Clicking

I woke up this morning with a slight headache that was made much worse by the Princess screaming and crying because I wasn't holding her hand down the stairs. Of course I was supposed to guess that she wanted me to hold her hand. We had plans to go to an art museum across the river so I really didn't want to start the day on the wrong foot, but alas, she did not cooperate. We managed to leave the house on time, then I drove past the 1 way road I was supposed to take and had to navigate other 1 way roads to get back. So we wound up 10 minutes late. Not that it really mattered since the art museum was kind of a bust. It was nice to see our friends, but the entire time we were there there was a staff member following us so she wouldn't miss an opportunity to say "Don't touch that!". Apparently the signs with the text explaining what the exhibit is was just as valuable as the actual exhibit. Whatevs. We found the playroom and the kids at least got a chance to release some energy there. I was venting about everything I had to get done today, or wanted to get done, because I had "lost" a day yesterday. We had an awesome time at a state park halfway between here and LI and met my family there. But it meant that I didn't get my article written yesterday and I had really wanted to get a 4th run in today. And my house was a mess. I was lamenting that something was going to have to go today. Not really complaining, just lamenting. 

We got home early, made lunch, I did the lunch dishes as the kids were still finishing up, and then got them all upstairs earlier than usual because Chewie was tired. She fell asleep around 1, I read to the other two and almost fell asleep myself. When I got back downstairs I started working on my article. I got it done relatively quickly and heard... silence. Chewie was still asleep. There were no loud dangerous noises from upstairs. It was almost 2:30 and I didn't know how much time I had left. It had been a couple of hours since I had eaten which is not ideal running conditions for me. I think I really do have a fast metabolism. I need to eat constantly. But I needed to try to get a run in... I couldn't let this opportunity pass! I had a spoonful of peanut butter while I restarted my iPod (I have to restart it before each run in order to hear the Nike+ voice feedback) and then a banana while I tried to find something to wear. All of my running clothes were in the washing machine. Well, not all, but I wasn't wearing pants even if I do have air conditioning. The good thing about a treadmill in your house though is that no one sees what you are wearing. I mostly wear just sports bras and I found an old one, and then I grabbed a pair of "shorts" that are really some kind of boxers but did the job. I got my shoes, grabbed my "strong running mama" bracelet that I always run with, and headed downstairs. I had been trying to run 3 miles each time (or run/walk it) but that was eating up so much of my free time... so I decided to cut down on my miles but run more often. Which is why I really wanted to get my 4th run in (the run I did at the park to get clean underwear for the peeing Princess didn't count.). I've been aiming for 2 miles this week, but it was so late when I started out today that I figured I would just do a mile and be happy with it. Since I was just doing a mile I thought I'd try to push it a little and really make it a good one. I got it done in 9:29 which was really good for me. 

I couldn't believe that I got to write an article AND run during the same nap/quiet time! But wait, there's more! 

I showered, including shaving my legs! I got the clothes from the dryer and put more in the wash. My article was the most popular one on the website for a short amount of time. By then it was 3:30 and that's when quiet time is over. Chewie woke up, SkyWalker came downstairs and told me that the Princess had fallen asleep! Great Odin's Beard! The Princess had fallen asleep! Unfortunately Chewie had just woken her up and the Princess was now crying about... something. We had snack, I did some online research into DVD recorders, and then I put them all in the pack n play and trained the dogs. I've been having problems, particularly with Isaac, getting the dogs to listen. It's not enough that I have to constantly tweak my parenting skills with my damn kids, now I have to work on the dogs too. There was a time when I didn't even have to use words. I made hand motions and Isaac just did what he had to do. But that time is long gone. In an effort to reassert my authority, since I'm the one that's home with them most often, I'm going back to the beginning and spending a little time each day "training." By training I mean telling them to sit or lay down or stay and giving them treats. Isaac did really well, better than Haze even, and Haze is usually my good listener. After I did all the treats I did one more command and then I brushed each of them. We don't really do that because they don't have an awful lot of hair, despite how much is all over my house. And then while the kids were still in the pack n play I swept! Without babies crawling in the dirt! It was awesome. 

