A Day In The Life
6:30am
Wake up and nurse little 3 mo old Annabelle on the edge of my bed while I wait for my brain to kick on. I hear the 6 year old getting ready for school during her normal routine as Dad searches the house for her clothes. When the baby falls back asleep, I lay her back down in her pack n play and go out and pump the extra milk and wish Amilia a wonderful day as her and dad head out for school. 🎒
7:20am
Finish pumping and put away the milk in the fridge when I hear my middle baby, Megan who is almost 2 yrs old, crying for me. I find her in her crib soaked from another night of the diaper not holding up. Damn Huggies. I clean Meg off and change her to a pull-up. Then I have to change Megs bedding which means I have to switch all the laundry to free the washer. I dump her soaked bedding and pillows in the wash and start the load of laundry. Corey returns from taking Amilia to school. I begin to make Corey’s lunch and put it in the fridge for him to take to work then pull out chicken to thaw. Megan requests the canned pineapples she saw me put in daddy’s lunch. While Corey takes a shower, I check on Anna to find her awake. I bring her to the living room and change her diaper in the bassinet.
7:45am
Cuddle up on the couch with both babies and corey starts the Coffee for me. I noticed Meg somehow soaked her hair with pineapple juice and it’s now sticky. Corey takes Anna baby to say goodbye and I pour my coffee and he is off to work! I then do the Dishes. Megan requests more food. Specifically eggs. Without words, of course, so she simply smacks the carton of eggs in the fridge and looks up at me to make sure I understand. Since I’m already in the kitchen I go ahead and scramble some eggs. She insists on helping. Oh, so helpful. Not. I’m able to get a couple bites of food, take my medicine and reheat my coffee as it’s gotten cold already. ☕️
9am
I sit and Nurse Anna. After, I need to switch the laundry and start another load. I Check the tomato plant outside and let Meg play outside.
Then we play with her toy cars inside and I decide to the kids need a car track for all their matchbox cars to drive on, so I start to paint one on the back of a large piece of cardboard I have handy. So far, so good, but I need white paint. I’ll need to go to Hobby Lobby later.
Megan’s butt stinks, so I put away the paint, clean her black feet from running around out back and change her poopie diaper. Reheat coffee cuz it’s gotten cold again. Anna falls asleep so I sit and rest for a minute.
10am
Mamma needs to go to the bathroom. I don’t do so alone unfortunately. Meg hops on my lap while I do my thang. When I’m done, I start to fold the laundry. Realizing Meg’s hair is now crunchy from pineapple juice I take the to the bathroom and scrub her down, clean her hair, dry her off, brush her hair and she brushes her teeth. We go back out and I put Megs shirt on and she runs off. Fold more laundry while also realizing I’m out of some groceries. So I make a grocery list.
Meg requests to use the toilet so we go but she just sits there. Nothing. New pull-up and back to folding laundry. Switch laundry. Fold laundry again. Load more laundry. I put Megs shorts on.
11am
Dare I? I rush and take a quick shower. 7 minutes! That included shampoo, condition and shave! Not bad. I hop out, get dressed, brush teeth and hair and wash my face. Naturally the next on my list is to clean up the mess Meg made while I was showering. Toddlers. Then I realize my shirt stinks, so I change change my shirt (throw in wash). I put on a movie for Meg and close up the windows turn on the AC. I get Meg a drink and dump out my coffee because the last of it got cold again.
I grab some water and notice my new shirt Shirt stinks too, so I change, again.
11:30am
I check on Annabelle – she is still napping, thank the LORD. I sit down with my new book and a bottle of water. Read for 10min until Meg jumps on me wanting attention. Then she drinks my water. Then she pours water on me.
11:45
Anna wakes up and needs to be nursed. Meg requires me to pour my water into a cup for her. My water supply quickly diminishing. I check Facebook while nursing. Nothing. Check email. Nothing. Scan tv channels. Nothing. Hungry, but still feeding baby, so I wait. Meg comes to me, crying for comfort over spilling ice water on herself. MY water that SHE stole and then spilled. I watch as Meg gets distracted by the baby’s bumbo seat. Then she gets stuck in the bumbo seat.
