Back in 2010, my kids were one, two and four. We had only lived in our 130-year-old fixer-upper for a few months, so I spent a LOT of time painting, cleaning and rearranging. My oldest two had both just gotten out of diapers, and I still had one left in them. I was exhausted, drowning in laundry, and completely overwhelmed by the daily demands. On a drizzly October day, I was frantically trying to get dinner in the oven, with my two toddlers hanging onto my legs. I managed to finish dinner without extricating myself, and thought, "Someday no one will hang off of me while I cook. Someday they'll be busy teenagers."
Later, one kid whacked another with something, and while I comforted the hurt one, a third child came from nearby to pummel the offender, who pinched that one back. Now I had three children wailing and hitting each other. All piled on my lap. A tangle of angry bodies. I thought, "How many times each week does this happen? I'm not even surprised by it anymore!"
That day, I decided to capture the moment-by-moment happenings of a typical day. Mothers with grown children always reminded me to cherish these days because I'd miss them. The thought was laughable at the time, because I couldn't imagine missing the roller coaster ride of each day's squabbles, diaper changes and impossibly long chore list. But I did wonder if I'd remember just how our typical days transpired. Would I look back with rosy glasses on, remembering their sweet chubby hands and funny mispronunciations of words, forgetting how hard it was just to pull myself through each afternoon?
A few days later, I grabbed the camera after I woke up. I kept a careful chronicle of everything that happened from the moment I woke until I went to bed. Every squabble, every cuddle, everything we did. What we listened to in the car, what the kids played, what we ate, what book I read them at bedtime. I even noted the times! And I took pictures all day. It's a quickly thrown together scrapbook, nothing fancy. Half the pictures are a bit fuzzy because the camera was on the wrong setting all day. When I realized this, I figured that it highlights the chaos of life at this time -- I didn't even have the mental wherewithal to check the camera setting! When I pasted the notes and pictures onto pages, I knew I'd someday look back in disbelief at this "Journal of a Day." I'd remember just how our days really unfolded when we had three tiny children in the house, and I'd chuckle over the day's chaos.
Later, one kid whacked another with something, and while I comforted the hurt one, a third child came from nearby to pummel the offender, who pinched that one back. Now I had three children wailing and hitting each other. All piled on my lap. A tangle of angry bodies. I thought, "How many times each week does this happen? I'm not even surprised by it anymore!"
That day, I decided to capture the moment-by-moment happenings of a typical day. Mothers with grown children always reminded me to cherish these days because I'd miss them. The thought was laughable at the time, because I couldn't imagine missing the roller coaster ride of each day's squabbles, diaper changes and impossibly long chore list. But I did wonder if I'd remember just how our typical days transpired. Would I look back with rosy glasses on, remembering their sweet chubby hands and funny mispronunciations of words, forgetting how hard it was just to pull myself through each afternoon?
A few days later, I grabbed the camera after I woke up. I kept a careful chronicle of everything that happened from the moment I woke until I went to bed. Every squabble, every cuddle, everything we did. What we listened to in the car, what the kids played, what we ate, what book I read them at bedtime. I even noted the times! And I took pictures all day. It's a quickly thrown together scrapbook, nothing fancy. Half the pictures are a bit fuzzy because the camera was on the wrong setting all day. When I realized this, I figured that it highlights the chaos of life at this time -- I didn't even have the mental wherewithal to check the camera setting! When I pasted the notes and pictures onto pages, I knew I'd someday look back in disbelief at this "Journal of a Day." I'd remember just how our days really unfolded when we had three tiny children in the house, and I'd chuckle over the day's chaos.
Here are a few morning notes, leaving out some in between:
6:25 Start laundry
7:20am Switch laundry to dryer, start second load.
8:45 Madelyn comes crying because Asher won't let her knock down his blocks.
9:05 put laundry away, notice stuffed sheep covered in chewed chocolate chips. Think it's poop and panic.
9:20 Anna's naked. Get new outfit. decide to skip M's nap to visit the Montshire.
9:35 Put on kids' music. Call Mom to see about meeting at Stone Arch later.
9:45 Kids clean toys while I coats & shoes. Want to leave by 9:50.
9:55 Still getting coats & shoes on. Chris stops in for food. Anna goes potty.
10:15 Finally bring Asher & Maddy to car.
10:20 Anna comes out, get her buckled.
6:25 Start laundry
7:20am Switch laundry to dryer, start second load.
8:45 Madelyn comes crying because Asher won't let her knock down his blocks.
9:05 put laundry away, notice stuffed sheep covered in chewed chocolate chips. Think it's poop and panic.
9:20 Anna's naked. Get new outfit. decide to skip M's nap to visit the Montshire.
9:35 Put on kids' music. Call Mom to see about meeting at Stone Arch later.
9:45 Kids clean toys while I coats & shoes. Want to leave by 9:50.
9:55 Still getting coats & shoes on. Chris stops in for food. Anna goes potty.
10:15 Finally bring Asher & Maddy to car.
10:20 Anna comes out, get her buckled.
When I read this now, I'm struck by how much effort was required for every single task. Right now, I can say, "Time to go out to the car!" and little people will scurry to get shoes and coats on, and then run out and get buckled. Back then, I put on each shoe and each coat. I usually did this more than once for Madelyn and Anna as we tried to get out! I set each daughter in her seat, and I buckled all three kids in their car seats. The kids weren't limp dolls while I did this, either. They squirmed and fought the buckling. When I put the key in the ignition, I was drained and frustrated. (Take note, everyone who has toddlers in the house now -- things get easier!)
I love being able to look back and see how far we've come. Life is still busy and chaotic with my kids, but it's MUCH easier than those days! They still bicker and fight, but their self-control and patience has increased a hundredfold!
In March 2013, I was 7 months pregnant with Declan. I decided to capture another average day, now that life was much easier than it was in 2010. Now everyone could dress alone, go potty, feed themselves. We played and read a whole lot more, and those unpredictable toddler tantrums were a thing of the past. I wanted a record of life now, with older kids but before Declan changed the family dynamic.
I love being able to look back and see how far we've come. Life is still busy and chaotic with my kids, but it's MUCH easier than those days! They still bicker and fight, but their self-control and patience has increased a hundredfold!
In March 2013, I was 7 months pregnant with Declan. I decided to capture another average day, now that life was much easier than it was in 2010. Now everyone could dress alone, go potty, feed themselves. We played and read a whole lot more, and those unpredictable toddler tantrums were a thing of the past. I wanted a record of life now, with older kids but before Declan changed the family dynamic.
A few days ago, I pulled out this scrapbook and decided that it's time to make another record of our average day. We've now got a mischief-making toddler pulling his pranks all day, and three kids to homeschool instead of one. I hope my kids will allow it to be as true to life as the others are. They're old enough now to pose or change their behavior, but maybe I can still capture what life is really like.