the boys fed. Thank goodness Evelyn eats her dinner or I might scream and throw a fit. The recipe turns out to be a good one; we will probably make it again. So I know it’s edible.

Because I feed Evie before I eat, Ryan always finishes first. By then we’ve lost the boys. I don’t feel like making them stay at the table and Ryan takes Evie while I finish my dinner. He starts a bath for the boys. Russell won’t get in. He cries, gets in with his shirt on, cries some more, Ryan washes him and gets him out. He doesn’t stop crying until he’s sitting in front of the heater with his PJ’s on.

Ryan has a Southwest Coast Dental Association meeting tonight at 7 so I’ve only got 5 more minutes before I’m solo again. He gets Sammy out of the tub while I rush through the dishes and get the kitchen clean before he leaves. I’m feeling relieved to have that out of my way.

For the 500^th time today Russell asks to go to the bathroom. I follow him in while thinking to myself how much I would pay to just have him go. I am realizing I would pay a lot, especially when he announces he’s done and he hasn’t gone. Instead of letting it go I leave the room, telling him he can’t leave until he goes. Mean mother award. Two minutes later he’s yelling “Mommy I did it!” from the bathroom. I celebrate, we all celebrate and Russell is back to his old self.Ah, what a good bowel movement can do for the spirits, and the body.

With the kids in their Pj’s and Evelyn done with her milk we kneel to pray together before I put Evelyn to bed. Russell say’s the prayer. “Heavenly Father, thank you for making the toys. Thank you for the fun things. Please bless we watch Larry boy and (mumble mumble mumble…not sure what he’s saying for a second, something about bed time) In the name, Jesus Christ, Amen.” It’s all in his little voice with his own little slurs and it’s completely adorable and heart melting as I listen. Time for bed Evie. I tell the Boys to pick up their toys and put them in the basket while I put her to bed.

It’s always so hard to put Evie to bed. She is usually in such a great mood. But I know she’s tired and if I time it right she goes to sleep quickly and quietly. I hug her close, say her prayers for her, smell her sweet little head and kiss her 10 times before I put her in bed. Ah, I love this girl. More kisses, blanket, good night angel.

When I return to the front room the boys are having races. A regular occurrence after the toys are picked up and there’s room to run. I declare a winner and he gets to brush his teeth first(Russell). Brush brush brush. Sam, brush brush brush. Okay, finish your race. No lie, I sit for 30 seconds watching them run in circles and I can feel myself drifting off to sleep. Oh, it’s been a long day I think, as I watch Russell get dizzy and veer into the wall. Better stop racing before someone gets hurt.

Book Time.

We read Curious George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop.

That dang little monkey gets away with everything and never gets in trouble. I could really use a banana split.

Off to bed now.

The boys race down the hall, Russell trips upon entering their room and I watch him fall to the floor. I selfishly think about the time consoling him will take. I’m ready to be done with the day but I’m never too done to kiss it all better. Tuck kids in bed, arrange blankets, plug in nightlight, find stuffed Curious George for Russell, arrange blankets again, find a book called Snowball Soup for Sam, kiss warm faces good night, remind them to go to sleep, tell them I love them, shut the door. Deep breath.

Sit down at computer. Read favorite blogs. Write this post.

And so here I am. The house is quiet; Ryan has since returned from his meeting and put his face between mine and the computer screen a few times trying to get me to go to bed. I figure today is just one of many. Not every day is like this. Sometimes we leave the house. Sometimes we take Sam to school or go grocery shopping and we like to play at the park or with a friend. But this was my day today. It was typical. Lately I find myself only writing about fun events or visitors, holidays and unique instances. I want to remember a few ordinary days too.

So now I’m going to check that all the doors are locked, turn off all the lights, turn down the thermostat, make sure bottles and cups are washed for the morning, take Sam to the bathroom, floss my teeth, brush my teeth,check on all my babies, turn off the De-humidifier, say my prayers, go to bed.

Not necessarily in that order.

Here’s to ordinary days…and hopefully, many many more.

I was inspired by a friend to write this.
You know who you are.
Thank you