My Stomach is now growling! I turn on a random movie to distract me from my hunger while I nurse and drink some water. Waiting for her to finish eating, I decide on lunch.
12pm
Finally I get to grill the chicken, make my salad and put away extra chicken for Corey’s lunch. I eat eat as fast as I can and share my salad with Meg. Then I nurse Anna on other side and Meg steels more water. I watch a show while nursing. Oh and I gotta post that awesome salad on instagram!
12:45
Fill trail mix. Fill up my empty water bottle. Get some baby cuddles and watch my show. Play with the baby’s. Post their cuteness on Instagram. Then I get to do half my makeup and quickly do my hair. I also brush and put up Megs hair.
1:30
Put Meg shoe on. Chase Meg. Put other Meg shoe on. Put my shoes on. Baby sister loves and hugs. Make sure Anna is not hungry. She won’t eat so I load kids in car. Go to hobby lobby, get stroller out, load baby and grab Meg. Carry Meg thru store so she doesn’t break anything, cuz let’s be real! 😏 I go to check out as my arm feels like it’s falling off, since Meg is getting so big! Walk to the car and let other mom know she left something at the counter. I load Meg in her car seat, load Anna, put stroller in back if van, load paint and canvas in backseat and get in car. I sit and breathe for a second but the baby starts crying and sucking on fingers even though I tried to feed her before I left. I start to drive hoping she will fall asleep and realize I forgot my water bottle at home. Run back home for my water bottle. I drive to Amilia’s school and park.
2:15
Meg and Anna fell asleep in car. Hallelujah! 🙏
Mammas quiet time to write!
2:40
Mia gets out of school, load her in car and drive home. I talk to Amilia about upcoming concert and she is scared. I unload the kids from car. Meg cries for me to carry her while I’m carrying Anna.
I manage to shuffle all three of them inside and lay Anna down. Inside, Mia cries about leaving her lunchbox at school and insists she is in trouble even tho I told her she’s not. Meg needs to be held while she tries to wake up from her nap in the car. Anna cries and sucks on her fingers wanting food and Amilia requests a snack. So many mouths!
I quickly make a peanut butter and jelly with veggie sticks for the older sisters to share and I tell them not to make mess.
I’m not hopeful. I tell the kids to sit down. No standing on the couch. Hmmm, this is not a new rule. 🙄
I change Annabelle’s diaper and sit down with her to nurse. While she eats, I hear an explosion in her fresh diaper! Of course she poops in her fresh diaper. Back up so I can change her diaper AGAIN. And sit BACK down to finish nursing her while the older kids request more veggie sticks. They have some after school TV time. Go ahead and judge me!
3:30pm
😳😰
I get puked on and wipe it up with my shirt. Now this one will stink. Meh. All three girls rest and we watch Daniel tiger. The mom in the show is way too calm and chipper! So unrealistic. Don’t get me wrong, I love this job but that doesn’t mean I’m walking around softly singing lessons to my kids with everything under control!
Im so tired!
I lay little Annabelle on the floor and we all watch as she tries to roll over. She almost makes it to her belly. The older girls play out back as I try to catch her rolling over on video. No such luck. Any day now tho!
4pm
Get tackled by my 2 yr old
Get smacked in the face with a DVD case by my 2 yr old. Can she tell I’m getting tired and losing stamina?
Put baby in her bouncer, paint with kids again. Baby is crying and dinner needs to be made so we clean up. Mom gets a fast pee break!!!! 😬 If fast pee breaks were an Olympic sport I’d get a gold medal 🥇!!
Now what to make for dinner??? Am I off yet? Meg needs to be held while I plan dinner, of course. Oh, good she is distracted by an old carrot on the floor, I can do a quick straighten up before the hubby gets home! Now seriously… what’s for dinner? Fix Amilia’s backpack upon request. Okay, really … dinner. Wait, first wine. 🍷 Okay, now dinner. I finally make a decision on what to make. Explain to kids that no, they don’t actually get a choice in what I make. Give the mom look 👀 when they say they don’t like what I’m making. Kids run away. Okay, dinner. Distracted by the random Texas storm ⛈ outside! No, FREAKING DINNER!!
