Mill City Mama

To preface this post, let me put out there that this is NOT the day I will win any mother-of-the-year awards. Not at all. 

Today’s Stats:
8 Poopy diapers
3 Bandaids used
1 Bandaid vanished
2 Cups of coffee for Mama

6:45 am:  Tom and I wake up (this is early for me…trying to turn over a new leaf) and we compare Ada notes from last night. Apparently, Ada didn’t wake up at all last night. In fact, she moved 180 degrees and flipped onto her belly throughout the wee hours, traveling with her pacifier. This is revolutionary! Tom takes Scout outside, I sit on the couch drinking some coffee and catching up on blog reading while my husband makes me breakfast (thanks, Tom!).

7:30 am:  Just as I’m saying how nice it is to have some time to myself in the morning, I hear Ada stirring on the monitor. Tom goes into our bedroom to get her and change her first poopy diaper of the day, and I breastfeed her.

8 am:  Ada plays on the floor while I wash dishes, including the pot I burned dinner in last night. She’s working on crawling, able to rock on all fours and move a knee and/or a hand forward.

I remember that I need to cut her fingernails, so I attempt to hold her still and distract her with toys to clip those little daggers. Bad Mama Move #1:  Of course, during one big wiggle I cut her thumb and race to get a bandaid. ”Hm…what’s this? Looks tasty.” Promptly replace bandaid twice more after retrieving the used ones from Ada’s mouth.

8:40 am:  We sit down for Ada’s breakfast. I’ve made her some quinoa flakes and mix in pureed mango and the coconut yogurt I’ve mentioned before.

Bad Mama Move #2:  I didn’t check how hot her breakfast was. Poor Ada freaked and I tried to get it out of her mouth, but she swallowed it too quickly. I shove her sippy cup in her face and run to get more yogurt to cool down her mouth. Lucky for me, she recovered quickly.

So, we’re sitting there, I’m doing some work on the computer, Ada’s messing around and…Bad Mama Move #3:  I notice her bandaid is missing. I crazily search her clothing, her mouth, her highchair, the floor, Scout’s beard…nothing. Nada. O. M. G. Go to change Ada’s clothes quickly to see if it’s on her body, magically hidden in her diaper, in her hair. Nope. Run back out to search the highchair better. Nope. O. M. G.

Call Tom freaking out. He says to call my dad, who is a doctor. Dad says she would’ve choked or vomited already if it was a problem, and that it’ll just break down in her stomach if she did, in fact, swallow it. Great…I make a huge effort to feed my child organic, wholesome, gluten-, dairy-, and meat-free foods, and she goes and swallows an effing bandaid.

9:30 am:  We do our nap routine, which consists of diaper change, read a book, put on her sleep sack, sing, and place her into her crib in our room with her pacifier. I change our sheets while Ada rolls, rocks, and babbles in her crib. A little before 10, she’s out. I take this opportunity to fit in a quick workout (Jillian Michaels’ “30 Day Shred”).

10:40 am:  As I’m stretching post-workout and getting ready to head into the shower to wash my hair, Ada starts making noise on the monitor. I mutter some swear words under my breath; she usually naps until 11:30! I go in and get her to change her diaper (poopy diaper is what woke her up early…ever since she’s started solid food, those #2′s really irritate her). I put her back in her crib with some toys so that I can shower.

I breastfeed Ada when I’m done showering and put her outside the bathroom door while I blow dry my hair. She rolls around and I change her diaper 3 times in this process…all dirty (geez louise).

12 pm:  Time to go outside with Scout! It had been snowing all morning but by noon had let up and the sun was shining. We bundle and head down the elevator.

Okay, it’s ridiculously cold out now. We do a fast-paced loop on an island on the Mississippi and get inside before our noses freeze off. It is nice to catch some sun, though.

12:45 pm:  Back inside to start some lunch. Ada has a mish-mash for lunch:  Squash, pear, rice crackers, some leftover minestrone, and some of my green smoothie. Scout goes for the forgotten food in Ada’s lap.

1:30 pm:  Naptime routine. Ada falls asleep by 2 pm, and I take this time to finish my green smoothie and watch “House Hunters” in the Bahamas. I daydream about what it would be like to live in the Bahamas…

2:40 pm:  No way do I hear Ada wake up! She’s up, not happy, and I take one second to clean up a couple of things in the kitchen before getting her. She breastfeeds. Ada plays on the floor while I make up cilantro pesto for tonight’s dinner. She’s desperately trying to crawl and gets very frustrated, so I chirp tons of encouragement from the kitchen. I join her on the floor for some play time and drink tea.

4 pm:  We head back outside with Scout since Tom won’t be home until late this evening (he usually goes for a walk with Scout and Ada when he gets home). Ada is not thrilled to be in her snowsuit once more. Scout does his business, and we go visit the ladies in our condo management office for some dog treats.

We return, and I start making some food for Ada as she plays in the living room. She’s not happy today. In fact, I think I see one of her top teeth coming in. I wrap her on my back in order to get some more stuff done. We cook, clean, and do laundry.

6 pm:  Dinner time! Ada eats puffs, green peas, roasted sweet potato, and applesauce for dinner. I love watching her pick up each pea individually.

7 pm:  Dad is home and all is right in Ada’s world (and Scout’s…he’s been lying near the door). Ada and Tom head to the bath and I clean up her dinner and get our dinner ready. At 7:45, I breastfeed Ada to sleep, and Tom and I enjoy some wine, dinner, and “This Old House” (my favorite show since I was 10).