All Before 10:00 AM

A few weeks ago my friend Sarah and Nicole each posted a blog about what happens in their lives from the time they wake up until 10:00 am. Sarah is a 2nd grade teacher who is a month away from meeting her baby boy, Henry and Nicole is a stay-at-home-mom with 2 toddlers. Since I am blogging every day for a month I thought this would be a great idea for my blog! Since I am a part-time working mom and a part-time stay-at-home mom I thought I would do a morning I stayed home and a morning I worked. Here goes:

Tuesday, April 6 (stay-at-home day)
4:24 am - Wake up. Unable to breathe through my nose it's so stuffed up. Decide to get up to go potty and get a drink of water. My nose feels better while I'm upright, maybe I'll sleep sitting up.

6:22 am - Here Jaxon talking in his crib. Brian says, "Leave him in there. It's too early to get him out. Wait until 7." Sounds good to me, I'm too tired to get out of bed anyway. Go back to sleep.

6:56 am - Jaxon is now yelling, "Daddy. Mama. Are you?" It's Brian's turn to get him. He gets up, changes his diaper and brings him back to our bed.

7:08 am - Wake up suddenly and realize it is Tuesday, Gymboree day! We have to leave at 8:40 am better get up. Not really feeling it. So tired. Should not have stayed up until 11:30 pm last night night.

7:10 - 7:15am - Brush teeth, go potty, put on sweats, carry Jaxon downstairs. Turn on Dinosaur Train.

7:15- 7:35 am - Put dishes away from last night, make scrambled eggs, bacon & toast for breakfast.

7:35 - 7:45 am - Jaxon & I (oh and the animals too) eat very quickly. Thankfully he was very hungry.

7:50 - 8:00 am - Do a quick clean up of Jaxon, the animals, & the kitchen. Leave Brian in charge of Jaxon while I go upstairs to shower.

8:00 - 8:10 am - While showering, Jaxon comes upstairs with a plastic golf club and starts to swing it at the shower door. I yell, "NO! Jaxon put it down." Whew! He listened, but slammed it on the tile instead.

8:10 am - Out of the shower. Asked Jax, "How'd you get up here?" Jax answers, "Tairs." Really? By himself? Where's Brian? Call for Brian. He answers, is downstairs working. So much for him watching Jaxon.

8:10 - 8:20 am - Put Jaxon on the counter, let him play with my hairbrushes, Q-tips, toothbrush, etc. While I put my face on and blow dry my hair. (Don't worry, I stand behind him in case he losses his balance.

8:20 - Smell the all too familiar smell of poop. Ask Jaxon if he pooped. He whispers, "No." Which is my first clue that he did. He tends to lie about that these days.

8:21 am - Mini tantrum #1. Jaxon doesn't want to be carried off the counter.

8:22 am - He calmed down. Put him on the changing table. Mini tantrum #2: He doesn't want me to take off his pajamas. "Ammas on! Ammas on!". Change poopy diaper. EWW!! Dress Jaxon in jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Yes, long sleeve shirt. It is still cold! Mini-tantrum #3. He doesn't want to put on a shirt. "Shut off. No shut!"

8:26 - 8:36 am - Back to the counter to finish getting beautified! Running late!

8:36 - 8:40 am - Throw on some jeans, light sweater & closed-toed shoes. UGH! I'm so tired of sweaters and closed-toed shoes. Try to avoid Jaxon's swinging club. several times.

8:40 am - Head down the stairs. Mini-tantrum #4. Jaxon doesn't want to go downstairs. Give him a choice, "Hold my hand and walk or carry you?" "NO!" Again, "Hold my hand and walk or carry you?" "NO!" Fine. I pick him up and head downstairs. He is kicking and screaming the entire way. Oh, this is going to be a fun day!

8:42 - 8:45 am - Fill sippy cup with water. Put Goldfish in a bowl to go & cereal in a bowl. Grab Jaxon's shoes.

8:45 -8:47 am - Mini-tantrum #5. NO SHOES!" SHOES OFF!" Fine. Not going to fight anymore. I need to take his shoes off once we get to Gymboree anyway. Whisk him off to the car.

8:48 - 8:50 am - Buckle up Jaxon. Hand him his bowl of cereal. Start the car and off we go. 5 minutes late. Crap! Hopefully traffic won't be bad.

