Written by: T.M. Brunson
I've been awake since 3:30am. Two kids had diarrhea. One was the baby.
The baby woke up at 3:30am to eat and get her diaper changed. I didn't know what time it was when she woke up. I just automatically got up, put her on the bed with a diaper and the wipes, woke up my husband, went to pee, got her bottle (because I'm still trying to get my breastmilk to flow freely again and in the middle of the night is not the time to try to nurse her because she will scream at the top of her lungs), and fed her.
While I was burping her, she let out a loud sound that came from deep within her stomach and exited her bottom. It was, what we call, a "code red" situation. The wet, green poop immediately made its way up her back. Everything needed to be changed. She needed to be wiped down. When all was said and done, it was 4:36am by the time I laid my head back down on the pillow. I thought to myself, "There is no point in me trying to go back to sleep." So I got up.
Lunches needed to be made. Breakfast needed to be figured out. I needed to shower. Before I knew it, it was 6am—the time all of the girls get up. One didn't like the breakfast options and decided not to eat. Another didn't feel well (she ended up staying home). Another didn't want to eat the cream of wheat that I fixed; but the only other options were cereal or oatmeal. So she chose cereal. The kid that didn't want to eat asked for oatmeal. Another one wanted toast, but I told her that was not an option today.
I got into the car this morning a little later than I wanted to leave. I was tired. I still needed to do my hair. I was able to moisturize before I left, but I had to get my hair done sometime between the car ride and my first meeting (which was at 8:30am).
After my first meeting about communication emails, I had another meeting about a profile for a transfer website. Then, I had to prepare for my afternoon meetings before lunch. I walked briskly to the dining hall at lunch (I get to each lunch for free!). A couple of my colleagues were meeting me, but they were late. So, I began to watch "Manifest" on my phone. I was sitting alone at a table sandwiched between an entire table of Psychology professors and another table of students. I was in my own little world, watching tv (which is the world I "grew up" in; I didn't even notice one of my colleagues walking up to my table to sit down and join me for lunch.
After eating one more piece of banana bread that I shouldn't have eaten, I walked briskly back to my office. I had three minutes to walk up the stairs to get my iPad and a notebook and make it back down to the conference room for a 1:30pm meeting. That meeting went well. Next meeting was at 2pm. That one lasted longer. Then, I met, briefly, with two more colleagues about a meeting I had yesterday with a partner school. Then, I had to meet with another colleague about another matter. Before I knew it, it was 4:40pm.
I went back upstairs, looked at the long list of things I needed to do, and put my computer to sleep. I grabbed my coat and my purse and left the building. I, purposefully, didn't go to the bathroom just so I would stay awake on the ride home. I Marco Polo-ed with a couple of friends and spoke to my husband. Rain was pouring down in buckets as I checked the weather for tomorrow. Snow tonight. Windy tomorrow. Temperatures will drop.
I get home and the girls are just sitting down to dinner. I kiss my hubby, hug a few girls, and go pee. I was in and out of the bathroom. The baby was crying. I picked her up, changed her, nursed her (as much as I could) and then fed her a bottle, and burped her. I put her down in her swing and fix my plate to eat. My husband and I hear a sound—which we thought came from the dog. It was actually the baby pooping. A lot.
He changes her while I finish eating. All of the girls start their shower brigade at 7:20am. I decide that I'm going to start it earlier because it's almost 8pm (bedtime) and someone is still in the shower!
Tonight, I will watch The Flash with my hubby and I will probably try to finish Manifest. Thank God for the DVR. I may not know when my shows come on anymore, but I know that I can watch them whenever I can stay awake!
After a long day, sometimes you just need to be reminded that you are enough...life is good...and that you're doing GREAT as a parent.
What did you do today that made you think of any of these positive things? When the kids go to bed, what do you do after a long day?