Six Months into Mothering Two: An Ordinary Thursday in Pictures

 

A few weeks ago on the first Thursday of November, I documented our day by posting hourly pictures on Instagram. This is something that the wonderful Laura Tremaine (originally with her blog the Hollywood Housewife) started many years ago, but it’s only my second time participating. It’s lot of fun to look back on past years and see how the ordinary rhythms of life change. I wanted to put the pictures here and describe a little bit of what was happening (my Instagram captions were super brief), and it’s a good glimpse into life with an almost 3 year old and almost 6 month old! Sometimes the pictures don’t have great light or are blurry, but they capture a grainy rawness of our day, with things not put away in the background, or the blur of a toddler zooming by.

 

5 am

 

 

Diaper Change. We’re struggling to get onto the new time, so everyone was really up a bit before 5, but it’s getting a few minutes later every day. Lily wakes up so happy, ready to coo and smile at whoever gets her changed.

 

 

Evan has been a champ taking Jackson, who defies all the advice we get about toddlers and sleep and just doesn’t sleep a lot. So most mornings start with Evan having come into Jackson’s room at some point in the early hours of the day, and hopefully both of them get back to sleep.

 

 

Jackson wakes up snugly and a sweet (or snugly and whiny, depends on the day.) First order of business: potty time.  (Don’t worry I didn’t document any more diaper changes or toddler pottying…but it certainly punctuates our day.)

 

 

He’s still nursing, but if Lily is sad he almost always immediately volunteers to let her nurse.

 

 

We used to spend our days like this, in the nursy chair with the nursing pillow, but now it’s a rare. Usually we are nursing in the bedroom trying for a nap or in the ergo on the go.

 

 

Just this week she’s started to log roll everywhere. We haven’t quite adjusted our rhythms and routines to a newly mobile child.

 

 

 

6 am

 

Then onto making big people food: Spinach, Sausage, Eggs, & Sauerkraut. This morning with special cashew-coconut yogurt.

 

 

We spend a lot of time at meals reading books. This week, Jackson’s been loving this Magic School Bus In the Time of the Dinosaurs book. But we’ve read a lot of Arthur’s Chicken Pox and Arthur’s Birthday as well this week.

 

 

Lily took a quick cat nap in her bouncer. She used to do this most mornings, but it’s rare now. On the one hand it’s great because she’s less fussy getting ready to go out, but…

 

 

…it also means that someone has to stay and bounce her, or she’ll immediately wake up. So here I’m feeding Jackson bites while reading Magic School Bus and bouncing Lily with my foot. Multitasking.

 

 

6: 30 am

 

We said bye to daddy and Lily woke up, so it’s on to getting dressed to go out in the 32 degree November weather. I pull Lily’s bouncer into the hallway, and Jackson likes to check on her and give her little bounces.

 

 

Then it’s putting on lots of layers. One child always cries during this, sometimes both.

 

 

And a chase ensues.

 

 

Then we get ready for the day “like Kenny Bear” — brush teeth and wash face. Lily is entertained.

 

 

Jackson’s getting better at having us put gloves on together, but man it used to be so frustrating to try and get each finger in the right slot. Also, after spending a few mornings searching for those tiny gloves, I ordered a bunch of cheap black ones.

 

 

After Jackson’s ready, he climbs up into the stroller and plays with his tools.

 

 

Then I quickly finish getting ready, shoes and ergo carrier on, so that I minimize the amount of time Lily is all bundled and very sad about it.

 

 

She starts out fairly happy (she did have that mini nap) as we get her wool socks on.

 

 

She even holds it together for the foot and hand mittens.

 

 

but she hates getting her hands in the bunting.

 

 

Once she’s in the ergo though, a couple of bounces and she’s smiling at the beautiful baby in the bathroom mirror.

 

 

We make sure the stroller is packed with a wet bag with diapers and changes of clothes, the travel potty, water bottles, tissues, and lip balm and we’re ready to go.

 

 

7: 30 am

Lily is zipped into an old fleece of Evan’s, back from when skinny high school boys got XXL sweat shirts. It’s not glamorous but it keeps Lily toasty. Underneath, I’m wearing a merino wool sweater and a down vest.

 

 

Lily falls asleep after a couple blocks.

 

 

We walk by the library, but it hasn’t opened yet.

 

 

About 2 miles into the walk, I need to use the bathroom. Up until last week, there was a park bathroom opened, but now I have to stop in coffee shops (or the woods).

