A(nother) Day in the Life of Me

Trish of Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity is hosting the second annual "A Day in the Life" event, encouraging bloggers to share one day out of their lives with each other. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision on my part to participate. I can barely keep up with prep for my regular blog posts this month. How would I ever have time to do this one? And yet, on Saturday, March 19th, I found myself journaling my day . . . just in case. 

Last year I recorded a work day in my life, and so this time around, I thought I would share a weekend day with you. It is not anything special really, just another day in my life.

I was awakened by an evidently very hungry cat at 6:30 a.m. Didn't he realize it was Saturday--my day off--and therefore a day I would like to sleep in? Although, technically 6:30 a.m. is sleeping in when compared to when I normally get up for the work week. Still, it's too darn early for a Saturday, especially after a rough night. My insomnia has been back for a few weeks now, unfortunately. After dragging myself downstairs to fill Parker's dry food dish (in true cat fashion, he merely sniffed the food and then went about his business--so much for being hungry), I thought of my options and quickly decided more sleep was in order. Back to bed it was.

I woke up again at 8:22 a.m. (much better!), took a quick shower, got dressed and picked out clothes for my daughter, Mouse. Sometime during my shower, Mouse had woken up and made her way downstairs with her tablet where she sat on the couch watching The Odd Squad, her new favorite show about two child detectives who solve mysteries using math. It has been only recently that Mouse will venture downstairs on her own. Once she even got herself some cereal for breakfast. Not this Saturday though.

Before I had a chance to head down the stairs, I heard the new gardener outside and woke my husband so he could open the back gate for him. We had to let go of our previous gardener when my husband lost his job last year. This new one just started last week. Neither of us like gardening much and with our busy schedules and a Home Owner's Association that insists on a nicely manicured yard (who can blame them? I want that too), it's one extra expense we feel is worth it now that my husband is working again.

I could tell from my glance out the window it was already turning out to be a lovely day. The sun was shining and the birds were tweeting, flying around the trees in our yard. I made a note to open the windows when we got home later in the afternoon to let in some of the fresh air. My allergies might not thank me, but I do love the smell of orange blossoms, which is heavy in the air this time of year.

I finally made it downstairs, and gave my daughter a kiss on the head, asking her how she slept. She informed me she slept well. I gave the cats their wet food, and I made my daughter breakfast while she got dressed. I helped her with her socks. She is such a pro at putting on her shin guards by herself (we really need to get her bigger ones--she's grown so much since we bought them last year). I dried my hair somewhere in there, brushed Mouse's hair, got the snacks ready for after soccer class, and my husband cleaned up cat vomit (poor Parker). A quick glance at the clock and it looked like we might actually be on time to soccer class today. Nope. A little someone still needed to go to the bathroom. "Going potty is boring!" *Sigh* There was a time when leaving the house was more of an ordeal. Everything was a fight. I am already liking her being five if this is anything to go by. 

We arrived just as the kids were doing their opening stretches. Mouse decided it was time to be extra shy and clingy. I walked her to a spot in the line of other kids with her practically welded to my side, encouraged her to listen to her coach and have fun, before slowly backing away as she looked at me with sad eyes. As soon as her coach gave her a grin and said, "Hi, Mouse!" (he used her actual name--he doesn't call her "Mouse"), she brightened up and all shyness was gone. She made sure he knew what she had for breakfast when he asked who the fastest child in the class was. And I'm pretty sure she told him about Parker throwing up all over "Mommy's book room floor."

 Soccer Class

The soccer class was a bit chaotic this weekend. I felt for the coach. He had eleven 3.5 to 5 year olds, and many of them had their own ideas about what they wanted to do. We are just past the halfway mark for the season, and it's typical to see the kids start to stray at this point. At least that has been my observation over the years. The kids took frequent water breaks, and Mouse was mostly good about listening to her coach. At one point my husband used the "You are one of the oldest in the class, and the younger kids look to you as an example" speech. It did the trick. 

After soccer, we walked over to the playground where Mouse played with her soccer class friend. For once she didn't come over and ask us to play with her and pretend to be the sharks to her and her friend's pirates or to beg for a snack. I was both relieved and saddened. My husband and I wandered over to near where the friend's mother was chatting with a couple of other mothers as they watched their children play. The set of benches looked inviting, and there we would have full view of the play area.

We couldn't help but catch snippets of the other women's conversations. I tend to be on the shy side and so making small talk and initiating conversations is not something I do easily. My interest was piqued, however, when I heard one of the mother's mention that her son was going to be attending kindergarten at the same school Mouse would be attending. She mentioned her efforts to find a decent after school care program for her child--something I am actively searching for as well. Knowing I couldn't let this opportunity slip by, I found a moment as the other mothers had stepped away to check on their kids, to approach her about what I had overheard. Most of the other parents I've encountered when out with Mouse are sending their children to other schools, and so I was happy to meet a parent with a child going to the same school.  Later, my husband told me he was surprised I had struck up the conversation with the mother. I was pretty proud of myself.

