Life as a stay at home is truly a joy, most days. As we are preparing ourselves, our house, and Blessing for a new baby to arrive, I have been doing my best to thoroughly enjoy every little thing about Blessing. I try to take in all that she is - from the happy days to the grumpy days. Some days it sure is harder than others, especially with Old Winter still hanging around and not being able to get outside. However, it is so worth it! I would not trade anything in the world to have somebody else raising my kid as I work outside the home full time. The way I look at it - I work part-time outside of the home as a teacher and Pampered Chef consultant, and full-time in the home as a mommy and a wife. I still try to find time for myself in the midst of all the chaos!
So, here starts the journey of a day with a toddler! It is every day for me - some days just look a little different!
Blessing has been waking up around 6:30 am. I hear her talking away in her crib most mornings, some mornings crying or screaming for mommy or daddy. So, I wearily climb out of bed, making sure I am awake enough and not light-headed to make the trip to her bedroom. I open up the door and she immediately says "good morning mommy." That is enough for me to open up my eyes wide! Where in the world did she come up with this? Probably from us always telling her good morning! It brings a smile to my face and prepares me for the day. We then head downstairs and take our vitamins followed by a change of diaper. Sometimes this change of diaper is met with resistance, ok, most times it is met with resistance. She either wants to stay dressed or be completely naked - nothing usually inbetween. After the diaper change comes a little bit of playtime. This allows both mommy and daddy to wake up a little more and allow our bodies to start functioning. Once we play, then it is breakfast time. This usually starts by one of us asking Blessing if she is hungry, and usually ends with her repeating "hungee" and running to her chair at the table. We eat and then clean-up. This is followed by more playtime as daddy is getting ready for work. Daddy leaves, and as he drives away, Blessing is in the window waving until her heart is content. She cries because daddy is leaving, but then says "wove you daddy." We start playing some more.
On this particular day, I was cleaning up the kitchen a little bit, and Blessing was playing. She decided to pull out the bottom drawer of the oven (it wasn't on, I promsie) and climb in. As she was playing in the oven, I started mixing up a batch of homemade bread. She became interested in what I was doing, so I put her on the countertop with me. We then mixed the bread and mushed (kneaded) the bread together. Sorry, no pictures of this. We were both covered with flour and stickies from head to toe! I cleaned her and myself up and we went to play as the bread started to rise.
I was folding clothes and Hallie had decided that she was going to be a big girl and dress herself. She got her shirt half-way on then fought it for a little bit before saying "hep" meaning help. So, I helped get her shirt all the way on and then started the pants.
She didn't get her pants all the way on before she was distracted and headed to the rocking chair. This particular day she would climb up onto the chair, "rocka rocka" for a little, and then bail off. She would laugh and giggle as mommy said splat and then would do it all over again.
After playing on the chair, it was time to mush the bread down. She dug in there with both hands and mushed it down so it would rise the second time.
After doing this we played with baby and made sure that baby was fed and covered up ready to nap. Finally, it was time for lunch, so we worked in the kitchen and got something around. We ate lunch, cleaned up, and then headed "nigh nigh" for a nap. She is so sweet at nap time now. We turn the music on, grab her "wa wa" or water, and then cuddle up in her blankets. When she is ready for nap, I put her in her crib as I am walking out the door she says "nigh nigh mommy." We both sleep for a little bit and then get up and play some more.
Daddy comes home and we eat supper and then play some more. Usually a bath follows and then it is night night time.
So, that is the day. A lot of fun and a lot of learning. I wouldn't trade the time I have had with Blessing for the world! What an amazing opportunity!
