Our Last Days as a Family of Three

Awhile back, I did a post like this on a typical day in my life at the time. Back then, I was watching a 5 month old and Marcella was 2. Now it is just Marcella and me at home during the day, but soon baby #2 will be here (less than 3 weeks to go!) so I wanted to do this little exercise again. I thought it would be interesting to look back and see how much our life has changed after baby arrives.

This was a typical Thursday (May 24, 2012 to be exact). Marcella is 3. I rounded everything up to the closest 5 minute increment just to make it easier to read.

Sleeping Cella7am – Marcella crawled in bed with me and went back to sleep. (She goes to bed in her own bed in her own room at night but generally comes in about this time to cuddle with me.)

7:30 – I officially woke up for the day and checked my email on my phone.

7:40 – I put cloth diapers in the laundry, stripped Marcella’s sheets off her bed (for washing later) and straightened Marcella’s room (opened curtains, put stuffed animals she slept with away, put her stars away), and made breakfast for me: Cascadian Farm Organic Oats & Honey Granola Cereal, Bananas, Raw Milk, Chlorophyll water, 2 Juice Plus fruit pills.

7:50 I ate breakfast while watching a vlog on folding towels and sheets.

8:00 I took a shower (with my awesome soap nut bar & shampoo and cranberry coconut oil scrub), washed my face, brushed my teeth & flossed, brushed my hair, got dressed, cuddled with Marcella, listened to a voicemail from my midwife (who was calling to cancel my appointment due to a birth) and checked my email.

8:30 – I ran a hot load for the diapers, dried my hair & did my make-up.

8:40 – I missed a call from my mom so I called her back. Then I checked to see if my Mac is working (it sort of was) so I started to edit my birth support post.

9:00 Marcella woke up and came in to see me. I gave up on editing since my connection kept going in and out anyway.

9:10 I changed Marcella out of her night diaper and pajamas into underwear and clothes that she picked out herself and brushed her hair.

9:20 I helped Marcella brush her teeth, put the diapers on a cold rinse and made my bed with Marcella’s “help”.

9:30 We made green smoothies together (kefir, kale, banana, frozen mixed berries) and we sat down at the table and talked while we drank. (She’s wearing one of her IKEA bibs.)

9:50 Marcella was still hungry and asked for a peanut butter sandwich so I made her one and then cleaned up the smoothie dishes, checked Facebook while she ate and then cleaned up.

10 – I checked email while Marcella played with pillows on the couch (she calls it making a fort). I ended up covered with pillows. Marcella brought me some instruments to play with her so we did that and I put some music on for her, too. (Dancing, singing and instrument playing commenced.)

10:20 Marcella went to the bathroom. My husband called. I helped Marcella put up the instruments.

10:35 I changed Marcella into a diaper (because we were going out soon and I was still too nervous to take her out in underwear and have to use public restrooms with her, something I very soon got over), put the diaper inserts, wipes and bags in the dryer and hung the liners and pocket diapers to dry. Marcella put her clothes in the washer. I checked emails. The midwife’s office calls to reschedule my appointment.

11 – Marcella said she went to the bathroom in her diaper so I changed her, answered a text from Lori and my husband called.

11:20 We drove to Swamp Rabbit Grocery and Cafe to pick up raw milk. Marcella requested Banana and Pajamas radio and I could periodically hear her singing in the backseat.

Swamp Rabbit Grocery and Cafe

11:45 We arrived at Swamp Rabbit, ate lunch (herb roasted turkey sandwich with kale chips for me and grilled cheese for Marcella, water for both of us), looked around and bought raw milk.

12:20pm We left for home and Marcella asked to listen to songs from her Parents First Sing Alongs CD.

12:50 We got home. I checked the mail.

1- I put some chicken breasts to boil on the stove and poured the leftover smoothie I had in the fridge into a freezer pop mold. I changed Marcella back into underwear.

1:10 I hung up the damp diaper inserts from the dryer and fold and put away the wet bags and wipes. Marcella’s laundry went in the dryer or was hung up to dry.

1:15 Marcella played in the backyard for a couple minutes then decided to come back in and color instead.

1:20 I checked on the chicken (which was not quite done) and then got on my laptop and worked on editing my birth support post.

1:30 The doorbell rang and it was UPS bringing me my lost credit card (which was really quick since I had just lost it the day before!) I checked the chicken again – It was done so I took it out to cool and checked Pinterest for the shredding chicken tip I had pinned awhile back. Marcella wanted to sit with me and play with her Seek and Find book so we did that. My sister-in-law called.

1:45 The call dropped so I cut the yucky parts off the chicken and threw the chicken in the Kitchen Aid while I waited for my sister-in-law to call back. In about 20 seconds (for 3 breasts), I had perfectly shredded chicken. I ran the dishwasher after doing the chicken dishes. Marcella went back to coloring.