8:50 - 9:15 am - Drive across town. Hand Jaxon sippy cup several times. Hand him a book. Sing a few songs. Remind him to be nice at Gymboree. Tell him we aren't going to Frances' house today, going to see Miss Ashley instead.

9:15 - 9:18 am Pull into Gymboree parking lot. 5 minutes late for class. Carry Jax in. Take off my shoes & Jaxon's socks. Write a name tag. Clean hands with Purell. Walk onto Gymboree floor.

9:18 - 9:55 am - Play with balls, scarves, go down the slide, climb up the slide, rock on the rocking horse. Play with the parachute, sing songs, catch and pop bubbles (Jax prefers to catch them with his mouth). Tell him several times to be nice.

9:55 am - Back out in the lobby. Put shoes back on. "Bye Ashey. Bye Ree. Amps Mama." (Bye Ashley. Bye Gymboree. Stamps, Mama) Head out to the car.

9:57 am - Off to Marshalls! I'm on a new mission to find Jaxon some crocs for the summer.

Whew!

Thursday, April 8 (Work day)

6:05 am - Brian's alarm goes off. He has to be in Santa Fe by 7:30 am this means I have to get Jax ready by myself. Stay in bed.

6:05 -6:20 am - Listen to Brian get ready. Try to fall asleep for a bit. I'm not successful. At 6:15 Brian kisses me goodbye.

6:20 - 6:40 am - Brush my teeth, go potty, hop in the shower.

6:40 am - Pass by Jaxon's room. Can hear him talking quietly. He will stay in there for a bit.

6:40 - 7:00 am - Turn on computer to check email, blogs, & Facebook while I do my makeup.

7:00 - 7:05 am - Go downstairs to get dry cereal & a sippy cup of milk for Jaxon. Feed Lucy.

7:05 am - Pass by Jaxon's room again. He is still talking & playing quietly. Perfect!

7:05 - 7:15 am - Blowdry my hair peacefully. How nice.

7:15 - 7:25 am - Get dressed. It's field trip day which means jeans and a purple shirt. All of my purple shirts have a weird spot on them! Man Alive! Thankfully there is one school t-shirt that is free of this weird stain. Maybe I can persuade Brian to buy a new washer? Hmm.. Unlikely!

7:25 - 7:30 am - Go to Jaxon's room. He is happy! YAY! Change his diaper. Put lotion on his face. Mini tantrum #1. !"No Otion! No face! Top it Mama" (No lotion. Not on face. Stop it mama!)

7:30 - 7:32 am - Pick out some clothes for Jaxon. Jeans and a short sleeve polo shirt! YAY! The temperature is going to be in the low 60s and there is no wind!

7:32 - Head to the stairs. (keeping my fingers crossed there is no tantrum). "Tarry oo Mama" Arms up. (carry me mama.) Whew! No tantrum! Juggling Jaxon, clothes, Blue Puppy and a bucket of animals that also has a sippy cup & bowl in it, I walk down the stairs. Lucy is waiting for us. Jaxon says, "Ucy! Hooway Ucy! Ucy funny!

7:34 am - Turn on Dinosaur Train. Jaxon sits nicely on his chair and eats his cereal.

7:34 - 7:45 am - Make my lunch for the field trip. Pour a bowl of cereal for myself.

7:45 am - 7:53 am - sit on the couch to enjoy cereal. Not a minute goes by before Jax is up demanding cereal! "Mama, bite. Bite ereal" Yes, he loves to have bites of my cereal, no matter that he has his own!

7:53 am - 7:55 am - Wash my bowl and Brian's bowl.

7:55 - 8:05 am - Mini tantrum #2. "No ammas. Ammas on!" Yup. He doesn't want his pajamas off again. The boy loves to wear his pjs!

8:05 am - Mini tantrum #3. Try to persuade Jaxon to leave Blue Puppy here. Tell him Puppy can't go to Frances'. He has to stay at home. "NO! Papi!" Fine. Take him with us. We will talk about in the car.

8:05 am - Head out the door. "Bye Ucy. Ater Ucy." (Bye Lucy. See you later Lucy). Get buckled up. Drive to the babysitter's.

8:06 - 8:10 am - Driving to Frances' house. Telling Jaxon that Puppy has to stay in the car. He will keep the car safe today. "No. Papi!" Hmm... not going to be so simple today.

