On my own

After three weeks of help from Chris and my in-laws, on Monday I was on my own full-time with both kids. So here's a snapshot of 24 hours in the life of running a household and taking care of a toddler and newborn.

Monday, October 31, 2011

3:00 a.m. - Up to feed Soren. Soren had been sleeping in one- to two-hour increments for much of his short life, so I was shocked to look at the clock and realize I'd just gotten 3.5 hours of uniterrupted sleep.
3:45 a.m. - Back to bed. It took Soren longer to eat than usual, but maybe because he'd slept longer leading up to that feeding.
6:00 a.m. - Up again.
6:25 a.m. - Soren surprisingly fell asleep while nursing, which he doesn't typically do at thiat point in the morning. If he wakes up after 5:00 a.m. or so, it typically takes multiple attempts over an hour or hour and a half to get him to go back to sleep. I debated whether to go back to sleep myself, but Oliver was probably going to be up soon, and with both boys asleep, it was a rare opportunity for some peace and quiet. I'd gotten 6.5 hours of sleep, a little more than normal, and had only been roused from my sleep three times, so I considered that good enough. Besides, with the hormones still causing night sweating, I considered a shower a necessity, so I chose that over sleep.
6:50 a.m. - Soren was crying by the time I emerged from the bathroom. Apparently, he'd fooled me into thinking this morning was going to be different and he'd easily go back to sleep. I went into his room to feed him.
7:05 a.m. - Oliver wakes up. Soren had fallen asleep again while nursing, so I took another chance and put him in his crib so I could get Oliver ready for the day.
7:30 a.m. - Breakfast. Oliver had been moderately cooperative about getting ready, but then threw a fit when I wouldn't carry him downstairs. But by the time we got in the kitchen, his mood had changed and I was able to get oatmeal ready for the two of us and then we had a peaceful breakfast together.
7:40 a.m. - Cleaned up from breakfast. Oliver continued to be in a good mood and played semi-independently while I cleaned up the kitchen, which included tackling the mess from dinner the night before.
7:55 a.m. - Soren woke up again, so I fed him and got him dressed for the day.
8:25 a.m. - We played in Oliver's room and I lay Soren on the floor to watch his big brother play and encourage Oliver to read his little brother a book. Everyone co-existed happily until Oliver accidentally knocked a toy into Soren's head and in a nano-second, both boys were screaming. I nursed Soren to calm him down while simulatenaously trying to cuddle with Oliver.
8:35 a.m. - I hauled a basket of laundry down to the basement and threw it in the wash.
8:45 a.m. - We had a playdate at a friend's house, so I packed the diaper bag, bundled Soren up and strapped him into his car seat and prepared to whisk both boys and all our gear out the door. However, Oliver wouldn't come downstairs, let alone put on his shoes or jacket, and melted down into one of the worst tantrums he's capable of. Against doctor's orders, I carried him downstairs and eventually carried him kicking and screaming to the car where I needed to use considerable strength to strap him in. He continued to kick and scream the whole drive. Luckily Soren slept through the whole episode.
9:10 a.m. - I arrived at my friend's house emotionally drained, but was relieved Oliver calmed down when I told him he could have a snack when we got inside. I never thought I'd be one of those parents who bribes her kid with food, but there I was. Oliver was a bit emotionally needy at our friend's house, but with Soren sleeping in his car seat much of the time, I was able to pay more attention to Oliver. He otherwise enjoyed playing with the other kids and the toys and was well-behaved.
10:20 a.m. - Soren woke up from his nap needing to be fed. Then he spit up all over my shirt.
10:45 a.m. - We head home. I debated whether to try to do a "quick" errand on the way home, but since Oliver was in a good mood and had been cooperative about leaving the playdate, I didn't want to push my luck. And honestly, I was lazy. I didn't feel like unloading the double stroller and two kids and then doing it in reverse for something that should have been a five-minute visit. It ended up being a good call. Soren was still asleep when we got home and Oliver played happily and quietly by himself while I finished cleaning the kitchen, put the load of wash in the dryer and prepared our lunches.
11:20 a.m. - Lunch.
11:45 a.m. - Oliver went down a little early for his afternoon nap.
12:25 p.m. - Soren woke up, but I hold him off with a pacifier so I can edit this very blog post.
12:40 p.m. - Fed Soren
1:00 p.m. - Soren was fussy and didn't want to be held or eat anymore, so I swaddled him and hoped he'd nap, but he only doozed on and off for a half an hour.
1:30 p.m. - I heard Oliver cry, so I thought he was awake even if it didn't sound like he was ready to get up.
1:30 p.m. - Soren was wide awake, so I had him do his "tummy time" and played with him.
1:50 p.m. - Fed Soren.
1:55 p.m. - Soren fell soundly asleep in my lap. I was hesitant to move him, because I wanted him to nap, but there was plenty around the house I could be have been doing.
2:35 p.m. - Oliver cried out again and I thought for sure this time he'd be up, but again, it's quiet after a little bit.
3:15 p.m. - Oliver was up for real.
3:25 p.m. - Got Oliver's snack ready and then went upstairs to change his daiper.
3:30 p.m. - Oliver ate his snack while I fed Soren.
4:20 p.m. - Fed Soren again. Chris came home early from work because it was Halloween and Oliver also had swim lesson that night, so Chris was able to entertain Oliver while I tended to an increasingly fussy Soren.
4:45 p.m. - I left the kids home with Chris to run out to buy candy for trick-or-treaters. I came home to a napping Soren.
5:20 p.m. - We had a quick dinner of leftovers and then I got Oliver's bag ready for swim lessons.
5:45 p.m. - I fed Soren as Oliver headed out to swim lessons with his dad and Uncle Andy.
6:10 p.m. - I tried to feed Soren again, but it was clear the source of his fussiness was that he was tired, but I couldn't get him to nap in his crib, bouncy chair or even his car seat.
6:30 p.m. - Oliver came home from swim lessons early and we went trick-or-treating at a few of the neighbors' houses before bedtime.
7:00 p.m. - Tried to feed Oliver again and getting him to sleep is still unsuccessful. I was becoming increasingly frustrated, so Chris took over with the baby soothing and was eventually able to get him to sleep.
8:10 p.m. - Soren woke up from a short nap and finally wanted to eat and not just fuss.
8:30 p.m. - I don't know if Soren wore himself out in the late afternoon/early evening with his fussing and short naps, but he went right to sleep after that last feeding and I was able to transfer him to his crib.
9:30 p.m. - I went to bed.
10:50 p.m. - First middle-of-the-night feeding. His diaper leaked, so I had to change not just his diaper, but his clothes too.