So I put some noodles in water and sip my wine. Grill more chicken pull out veggies and ingredients I need.
Hubby is home!!!! ❤️ Thank the Lord!! 🙏
Dinner almost done and I’m sweating so I stick my head in the freezer. Then I update husband on Amilia’s school day. Give girls and husband their food and sit to nurse he baby again! Tell the kids to eat. Husband tells kids to eat. We both tell kids to stop playing and eat! Husband reminds kids to sit and eat. We let the kids know that daddy will be out of town tomorrow.
So exciting. 😒
And the reminders to sit and eat continue.
Now the Baby refuses to eat, screaming at me. She’s letting me know the boob factory is empty at the moment and she wants a bottle. Awesome.
I lay the baby down so I can eat my food and guess what? All that effort and I’m not a fan of dinner. Whatever. I eat it anyway.
2 yr old climbs on dad. 6 yr old gets in trouble for spitting out food and having an attitude.
Kids being goofballs! I have to stop eating and make a bottle. While it warms up, I watch daddy making itty bitty baby laugh as he tickles her. They are so cute.
Is it bedtime yet?
2 year old is on her 3rd helping of food. Meg comes over and shoves older sister over … ugh, whyyy? 😩 Butt spankin’ and sent to time out, she comes back crying and says sorry, hugging her sister.
Oldest running around the baby. Oldest in trouble for running around the baby. Oldest falls down, and we investigate if what’s on the back of her leg is a bruise or mud. It’s mud. Whew. Middle child almost jumps on baby. LORD, help me! Kids run around eating my homemade granola bars, guess I’ll need to make more.
Baby blows raspberries. So cute!!
Is it bedtime yet?
Oldest runs by baby again, dad reminds oldest not to run by the baby. AGAIN!
No, really, is it bedtime yet? No. No, it’s not. Another hour. ⏱
Shoe flies in front of my face. FUDGE!
Surprisingly it was the husband and not the kids. We block off the baby so the kids will stop running over and around her.
Meg steps on baby hand, gives us a look like, ummm whoops.
STOP RUNNING BY THE BABY!!!🤦♀️
Repeat.
Megs talks to Annabelle, who is trying to talk back. Man, I am in love.
Tell Meg to stop playing with the plants outside. Tell Amilia to clean up granola bar pieces off the new rug.
Family wrestle time? Why not. As I lay on the floor and rest my head SO ready for bed, 😴 this is of course a signal that mom wants two little monkeys to sit on her and pretend she’s a horse, right? After jumping and running and sitting and falling, they start a pillow fight with dad until they get out of hand and are required to stop. ✋🏻 The attitude flares and we tell the kids to go wash their hands and brush their teeth. Oldest complains and middle kid screams “YAY” as if she is a troll and I announced it was hug time. She runs to go brush her teeth and the oldest reluctantly follows.
It’s almost there. The end is near I can almost see it now! But when I get them down I still need to run to the store for some more fresh veggies. Where’s that list again?
Remake Megan’s bed. Annabelle fell asleep in the bouncer, how can I resist such cuteness?? Only 15 more minutes, so we let them snuggle in big sissies bed for a little. 🛏 They really can’t get any cuter! Change Megs diaper. Pjs and night lights. Hug hugs and nigh nigh’s. We tuck them in bed. Moms almost off the clock!! Annabelle will still need to nurse again before bedtime I’m sure. Time to run to the store.
On the way, I contemplate. What exactly do I do all day? Often times people ask me do you work? Or do you just stay home with the kids? This question always gets me. I do not work. But I do not just stay home with the kids. Some days, everything I do feels so overwhelming. But other days it doesn’t feel like much. Yet, even in the very small tasks that I am doing, I am creating lives, shaping futures, and preparing humans for the road ahead of them. Isn’t it funny how doing that job can make someone feel so small. So what does she do all day? She makes a difference, even if she doesn’t feel like she does.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, this job even comes with benefits. Unlimited soft and squishy baby cheek kisses anytime I want. For now.
All 3 kids asleep 💤 now it’s my turn! 🛌
Jen Johnson – love that you’re you
Jen Johnson 