 

 

9 am

 

Lily woke up mid-Starbucks potty stop. But she isn’t too sad. We take a picture of what I think might be poke berries…but I don’t really know (elderberries? some sort of dark berry)

 

 

About 10 minutes later, Lily isn’t happy being awake in the carrier, so she rides in the stroller and Jackson walks.

 

 

He also really wants to give her a kiss, but can only reach her mitten hand.

 

 

After kissing his sister, he takes off at a run.

 

 

Jackson burns off some energy and then stops for some nature observations. First: Ginkgo leaves.

 

 

Then a tree trunk with a stick.

 

 

Then he decides he wants to be carried in the ergo. So I take off my layers and turn the ergo around to back carry.

 

 

This morning, toddler dreams come true we get to watch a train, by a bridge, over a full rushing river, while we push the button to wait for the light to change.

 

 

We make pretty good time with Jackson in the carrier and Lily riding.

 

 

Lily fusses, so Jackson gets down and runs. I put her back in the carrier for another nap.

 

 

10:30 am

 

We make it to the park! It’s only 1.5 miles from our house, but we took a very long 5 mile route to get there following the river.

 

 

Jackson loves the butterfly these days. And the slides.

 

 

But of course the best parts of the park are the trees,

 

 

rocks, sticks, grass, wood chips, and hills.

 

 

10:45 am

 

We get a text from our very favorite park friends who live across the street from the park that they’ll be over in a minute.

 

 

The joyful reunion with friends.

 

 

And I make sure we grab a picture of us and our baby girls.

 

 

We let the boys romp around for a while, and then we stop by their house to use the potty before heading home for lunch. Seeing them is easily one of the best parts of our day, and Jackson will talk about it for the rest of the day.

 

 

We have the best friends.

 

 

And we’re especially grateful for the early and safe entrance of Lily’s newest friend!

 

 

11:30 am

 

The trip back is shorter. But we stop to see the flooded river.

 

 

…the ducks…

 

 

…and be attacked by burrs. They’re not sharp at all, but Jackson is not buying my assurances that they don’t hurt.

 

 

Lily starts out wanting to face out and take in the view…

 

 

…but pretty soon she’s out for another short nap.

 

 

Jackson opens the door for us to bring our huge stroller inside.

 

 

12:30 pm

 

And thus begins the process of putting everything away, starting to cook brussel sprouts for lunch, and taking a shower.

 

 

Jackson is very jazzed about his red bathrobe (from his godbrother) and Lily is content for a few minutes to watch him play legos while I make lunch.

 

 

Today’s lunch is a little special because we have ripe pears instead of apples.

 

 

Evan makes the salmon salad up in the morning, so it’s just chopping up fruit and veggies at lunch.

 

 

Washing hands for lunch.

 

 

1 pm

 

Lily is usually fairly content to be playing in the baby gym during lunch time. And Jackson probably eats lunch the best (ie more independently and quickly) than other meals.

 

 

I put all my fixings– pears, salmon, brussel sprouts, avocados–on a bed of greens.

 

 

Lily decides she’s done with the floor and amuses herself with my house key while I take her picture.

 

 

Jackson finishes his lunch and asks for a “snack.” I ask him what kind, and he replies “green banyan.” “Ba-nan-a?” I repeat. “Ba-nan-a” he echos my emphasis. Banana is one of his words, like yellow (“lellow”) that he usually still uses his baby pronunciation for, but can be coaxed into saying it in standard English. I am both proud of his new ability to say most things correctly, and kind of will miss “lellow banyans.” Also he loves to peel the banana by himself (I start it) using his toddler butter knife (often with me at his request) to cut it into pieces.

 

 

1:30 pm

 

Then banana eaten, it’s off to naptime. Over the summer I couldn’t imagine how I’d get him down while having Lily to handle, but honestly 99% of the time it’s been super easy. Lily bounces in her bouncer in Jackson’s room, usually with this blue knit blanket she’s nuts about trying to eat, Jackson nurses and I sing 2 or 3 songs (Teddy Bears Picnic, She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, I Love You Lord, or Amazing Grace) and put him down about a minute after he closes his eyes. I put a quilt over him and leave, he’s not completely asleep, but drifts off pretty much immediately.

 

 

Next, I take Lily in the bouncer and the nursing pillow out into the hall and close Jackson’s door. Then it’s off to my room to put Lily down for a nap. This usually takes about 15 minutes of nursing her and either she’ll decide to be up with me for 30 minutes, or like on this day, she’s out.