8:10 am - Arrive at Frances' house. Jaxon is still clutching Puppy. Tell him again that puppy has to stay in the car. Jaxon is crying real, fat, sad tears! "Pappppiii. Papppiiii!" Oh it breaks my heart, but Frances wants him to keep puppy at home because another little boy tries to take him from Jaxon. Wrench Puppy from Jaxon's hands and put him in the carseat.

8:11 am - Carry a crying Jaxon into the house.

8:11 - 8:18 am - Jaxon stops crying once he sees his friends. Whew! Chat with Frances for a bit. Give Jaxon a hug and a kiss. He clings to me, "No Mama! No go!" Heart breaking again. "I gotta go buddy. I'll see you later. Have fun with your friends." More crying! Frances picks him up and goes to the kitchen to get him something to eat. Thankfully she feeds the kids breakfast, lunch & snacks!

8:18 am - Crap! No time to go to Starbucks this morning. So bummed. Head to school.

8:18 - 8:25 am - Yes, my commute if VERY long :) Think about what needs to get done in the classroom before the kids come in... permission slips, emergency cards, band aids, wipes, class list & sharpies need to go in my bag. Bucket for lunches need to be put out. Chairs need to be put down. Should I call the dad whose daughter didn't bring the permission back? It's a long distance number. Start to feel guilty. Go over what to say to kids before we leave. Go over rules of bus, behavior, what to expect. (We are going on a tour of the grocery store and the library)

8:25 am - Arrive at school. Take a deep breath. The field trip is going to be fun! The kids WILL behave!

8:26 - Walk into classroom. My assistant and another teacher are in the classroom already. Put my stuff down. Get the things together that need to go in my bag before I forget.

8:28 - 8:50am - Julie (assistant) says she feels bad about the girl with no permission slip. Me too, but too bad. We wrote a note Tuesday and it's been in the newsletter. Music teacher walks in. Starts talking about the upcoming performance we have. I keep checking the clock. Duty today.

8:50 - Crap! 5 minutes for duty! Run (well, not not really.) outside.

8:50 - 8:55 am - Stand near kinder playground, in between the primary building and the intermediate building. Watch kids play and make sure no one is sneaking into the building. Yell at about 5 kids, "Walk in the sidewalk!" Talk to a few parents. Answer questions about the field trip. Listen as a parent tells me his son had a bad morning, got yelled at and a spanking for being naughty. SUPER! Tells me the kids tends to run when he's "pissed" GREAT! Reassure dad that son will be fine with us. It'll be a fun day.

8:55 am - The 1st bell rings. Walk the kids inside.

8:57 am - Julie tells me the little girl with no permission slip says she never got one! Oh dear. Why didn't dad write us a note yesterday or call? Now I feel really guilty. Look for her emergency card, grab an extra permission slip. All the while kids are swarming around me asking me questions about the day. Julie takes over class.

8:59 am I walk to the office to make long distance phone call to dad.

9:00 am - 9:15 am - Can't get ahold of dad. Try a few times. He answers. Reception is TERRIBLE! I can't hear a word he says. I just talk & hope he hears me. Ask if there's a fax number I can send slip too. I vaguely hear. "Call back" Click.

9:15 am - The dad calls back from a landline. Whew! He asks when we leave. 9:45 I say. He will come to the school to sign permission slip.

9:15 am - Walk back to classroom. Kids are working quietly (amazing! I guess they just got yelled at. Not surprised) Notice someone has no idea what their bellwork was about. Take her aside to help her while Julie grades the bellwork with the rest of the class.

9:25 - 9:40 am - Gather kids on carpet. Go over the rules and exactly what to expect on our field trip. Go over the rules AGAIN! This group tends to forget them. Hand out name tags. Line up for a bathroom break. Late again!

9:40 - 9:45 am - At the bathroom. Kids are talking LOUDLY! Run between boys & girls bathroom trying to keep the peace, remind them the rules. Seriously, again??

9:45 am - Walk out to bus bay. The bus is waiting for us. Get on bus. Assign kids a seat. Wait for the other kinder class to get on. Go over bus rules again.

9:48 - 9:57 am - Tell about 8 different kids to turn around, stop yelling, sit on their bottoms, keep their hands in the bus, etc etc.

9:57 am - Drop off the other class at the grocery store. Bus driver takes us to the library, across from store.

10:00 am - Unload kids. Librarian is waiting for us. We head to their program room.

Whew! I'm exhausted!

I honestly thought this was going to be a short, quick post. Oh well. Day 9 down!