1:55 Once I sat down, she came back to play the Seek and Find game with me. I emailed my sister-in-law the link to the diaper liners I use (what she called about) and answered a question about cloth diapers in the Green Living Co-op.

2:20 I read email, tried to edit my post again once Marcella was done playing Seek and Find with me.

2:30 Marcella called from the bathroom saying she needs help. We talked for a second and I gave her some books  (always helps if she’s having a little trouble going.)

2:35 I heard, “Yay!” from the bathroom and “It was so, so hard, but I did a good job!” I helped her wash her hands and then I gave her a piece of candy since she popped on the potty. (Yep, I bribe her to go poop on the potty. Luckily, I don’t need to for pee.)

2:40 I get back to editing my post.

2:50 I changed Marcella’s clothes and put up her hair for gymnastics. I put away the coloring books and Marcella put away the crayons.

3 – We left for gymnastics. I realized we hadn’t eaten in a while so I grabbed a Luna bar (white chocolate macadamia) for me a Lara bar (cashew cookie) for Marcella to eat in the car. We talked for a little bit during the ride over and Marcella requested The More We Get Together song.

3:30 We arrived at gymnastics. I left Marcella with her teacher and headed to the viewing area to watch. I checked email and took a Kashi survey online on my phone while waiting for class to start.

4:20 Class ends and we left for home. Marcella listened to Bananas in Pajamas radio.

4:50 We arrived home and I changed Marcella back into underwear and shorts.

5:00 I called my husband to see when he’d be home. He was on his way so I started dinner. Marcella wanted to color again but this time with crayons & markers so I got them out. Then she decided to play with chalk in the backyard instead.

5:20 Marcella came back in and wanted to wash her hands so I turned the water on for her. She went back to coloring and I kept working on dinner.

5:25 My husband got home, talked to Marcella and cleaned up the coloring on the table. He also helped cut up some vegetables for dinner. Marcella cried because her dragon coloring pages were put up. Josh tells her we can play with them after dinner. Finally he figured out she was upset he put them away in the wrong spot, not that he put them away. He moved them and then she was fine.

5:35 I sat down and my husband put our salads together. Black beans, corn, avocado, TJ’s veggie flax tortilla chips, seasoned shredded chicken, tomatoes, red onion, cheddar cheese, sour cream, red leaf lettuce (kale for my husband) and water to drink for all of us (plus 2 veggie Juice Plus pills for me).

6 – My husband and Marcella watered the plants in the backyard while I laid down and put my swollen feet up. Marcella melted down while outside.

6:10 Marcella calmed down and we went upstairs and put away her clean clothes. (This is a chore she can mostly do herself.) My husband cleaned up the kitchen and then unloaded the dishwasher and reloaded with the dirty dishes.

6:30 Marcella takes a bathroom break and then comes back to the clothes. She played with a squirt bottle she found under the sink when she went to put her folded towels away and I read a couple blog posts in Google Reader.

6:50 I give Marcella a bath, put the clean sheets on her bed and hang the clothes in her closet that she put on hangers.

7:05 Marcella put on her underwear and picked out and put on her pajamas after her bath. She got out her brush and I brushed her hair.

7:10 We went downstairs to join my husband.

7:20 I strained my kefir and started a fresh batch, put the dirty dishes away and set the dishwasher to wash in 4 hours. I made myself some chai (Oregon chai and raw milk). Marcella played with her dragon and knight set with my husband (who was half watching A Knight’s Tale) and she ate the half of her Lara bar she didn’t finish earlier.

7:40 I called to activate the credit card I received earlier. My husband shared granola with Marcella and let her watch a show on his phone.

7:50 I sent recipes to a friend who requested them (cheese crackers, Santa Fe Chicken Chile Dish and salsa)

8:15 My husband turned off the TV and Marcella gave him back his phone and they went to prepare his coffee for the morning. She put his filter in for him every night.) We all just hung out together.

8:25 My husband and Marcella went outside to see if they could see the moon. (They do this most nights.)

8:35 I took my Cal/Mag. Marcella showed my husband the tower she made yesterday in the playroom and Josh read her a book in her room. I changed into pajamas and joined them to hear Marcella recite her verses. Marcella “reads” a book to my husband and asked him to recite the verses.

8:45 I helped her go to the bathroom since the potty seat was in the downstairs bathroom and then Josh put a diaper on her for bed. I helped her brush her teeth and then went to get her a cup with cold water and ice and said good night. My husband stayed to lay with her until she falls asleep.

8:55 Marcella said she needed to go to the bathroom so I take her downstairs where the potty seat is and she read a book and I read her a book. I took her back up to bed.

9:05 I put on my Hypnobabies script and fell asleep.

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