A Small Triumph: Tales of Mommyhood

It's 5:00 on Monday afternoon.

Mondays are long, as the husband works until 8 or 9 pm

after leaving the house by no later than 8:10 am.

I just "closed my eyes for a minute" 

at 3:20 and before I knew it,

the clock was rounding 5.

I knew I had to pick up the dry cleaning;

Joe's work pants were there!

The annoying part about our cleaners,

is that they will tell you it's ready at 5pm for pick up,

but they're only open until 6. 

It's not usually a problem,

but when you're a little sleep deprived,

and fell asleep for a nap while baby slept.

This one hour window seemed a tad unlikely!

Since baby was still asleep, I chose to pump.

5:04

As soon as I started pumping, I could hear her little cries.

I finished up, started my truck

5:13

it's 29 degrees today

 fed her, burped, fed and burped some more

 and checked the clock:

5:32

Took note that the truck was no longer running...

I quickly rush up to her nursery to change her diaper,

only to discover she pooed through it.

Onto the cute onesie.

Oh yes, up the back.

I can't get mad since she smiles away and coos so loudly.

But seriously, how come they only poop through the clothes when 

you actually have some place to go??
I put another onesie on

{not her favorite thing in the world, chubby arms into a thin sleeve!}

I run to put on some acceptable pants,

check the clock again:

5:41

bring her downstairs and tell my dogs 

"Crate!"
They rush down to the door to our basement,

Sadie banging her nose against it,

grab small doggie treats

and we trot down there to enclose them.

{This is to ensure no harm is done to our home or dogs while gone}

Run back up the stairs,

buckle baby in, cover in blankets.

Slip into Uggs

soooo over these, and the white ground they walk on!

Put on my puffer vest,

grab my grocery list,

my phone,

my purse.
Check that clock:

5:49

Pick up the heavy car seat with heavier by the day baby,

trudge through the snowy driveway,

place baby in the backseat, 

click it in,

strap it in.

Hop into the front seat,

off I go.

Luckily we live right down the road from the cleaners.

Pull into the parking lot:
5:56

Unbuckle baby,

carry her into the cleaners,

pick up husband's work pants,

and head back to the truck.

Drive through the parking lot, just to park again...

I pick a spot near the grocery carts,

thinking it'll be easier to just set her on the cart

and push.

This is the first attempt at grocery shopping

just me

and little B.

I don't know why,

but I always get nervous about things I have never done before.
I've been really spoiled with grandmas and my husband

wanting to watch our little girl.

Joe and I have gone shopping with her and she was fine.

This time was absolutely no different!
She was so curious to look around at all the bright and shiny lights,

and by the end of our shopping tour,

she was fast asleep at checkout.

Now I know there will be days of screaming ahead,

but for my first solo trip for groceries?
It was perfect.

And I am so proud of both of us!

I even managed to whip up Giada's Turkey meatloaf,

had sweet potato fries in the oven,

threw a side salad together

and bathed baby all before Joe came home.

The mountains of laundry didn't all get folded and put away,

the guest room/my closet is still a mess--

transitioning into clothes pre- pregnancy 

{by the time I'll fit into my winter attire, it'll be Spring, doh!}

Tossing all my maternity wear into a bin for later use...

The office is still in the works.
Why is it so hard to get rid of books?!?

I'll never read them again.

And the living room doesn't look like I vacuumed since I did first thing in the morning

#doghaireverywhereughhhhh

But I can at least gloat at my small triumphs and 

there's always tomorrow.