SkyWalker had made a big mess in his room during his quiet time and I was expecting problems but while I was "making" dinner (Fridays are frozen pizza and salad) he went upstairs and cleaned it up! And the Princess's room! They went a little nuts during dinner, but I can't really blame them. It's hard to tow the line all day long. You've got to let out your inner crazy at some point. 

It was one of those days when everything just clicked into place. I had been anticipating not being able to get anything done and instead I got everything done. (Well, okay, not everything. My bathroom is still disgusting & I have to pay bills, but the important things were done today!)

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Two days? In a row?

That's not possible. We've had two really good days in a row. Shocking. Today was a stay home day, which can always go either way. Either I get a lot done, but the kids are whiny, or the kids are fine but I get nothing done. I think the difference today is that I've stopped trying to get A LOT done. Yesterday my goal was to get on the treadmill and I made it happen. Today my goal was to write an article. Since we were home I was able to get Chewie down for a morning nap. And because she woke up at 6:30 (she cooed in her crib for an hour until I got her at 7:30) she went down for that nap pretty easily. The Princess played with her lego people and entertained herself and I actually got an article written before 11 am! Madness! I played a game with the Princess, fed Chewie, we all had lunch, and then because I had gotten my one goal done, instead of putting the girls upstairs immediately after lunch so I could run around like a maniac, I took them outside and we enjoyed some "warm" spring-like weather. When we got back inside I got them down for naps. I only had a little bit of time before I needed to get SkyWalker, but it was okay. And once again, the Princess fell asleep after SkyWalker got home. And stayed asleep until almost 5:30! SkyWalker and I did some work on my next preschool playdate and did his homework and it was a relaxing afternoon. 

I always have such long lists of things I need to get done. There are the daily things like laundry and dishes and cooking and feeding children. But then I have other things I'm always working on--preschool playdates and articles and special projects. I try to get everything done at once and then I wind up getting stressed out because I haven't written anything or I have a flannelboard to cut out. I think focusing on getting just one thing done a day and accepting that the girls are going to nap later so I'm going to have to find other time to get that one thing done, will really help me in getting more done. 

Right now my goal is watching Lost in 7 minutes.

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Planets

This was going to be a post about how hard it is to balance everything and how DGPMs* need time off too and when Dads disappear and nap while you're running around trying to cook and clean for THEM it's really annoying. 

But this turned out to be a really good day.**

I've been beating myself up about getting up at 6:30... today I bit the bullet and got up at 5:30. I showered. I had time to myself. When I got Chewie up at 7:30 I was relaxed and ready to face the day. We got to the library on time, saw great friends, the Princess left my lap and played. She cried leaving the library because we didn't get a new book, but I kept my cool and it was over before we left the parking lot. She cried when we got home because of something so ridiculous I can't even remember but once again I just ignored her and it stopped. Chewie went down for her nap later than I liked. The Princess was still awake and playing in their room but luckily Chewie slept. I brushed the dogs and paid attention to them and had no time at all to use the treadmill before I had to get SkyWalker off the bus. When we walked in the house the Princess was still awake and I thought I was screwed. But a miracle happened. SkyWalker and I went downstairs, I got on the treadmill, he got on the computer, and the girls both slept! I managed 25 minutes on the treadmill which was unbelievable. SkyWalker did tell me to "slow it up" because he couldn't hear Mr. Rogers on the computer very well. But it was almost surreal how things worked out. I was all done when Chewie woke up, the Princess slept a little longer so I was done feeding Chewie when she did wake up and didn't have to deal with her whining because I couldn't get her right away. We had a good dinner and bedtime and everything was okay. 

I'm always joking that the planets have to be aligned for things to work out but today I think I aligned them myself. I took everything in stride and just made what I had work. I've been trying to get the girls to nap before SkyWalker gets home and use the treadmill then, but it's not working anymore. But he seems to be much less needy now than he was when he first started school. He didn't need me to pay immediate attention to him. He had a snack and was fine using the computer while I was on the treadmill. I didn't have to worry about cutting it short because I had to race to get him off the bus. It was so much less stressful I was able to jog and just not worry.

