A Day in the Life

I get a lot of people asking "What did you do today?" to which I usually respond; "Oh, nothing.". This, of course, isn't true. I just figure they want a highlight or something really interesting. So, I end up getting the feeling that it's assumed we sit around watching TV and taking naps all day. Anyone whose been a stay at home parent knows how untrue this is. But for those of you who haven't, here's what we really do on a random Wednesday!

6 am: Daniel wakes up bright eyed and bushy tailed. No amount of begging, pleading, or trickery will get him to let me sleep a few more minutes.

6:30 am: After some cuddling and tickling, we get up and make breakfast. Daniel eats 2 whole grain pancakes and some yogurt so I'm happy.

7 am: I let Daniel play in the floor with some plastic bowls while I wash dishes and clean the kitchen. We sing the ABC's at least 17 times.

7:30 am: I sit at the coffee table and make a grocery list while Daniel pretends to eat my toes. Decide that the toe eating game is more fun and abandon the list. Toe game turns into chasing Daniel around the den singing "Move It" which turns into Daniel giving an American Idol style performance of his original song "Everyday Doo Da".

8 am: I decide to risk letting Daniel wake up Dan and take a shower. Daniel plays quietly in his room, only coming into the bathroom a few times to throw a toy in the shower with me. As I get dressed I remind Dan that he wanted to wake up early, he grunts and turns over.

9 am: After playing with Daniel in his room and reading some books, we decide we have cabin fever and should go to the grocery store. I get Daniel ready which turns into a new and exciting tickle game involving Daniel yelling "One Nine Puppies" every few minutes. Not really sure what that's about.

10 am: Finally arrive at grocery store. Daniel spent the entire car ride severely scolding a lion toy in the backseat. I tried really hard not to laugh. For the first time Daniel notices the big horrible shopping carts that look like trucks. He, of course, becomes enamored with the biggest filthiest one they have. After a few tries I figure out the trick to navigating one of these death traps and we begin to shop. I regret having abandoned my shopping list almost immediately.

11 am: Have to make a second stop at Walgreens. Daniel talks me into a Superman ball. And candy.

12 pm: Let Daniel wake up Dan while I unload and put away groceries. Dan stumbles in and says "I thought you were gonna wake me up early?". I grunt and start Daniel's lunch and Dan's breakfast.

12:30 pm: Daniel finishes his chicken nuggets but won't touch his apples or banana. He does eat a vitamin. Dan dozes off on the couch and I let Daniel watch Noggin for a little while so I can pack Dan's lunch and check my email.

1:30 pm: Daniel is napping and Dan is awake and getting ready for work. I decide I won't make it until bedtime if I don't get a little nap, too. As soon as I start to doze off the electrician calls and says he can come early if I want. I agree, thinking it's better to just get it over with.

2:45: Electrician shows up just moments after Dan leaves for work. He fixes the dryer situation and I immediately begin some laundry. I finally lay down and get about half an hour before Daniel climbs into bed with me. He cuddles up and falls back asleep. So do I.

3:30 pm: We're awake and having a snack. Daniel eats a banana and some goldfish. He insists on feeding me some goldfish and I am expected to make gobbling up noises and then say "yummy". We decide to play outside for a little while.

5 pm: We're back inside and Daniel is playing in the floor with his cars. It was wet and muddy outside, so I'm cleaning off shoes and finishing up the laundry I started earlier. I'm restless so I put my iTunes on shuffle and we dance around for a little while.

5:30 pm: We decide to color and then paint. Daniel likes for me to color the picture and then he "finishes" it by scribbling the whole thing with black. He paints a water peep (penguin) for me and then decides it's for Papa instead.

6:30 pm: We have sausage and rice for dinner. Then some Italian Ice for dessert. I try to talk Daniel into a bath but he isn't interested and I'm kind of relieved. We do a quick wipe down instead and get him into his pj's. He wants to play in his room without me, so I sit in the floor and look at a magazine.

8 pm: After some stories and singing Daniel falls asleep. I stay up for a little while and talk to Dan on the phone. I fall asleep watching a documentary I DVRed.

Other than some assorted phone calls and diaper changes that about sums up our day. Some days we do more and some days we do less. Not a whole lot of TV or napping, though. Mostly we just have fun. It's not the most thrilling schedule, not packed with things to brag about, but it's wonderful and we enjoy it.