After an hour in the park, we headed to the car and a quick stop at home for a change of clothes from soccer stuff to a dress and restroom break. Then it was back in the car for lunch at a favorite Mexican restaurant across town (we don't get to go very often anymore, but since our errands were taking us in that direction, we decided to take advantage of it). After was a trip to the store for new bath mats, shirts for hubby, and necessities for Mouse and me. There might have been a big tantrum in the car about not staying home to clean the house because she says she loves cleaning the house so much. She was very clear: not the dusting; just the mopping. "I hate shopping!" Me too, kid.

Our next stop: Barnes and Noble for Mouse's free birthday cupcake--the real purpose of our trip. We looked around a little, and Mouse played at the train table for a bit before we found our way to the children's stage where I read a couple books about Pete the Cat and Easter to her. She picked out a vanilla frosting cupcake with a colorful array of sprinkles on top before we headed out. The clerk behind the counter wrote "Happy Birthday!" on top of the container, which just thrilled Mouse. Surprisingly, we left without any books.

We finally made it home again. Mouse wanted to dive into her cupcake, but she only managed to eat a little of the frosting before being ready to move on. Now it was time to clean! Late, I know, but we do it when we can. I got a little distracted, however, needing to get the mail (my postal book club pick came in the mail!), checking out my rose bushes, finding a couple dead lizards (so sad), and setting up the sand and water table at Mouse's request. We had a tea party with potato tea and butter soup. I cannot tell you if we were supposed to be talking in British or Australian accents. I think we used both. My husband was inside vacuuming the kitchen floor in preparation for the mopping. At least one of us was staying on task. 

Bookish Mail with the next Postal Mail Club pick

The roses are starting to bloom.

"Potato Tea"

Making more tea.

Mouse and I finally made our way inside and began dusting the library (otherwise known as "Mommy's book room" or the living room if you are my mother). Despite her earlier proclamation that she doesn't like dusting, Mouse volunteered, even grabbing her own rag and getting right to work. She sang and told me a story about what she wanted to do at work with my staff the following week. It has become a little game for us, her telling me about her day at my office while I tell her about my day at her school. She's got quite the imagination, and I love seeing where it takes her.

 As soon as Mouse heard her dad was ready to start mopping, she was off like a shot. Obviously mopping is more fun (not for me--I hate mopping with a passion). It did not take her long to make her way back to me though, seeing me go through a pile of her art projects I hadn't yet managed to take upstairs where I store them. She found her measuring snake in the pile and wanted to know if she'd gotten any taller. She had. I won't go into too much more detail about it, other than to say I dusted, sorted, organized, and tidied the family room and library. I now have a pile of giveaways (toys and puzzles), stuff to take upstairs to put away (toys mostly), and a small bag of garbage/recycles. Mouse only fought me on a couple things she wanted to keep that I think we should let go of. And finally! All the birthday stuff is put away (well, except for the birthday decorations hanging in the dining area--they'll stay up for the rest of the month). Spring cleaning is officially under way. And I'm already feeling lighter. (Or I was for the rest of that day, at least.)

As it grew later (approaching 7 p.m.), we wrapped up our cleaning, and enjoyed a quiet evening. My husband put on an episode of Doctor Who as he prepared dinner for Mouse--pasta, I believe it was. I labeled Mouse's puzzle pieces in case they get mixed up with the wrong puzzle. Mouse was busy cooking in her play kitchen. I know it goes against all the best advice, but Mouse ate her dinner in front of the television, and her dad and I didn't bother with dinner at all, both still full from our big lunch. Mouse followed her dinner up with a "blue bunny" ice cream cone.

Mouse was not happy when told it was time to go upstairs to take her shower (she prefers showers to baths) just around 8 p.m. She wanted to watch more Doctor Who. I got her showered ("I don't like washing my hair!") and settled in to make sure my Sunday Post was ready to go up while my husband got Mouse's teeth brushed and read her a story before bed. Mouse was waiting for me when I came to her room, wanting to cuddle before falling asleep. We talked a little about the day we had and what we hoped to do the next day. Sometimes she falls right to sleep, but most nights it takes her awhile to drift off. I had planned to get in a little reading before bed, but I ended up falling asleep too.

One of the things we really need to work on over the next few months is getting her to bed earlier. We started the bad habit early on of letting her stay up late because of our work schedules. With both my husband and I not getting off work until late--my husband an hour after I do), we generally are eating dinner at 7:30 p.m., and that pushes bed time to extra late. She doesn't have to be up at the crack of dawn like I do in the mornings, and so it hasn't been a big problem. It will be when kindergarten starts in the late summer though. It's going to be a struggle, I am sure. Our goal is to start slowly, maybe fifteen minute increments at at a time until we get her to bed at a more decent hour. 

Any ol' way, overall it was a good day I would say, albeit not very exciting. One in which we got a lot actually accomplished, at least. I can't always say that happens! Sunday Mouse and I let her dad sleep in while we got up and watched The Pirate Fairy movie, ate breakfast, and lounged around in our pajamas. Sundays are almost always much more relaxed around here. Maybe some day I will tell you about it.

I would love to hear about a day in your life! If you are participating, and I hope you will, please let me know. Trish of Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity will be posting a link page on the 23rd of March.

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© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.