7 am- wake up to crying baby. Change diaper, feed, and let him play until brother wakes up around 8. Make toddler breakfast (which will probably end up on the ground or in his lap), change another diaper, try to find time to make breakfast for myself, end up feeding whatever I made for myself to toddler, say goodbye to husband who's off to work. Entertain toddler with whatever works for that day (some days it's bubbles and some days his toys work just fine). Make a bottle and put that baby down for a nap.
When you finally get the baby back to sleep, the toddler grabs your hand and begs you to come play with him. By now, you're hungry and it's time to eat, so you turn on some type of cartoon in hopes he'll be distracted for 5-10 minutes while you shove a cheese stick in your mouth. It's now about 11 and you haven't even looked in the mirror. Toddler starts to throw a tantrum right as the baby wakes up. Change more diapers, start to prepare food for lunch, which most of, again, will probably end up on the ground. Set the baby down with some toys and feed the toddler lunch. When he's finished you try to bribe him to take a nap- it usually doesn't take much convincing when he gets his binky. Baby starts to cry so you play with him until he's tired again. Feed him a bottle and put him down.
It's now almost 1 and you FINALLY have some time to yourself. There's a couple things you can do now. Clean, eat, get ready? But what do we usually do? Nothing. Lay down on the couch and literally do nothing. Not even sleep. Genius. 3 rolls around and we realize the kids are going to wake up soon and we've literally done nothing for 2 hours. We get up, wash our face and clean up the 10 toys laying around on the ground. Eat a quick lunch and right when we really start to feel motivated- BOOM- both kids magically wake up!
This is the time of the day where I might even put on pants and take the kids outside. By 6, it's time to take them inside and get ready for dinner. Dinner?! Why haven't I thought about this all day? I literally had all day. Okay, mac and cheese is easy, lets go with that. Change more diapers, feed more kids, play with them. Time for baths and jammies- let's throw in a couple meltdowns from the toddler because I made him get out of the water or simply because he's a toddler. Get the toddler in his bed, say prayers, and give kisses. Make the baby a bottle, and swaddle him to sleep. After about an hour, the baby falls asleep.
Its now 9 pm and you finally find energy to clean up the kitchen and living room and maybe put that laundry away.
It's not easy. Everyone knows it's not easy. It's the hardest job in the world because it never stops. The description above is just a typical day- and definitely different for everyone. It's rewarding in the most emotional way.
Happy mother's day.