 

 

(Not pictured, I clean up the kitchen, start laundry and the dishwasher.)

 

2:30 pm

 

I take some pictures for an upcoming post about packing a hospital birth bag.

 

 

I’m taking pictures of my birth binder, and thus I have to clean off my standing desk and the surrounding area.

 

 

Inside the binder, with newborn baby footprints.

 

 

2:45 pm

 

I snap this picture and announce to Instagram that it “a little writing time” … and as I push publish, Lily starts to cry.

 

 

She can’t be nursed back down, so we’re up!

 

 

She’s getting so on the move these days, and loves her basket full of toys. I finish up a few things holding her at the computer and then we play and take some selfies.

 

 

 

3:45 pm

Jackson wakes up. We nurse and read a book and then he requests to “water paint.” This is a $10 calligraphy practice mat and brush that turns black when wet and dries quickly. The mat’s showing a bit of wear (and it has a super weird texture on the back), but I love how easy it is.

 

 

Jackson loves to make the whole thing sopping wet.

 

 

4:15 pm

 

While Jackson paints, I put Lily in the ergo and make dinner. 90% of the time dinner is broccoli and sweet potatoes and some sort of meat. We’ve been cooking our meat up on the weekends– usually beef stir fry (sometimes with more veggies, often just ground beef and penzey’s herbes de provence, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt). So then during the week nights I just have to microwave frozen broccoli and sweet potatoes. Usually we cook 2 lbs of frozen broccoli in the microwave for a half hour in an uncovered glass pie dish with a table spoon or so of olive oil (butter would also work), and then when it’s done add a 1.5 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and 1.5 teaspoons of garlic and onion powder, and sprinkle with salt. We usually eat nearly all 2 lbs of it. It’s so good.

 

 

Then I cook the sweet potatoes. Usually I just poke them and stick them in the microwave whole, but tonight I sliced them up. I cook about 3 medium sized sweet potatoes with a tablespoon of coconut oil on a plate with another plate covering it, for about 15 minutes. Usually I check (ie touch them as see how soft they are) them, and they need to be turned over and cooked a few minutes more.

 

5 pm

 

Daddy’s home! Evan gets home early on Thursdays, and we’ve found the earlier the better in terms of getting Jackson to eat. I’m having a glass of fizzy water with lemon and Jackson definitely wants some.

 

 

After dinner, I get to choose between cleaning up or playing with the babies. I choose cleaning, and Evan holds the baby.

 

 

And sweet Jackson ducks in for a kiss because Lily is just so cute.

 

 

Done with dinner cleanup and time for an attempt at a family selfie.

 

 

Someday, all four of us will smile at the camera at the same time.

 

 

6 pm

 

We recently switched our nighttime routine to reduce screen time (sorry Rick Steves & Mr. Rogers) to try and get Jackson more sleep (A perennial goal). We’re listening to an audiobook (Harry Potter #3) and playing on the floor with magformers.

 

 

Honestly watching TV and eating mango sorbet is easier…but we’re hoping that the extra toddler sleep is worth it. Lily is more and more interested in Jackson’s toys, which Jackson equal parts loves and finds exasperating.  Daddy holds Lily while Jackson has his night nurse.

 

 

A bit before 7 Lily tanks. She’s not fully on the new time. So after I take my magnesium, do my netty pot, floss and brush my teeth…it’s off to bed.

 

 

 

7 pm

 

I give Jackson a hug and he’s crazy and won’t stay still for a in focus picture in the dim light.

 

It’s more of a twirling hug.

 

 

Evan’s in charge of Jackson’s bedtime routine: brushing teeth, jammies, stories, and sitting in his room until he’s asleep. I go to sleep when Lily’s down, tonight around 7:30. We often are calling a quick “Love You!” from across the house. It’s not the a season of marriage with lots of time and romance, but we’ve found that if we get enough sleep, we can be kind to each other and see the little kid season as intense, but sweet and short lived.

 

 

Overall we had a pretty good and typical day. The hardest bits of it are my lack of writing time and Evan time. And as it gets colder and colder, my walks will get shorter. Over the summer we had a great routine of doing morning prayer and Bible stories over breakfast, but it’s gotten squeezed out in the Fall. Hopefully, Advent will bring back the family devotions, and I need to make a routine of doing a quick morning prayer somewhere in our morning.

 

Hope you enjoyed tagging along on our day! And consider joining in the temporary over-sharing on instagram next November!