Day in the Life - Summer 2013

Time for another edition of 'Day in the Life' as hosted by Navigating the Mothership.

Sunday 7/28/13
Riley is 3.5 years old

On this day we have guests. Jesse's brother, Rich, and his family (wife- Susee, sons - Mason 14, and Cade 11) arrived from Luxembourg the day before (and are a little jet lagged yet). I'm not sure this was the best day to do a Day in the Life as it didn't reflect a normal day, but it is reflective of what was going on with us at this time so here goes...

12:12 - Per a previous post you may be aware that we've been having trouble with Riley going to sleep. I thought it was getting better, but the last two nights proved me wrong. She usually goes to bed at 7:30, but was up until at least 9:30. I was still able to go to sleep at a decent time, but woke up at 12:12. I went to the bathroom and fell right back to sleep.

2:41 - Wow, up already, but quickly went back to sleep.

4:05 - And again, but this time I blame my wake up on Riley crying out. 

4:58 - Or is this when Riley cried out. I can't remember, but I was up at both times. Jesse went in with Riley for a couple minutes, but she must have fallen back to sleep. I think about putting my eye mask on as I am anticipating the light will wake me up soon, but I am too tired to do so.

6:18 - So this is a typical wake up time, but no child has woken me up. It's the darn light from outside. Cursing that I didn't put the eye mask on earlier. Grab the eye mask and skip the picture of the clock. I never fall back asleep, but I am just grateful to be resting in bed while my kid still sleeps.

7:15 - Riley cries out for me from across the hall and asks me to come sleep with her. Ok. Surprised that she doesn't just want to get out of bed since this is really late for her, but I totally snuggle up in bed with her. Eventually, she gets restless and asks for her flashlight (a tactic to help her go to bed at a decent time). We make shadows on the ceiling for awhile while Lucy the cat joins in with the snuggling.

7:44 - Finally time to get out of bed. Jesse takes Riley downstairs to play with her cousins while I put laundry away and make the bed (which rarely ever gets made, but hey - we have guests over. Might as well make our room look nice even if they never see it. I will know).

My bedside 'stuff'

The stool next to the bed is to help the arthritic cat get into bed where he likes to spend most of his day.

8:00 - I go down stairs to find Riley, Mason and Cade playing a board game, Jesse's playing a video game, and Rich and Susee are still in bed. Eventually, everyone wakes up and we eat Speculoos on bread. Some may know it as Biscoff. It's like biscuit/graham cracker butter. Delish. Just one of the many treats Rich and family brought back from Luxembourg (thank you!).

Candyland!

Running after her cousin

9:15 - Jesse, Mason and Riley head out for a bike ride while everyone else hangs out and gets ready for the day.

10:15 - Rich, Susee, and Cade decide to walk down to Caribou. I decide to generously give them a gift card I have for the place that has about 14 cents on it. I'm giving like that. I do some laundry, wash dishes, and clean up brush from the yard. Exciting life stuff.

10:45 - Jesse, Mason and Riley arrive home and engage in a round of Riley's new squirrel game. Jesse goes to take a shower and I type in a few things about this post because the morning has already been a blur. Not that I've really done anything, but maybe that's why it seems so hard to remember what actually happened. I reflect for a moment on how nice it is to have someone in the other room playing with our kid. It's a nice little break.

11:15 - Jesse feeds Mason and Riley. I head outside after they are done and let them play inside. It was quite hot the week before, but it feels a little like fall today. I sit on the deck with the iPad, but eventually decide to close my eyes and bask in the sun. So peaceful!

11:45 - Rich, Susee and Cade arrive back home. On their way back from Caribou they miss the turn to our house and walk about another mile past our house before they turn around. We all sit outside and watch the kids play with sidewalk chalk and run around pretending to be 'monster's' - Riley's new favorite game.

1:00 - Head out to lunch at Good Day Cafe. Jesse suggested it even though he often gets gut rot eating there. We sit down ready to have some burgers and realize it's breakfast all day long. Jesse and I hate these restaurants. We stay and eat anyway and I have to say my meal was really good. My tomato tastes like it was just picked off the vine and the guacamole was just the right amount of chunky. So good.

2:00 - We debate about taking Riley home for a late nap because she's a little on the pissy side, but we also hope that by skipping a nap she'll zonk out at her bed time - not 2 hours later. We decide to hope for the best and go to Target.

3:00 - My mother in law calls while we are still at Target wondering what's going on. Apparently, someone was supposed to call her earlier but didn't. Oops. We make a plan for dinner later.

3:15 - Back at home, I go outside with the kids while they play in the playhouse and play another game of 'monster'. The boys are starting to get a little worn of this game since it entails them running all over while one of them carries Riley, but they are so great about playing with her. I don't blame them for being a little tired, but am enjoying the downtime I'm getting while they are here.

Eventually, the kids head back into the house to play a board game, and then end up in the basement watching The Lorax. Rich and Susee take a nap, Jesse plays a video game, and I finish up my Photo a Day post for the week.

5:00 - I think about going into the basement to hang with the kids when my in-laws, Suzie and Michael, show up. They decide to take the boys to Rojo Mexican Grill early as they are hungry and they want to reserve a table for us. Riley has a bit of a break down as she doesn't understand why she has to be separated from her 'friends'. She doesn't quite get the concept that we will see each other soon. It's a little heartbreaking to see her go through this. The rest of us hang out a little before heading out. I just have to note that this feels like such a lazy, go with the flow day. I'm not familiar with this feeling. At all.

5:55 - Arrive at the restaurant and decide to get crazy by forgoing my regular Rojo Burger (the best) and getting fish tacos. They are good, but they don't beat the ones I've eaten at the Vellee Deli food truck recently. I also decide to get a margarita which I never do as I usually stick to wine. This apparently is so out of character for me that my husband starts to doubt that he really know me anymore.

Sister-in-laws. Is my head really this huge?

Richie and Jesse with their mommy.

7:07 - Time to go home and hopefully get Riley to bed at a decent time. Once home we explain to Riley that it's bedtime. She's clearly tired, but still fights it. She wants to stay up with her cousins and play more. Again, she's pretty upset and we have to assure her that they are sleeping at our house and will be here when she wakes in the morning. She reluctantly says her good-nights to everyone.

7:45 - Riley continues to fight sleeping while she is upstairs and all I can think about is how distraught this little girl is going to be when her cousins actually leave. She sure does love them. I rub her hair and try to get her to calm down. She won't let me cuddle with her, but I sit on a stool next to her bed. I eventually put my head on the bed and she puts her head right next to mine and starts rubbing my hair. I am frustrated with her constant fighting of sleep lately, but this little moment is so sweet.

8:22 - Riley is finally out and I sneak out of her room with the light on and the door open per her earlier request. I go downstairs and Suzie and Michael have left, Susee is in bed, the boys are in the basement, and Rich is hanging out with Jesse in front of the computer. We talk and just hang out, only interrupted when Mason gets randomly sick, but then he feels better and heads back downstairs.

8:58 - I jump in the shower. I have to work the next day so I get cleaned up now and then play on the computer and iPad for a little bit. I recently added a new game to the iPad (Presidents vs. Aliens) after a co-worker recommended it. It was probably made for 11 year olds, but it's about my speed as far as games go.

9:30 - Head up to bed and set out my clothes for the next day. I sneak into Riley's room and turn off the light hoping I don't wake her (I don't). I play with the iPad a bit more - a habit I should probably break right before bedtime.

10:07 - Lights out.