I've been trying to squeeze too much into my nap times and then when I don't get a nap time I get nothing done and I get cranky. I really REALLY need to get up wicked early and start my day off with the right frame of mind and then use my nap times as a bonus. If I'm not worrying about what I'm going to do during nap time I won't feel so pressured to get the girls sleeping before SkyWalker gets home.  

And now, because I was up at 5:30 I am falling asleep at 9:30. PERFECT.

*What? You don't remember what DGPM is? You suck.

*Although it was a really good day in our universe, a friend had something really rotten happen today and as happy as I was with all of us, it was tinged with a sadness for her loss. It was a very very sad day for her.

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So far so good

So far today has been wonderful. (With the exception of right now when my son is whining instead of taking his nap. But he's not screaming and crying and he's only whining occassionally and I think playing when he stops saying Mommy.)

I did not get up at 5, but that was okay because today is not a step day. My ultimate goal is to get up at 5 everyday no matter what, pump at 5, exercise at 5:30, shower at 6, clean at 6:30 and feed the Princess at 7. Step aerobics 3 days a week and alternate with weight lifting. I haven't started the weight lifting yet. Anyway, I digress. I did get up early enough to pump and shower before 7. SkyWalker must have been already awake (possibly while I was in the shower) and gotten his grumpies out because when I went up there at 7 he was quite pleasant. He laid down in the twin bed in the Princess's room while I fed her. He peed on the potty and put his underwear on himself. I did have a bit of a battle getting his clothes on but  instead of yelling or getting frustrated I just told him I was ready to go downstairs and he could get dressed and come down when he wanted to. I then left the room and he started freaking out and wanted to get dressed. We headed downstairs and had breakfast and instead of getting online like I usually do, I PAID ATTENTION TO MY KID. What a simple and yet mystifying idea. He behaved so much better during breakfast. Immediately after breakfast instead of doing the dishes like I usually do, we went outside and played on the swingset. We had a good hour out there and there was no whining when it was time to come in.

It was now time for the Princess's second feeding. I relaxed my rules a little bit (I can see that smirk The Nice Librarian), and we had brunch on the couch. He had toast (on a monkey tray) and I had waffles as I fed the Princess. We also watched Caillou, his new favorite show. We played a little bit upstairs when we were done and the Princess went down for her second nap of the day. SkyWalker and I went outside again, wicked hot, and he didn't complain too much when it was time to come in. I fed the Princess again while we all sat on the couch and watched another episode of Caillou. Then SkyWalker and I had lunch and headed upstairs to put the Princess down for her next nap. She stayed awake longer than expected even though she was tired. It took a lot of shushing and patting before she finally coaxed herself to sleep. SkyWalker and I read books in his his room, our usual pre-nap routine, but this time we also snuggled on the twin bed in his room. Then we snuggled in his bed. And the little bastard should be napping but is instead saying "Mommy, I want to pee on potty". He's peed plenty. This is progress however because he is in his room and not screaming.

Anyway, it has been wonderful because he has been a good boy and not a wild child trying to get my attention. I have not yelled (except at the dogs). While we were swinging I told him we were having a good day and he was being a good boy. He said "I cry." I said "I don' t think so. You didn't cry today." And he said "I happy! Happy face!". Which just hit home for me. The dishes can wait, laundry can wait, online can wait. I need to pay attention to him FIRST and then he won't feel the need to be a crazy boy. If he would only nap or at least rest a little bit...

I hope the rest of the day goes as well. The Princess has been awake more and falling asleep on her own. We always have problems in the evening and at bedtime so I'm trying something new tonight. I hope tomorrow morning I can say that it was truly a wonderful day and that everything worked as planned.

The Princess needs to be fed soon and SkyWalker has yet to fall asleep. I think I'll have to get him before he wakes her up prematurely and our fussy "evening" begins. "I need to pee on potty." How dramatic. He just peed. He doesn't need to pee again. He can hold it for hours. Oh crikey, now the other one is making noise. Hopefully she will soothe herself and not be bothered by his nonsense.

Break time is over...
  

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