back

...to work...sigh.

alarm goes off
make sure baby is breathing
baby is
take shower
listen for baby
dry hair
listen for baby
get dressed
drink coffee
baby cooing
get baby out of bed
take long slow swig of warm baby neck
watch baby's delight that his feet are still there
feed baby
burp baby
take long slow swig of warm milky baby neck
attach baby to hip

set out jeans and t shirts for big boys
remember it's gym day - excavate sweatpants out of basket - replace jeans
get big boys out of bed
ask boys to get dressed
set out breakfast plates
slice apples and artfully display on plates
ask boys to get dressed
decant breast milk into bottles
gather breast pump parts into handy travel bag
ask boys to stop jumping rope and get dressed
safety pin strap of handy travel bag that breaks with the third use
realize i'm starving and eat artfully displayed apple slices

baby crying
change baby
suction giant boogies out of baby's nose
take long slow swig of warm baby neck
sniff ears while i'm at it
baby cooing

come down to find boys miraculously dressed
and making themselves toast
review facts with 8 year old for quiz on Brazil
remind 7 year old to take completed project to school
wrestle drum, sticks, and music stand into ill fitting drum bag

inlaws arrive
kiss everyone
drive away
drink breakfast

arrive at work
turn on computer
check messages
erect breast pump
go see first patient
document
see patient, see patient, see patient
document, document, document
spend 30 minutes looking for 1/2 gallon of urine that patient has lost somewhere between car and waiting room
break it to doctor that urine is lost and tests can't be run
doctor to me: 'did you look for it?'
me to self: 'why didn't i think of that?'

run to office
pump breastmilk while returning phone calls
tell people i'm calling that i don't know what that strange noise is
forage in desk for nuts and berrries: find nuts, no berries
down nuts
see patient and document
repeat x 4
return to office
call husband who says, 'if you leave now, you'll be home in time to feed him'
leave now

arrive home
greet all
lucious baby grin quickly fades to a 'where you been, Missy?' wail
feed baby
the next few hours: attend to the feeding, watering, bathing, and educational needs of various small people
tuck in said small people
read to said small people

take deep breath
find husband who i have pased in the hall several times in the last few hours
kiss husband
watch episode of The Office with husband
laugh ass off
shirk various domestic responisbilities
go to bed.

thank God i'm only working part-time
it's the stage of parenting that i'd crave if i didn't have,
mourn if i lost,
and will too soon be over.
but it takes stamina
which some days you have and some days you don't

i'm pretty tired.
note to self: get some laurels
so i can rest on them