Home sweet home

I’ve had a great week this week. I thought it was going to be bad – an extremely busy work at week and I thought Ella was coming down with a virus.

Ella’s virus never developed, which I was really relieved about – unfortunately my babysitter and her daughter both caught the flu. So, we kept our plans of keeping Ella home all week and working some crazy hours. I stayed home with her during the day yesterday and today, and at night I left to take care of some projects at work.

Even though I was working at night, it was really nice to be home during the day. And we had really nice days. Nothing spectacular. The usual routine at home is like this:

7:30 – Ella wakes up. I pray that she sleeps another half hour. Sometimes she does.

8:00 – We have breakfast. Ella is starving and acts as if she hasn’t been fed in days in the morning. I cut her up a breakfast bar and get her a cup of milk as fast as I can. Sometimes she’ll eat a banana too. As she is content eating I usually straighten up the kitchen, get my coffee and my own bowl of cereal.

8:30 – Cartoon and couch time. I’ve realized Ella likes to just sit on my lap for awhile in the mornings – and that doesn’t happen much during the rest of the day anymore, so I take advantage of it and turn on a cartoon for awhile and we just watch and wake up a little – usually Curius George or Clifford the Big Red Dog is on.

9:00 – playtime. Ella’s up and at it. She’s running around like it’s her last day on earth and she wants to accomplish as many things as possible. She also usually has a morning snack. She’s pooped in about 30-45 minutes.

9:30 Nap #1. I do things that Ella doesn’t have the patience for – like get dressed, brush my teeth, fix my hair. or I read a book and catch up on a show I’ve Tivoed.

10:30. She’s up from her nap and it’s almost lunchtime. We play then get food around – again, it’s like I’ve never fed her before. She stands at my legs either holding on or raising her arms for me to pick her up.

11:00 EAT!

11:30 I get her dressed. I’ve learned if I don’t get her dressed until after lunch then I won’t be frustrated if lunch gets all over her outfit. Now’s the ideal time to go somewhere. She’s a few hours away from naptime, she’s full, my teeth are brushed. Yesterday we went to Dollar General. Sounds lame doesn’t it? Well, it wasn’t! It’s nice and new and big, and get this, everything there is ONE dollar! I know, you all know this. I just haven’t been there since I had Ella and there are so many kid toys that Ella might lose/break anyway that one dollar seems like the perfect price. I got her a play rake and shovel, a little set of spatulas, a coloring book, two puzzles. Very fun.

1:00 Playtime around the house or outside. Another snack.

2:00 Naptime. Again, I take care of some house things (i.e. lay on the couch. Just kidding. It’s really a mix.)

4:00 Where did the day go? See how that just sneaks up on you?

Anyway, I’ve been thinking it since before she was born and am realizing it more and more all the time. I want to be HOME with her more. I don’t know how it will happen, but I’ve finally decided I am going to make it happen one way or another … not sure if it will be working less, working more from home or not working at all (gasp), but I really do just want to not have to miss out on her for four whole days a week. Even if I do have the best babysitter in the world.