A'Dell Stevens

Here is what I’ve done today:

Nursed the baby. Napped the baby.

Fed Claire breakfast. Made myself a latte. Stuck Claire in the shower. Did her hair, which is kind of A Big Deal since it’s high maintenance curly. Showered myself. Dried my hair. Put on makeup. Put on An Actual Outfit, which included my new Hunter rain boots, which my MIL gave me for my birthday. (Remember that spectacularly awful birthday I just had? Where I had to leave the hospital, but my baby STAYED BEHIND? Ughhhh.) The forecast says it’s going to rain, so this is exciting that I get to wear them for the first time.

Made my bed. Woke Charlotte up, since it was 830 and she was still in bed and it was time to leave the house. Dressed Charlotte over her repeated cries of NO NO NO NOOOOO. Collected purse, phone, etc, shoved all into car, drove to preschool. Managed to keep baby’s binky out of Charlotte’s filthy paws for the entire drive. Told Claire it was OKAY, REALLY IT IS OKAY that she is not sitting next to baby brother in the new three-across arrangement in the back seat.

Took three children into preschool. Claire pushed the stroller, I steered it from the front while holding Charlotte’s hoppy-skippy hand so she wouldn’t bolt into the parking lot. Preston cried the entire time. We had to go in the front door (the long way) because I decided to do the stroller instead of carrying the baby down two large flights of concrete stairs while simultaneously supervising Charlotte on the dangerous stairs and it took FOREVER.

Dropped Claire off. (We were late.) Walked away. Claire bolted out of classroom in tears saying, I DID NOT GET MY HUG! (She never wants a hug.) Repeated preschool to parking lot to car process in reverse with one less child.

Told Charlotte repeatedly to not sit in Claire’s carseat, had to finally twist around and physically place her in her carseat, which was not the easiest thing in the world to do. Buckled middle child up. Baby cried the entire time. Drove home a semi-sweaty frustrated mess because it is actually NOT raining and my legs are sweaty in these stupid rain boots and they’re a little big, but I don’t think I can go down a size so I need thicker socks and AH MAH GAH I JUST WANT TO PUT MY PAJAMAS BACK ON. Decide there is no way in hell I am going to Walmart. Home! Home! WE MUST RETREAT HOME!

Nursed baby. Gave middle child iPad on sofa. Changed two diapers. Napped baby.

Cleaned my bathroom (but not the shower, because haaaaaa that’s a rather involved job, so NO). Started a load of laundry. Folded and put away the load from last night. Cleaned up the breakfast dishes. (Which really means “moved dishes from table to sink, to give illusion of clean kitchen if you only look at the table.”) Swept kitchen floor because I didn’t feel like listening to Roomba and really, it was a spectacular mess after I let Charlotte eat a cereal bar in there by herself while I fed the baby. Napped Charlotte.

Hey, I’m thirsty! That is because it is 11 am and I have not had any water today. Huh. Way to take care of myself! Fill hospital cup with water. Sit down for ten minutes. Write this to make myself feel better about my morning, because even though I’m TIRED and if feels like all I did was ferry some children across town and back, it does appear that I have DONE THINGS.

(Am feeling smug for a moment.)

(Aaaaand not any more because it appears the baby is awake. Dammit.)