A Day in the Life

5:00 - Annabel wakes up crying. Groan. Roll over, try to go back to sleep.

5:10 - Still crying. Argh. Get up. Greeted by "hi, mama!" and outstretched arms. Rock in rocking chair and sing something incoherent.

5:20 - Back to bed, now wide awake.

6:00 - Derek's alarm goes off. Me, still wide awake. Poke him, no response. Hit snooze.

6:07 - Second alarm. Poke, poke. Nothing. Snooze.

6:14 - Third alarm. Derek stumbles up, gets ready. Me, still wide awake.

6:30 - He leaves. Finally, quiet. Doze off.

7:00 - My alarm. Ugh! I just got to sleep! Hit snooze.

7:07 - Snooze

7:14 - Ok, I've got to get up. Annabel's awake, anyway.

7:15 - Diaper change, get her dressed. She looks cute today! Look at the clock, still on schedule. There's time for pigtails, which she loves.

7:25 - Carry her downstairs, put her in highchair with banana and granola bar, convince her the granola bar is a cookie, then sprint back upstairs to get ready myself. No time for shower. Clean underwear, ponytail, mascara, I'm good to go. Not a total betty, but a vast improvement!

7:45 - I'm actually ahead of schedule! How did this happen?! Make a sandwich and pack my lunch. Banana for the road. Start car. Get Annabel bundled up and ready to head out the door. Realize - it's April! Daycare needs monthly supply of diapers, wipes, cookies, juice and paper towel. Rush around like a madwoman gathering such items. In my haste, knock over a package of CFL light bulbs. Three of them shatter at my feet. Shameful use of potty words that my daughter should not have heard! No longer ahead of schedule.

8:03 - Pull out of driveway. Making ok time! Hear the robotic words "It's spaghetti, Mmmm, spaghetti" over and over again from Annabel's toy. Turn up Bob and Tom to drown it out...Annabel shreiks in protest. Turn it down.

8:25 - Drop her off at daycare. She's pulled out pigtails in car...and I can only find one rubber band. Grrr. Now she has weird hair. Hug and kiss... ahhh, this is what it's about!

8:30 - drop in to see Derek, he's fixed a cup of coffee for me! What a sweetie.

8:40 - on the road again, drink coffee, burn mouth, spill all over self. Mother effer!

9:05 - Late to work, not too bad, though. Client waiting on me.

10:00 - Next client cancelled! An hour to myself, bliss. Check email and facebook...chuckle to myself that my mom has given in to peer pressure and is on facebook. Remind myself to tell her that everything she posts can be seen by everyone.

10:55 - Get phone call from Family Services. They've received my resume and want to know if I can come in for an interview. Today at 12? Sure!

11:10 - 10 minutes late for supervision due to phone call and victory dance. During supervision find myself daydreaming about Easter egg hunts. Any combination of bright colors, finding things, and candy is sure to be a hit with my toddler!

12:00 - Jet across town to above mentioned interview. It goes well. I have the job. I start tomorrow.

12:35 - On my way back to work. Well that was quick. They must be desperate! Who cares, right!?

12:50 - Back in my office, I'm starving. Plan to eat my lunch before next client. Wait...where's my lunch? Must have left it in my car. Well, its too late now to run out and check...

1:10 - Client is apparently not coming. Go to car...no lunch. WTH?! Mentally retrace footsteps and realize it must be at home. Well, I can't not eat until 9:00 tonight, so its off to home to get it.

1:25 - Find lunch on dining room table. Realize my turkey sandwich has been sitting out for 5+ hours and is probably crawling with all sorts of unsightly bacteria. Breifly consider making another one, decide that's a waste of perfectly good sandwich ingredients and take my chances. Life's a gamble, right? I do, however, put the warm yogurt back in fridge and grab a cold one. Warm yogurt = yucky.

1:30 - Eat sandwich on way back to work. It is fantastic. Here's the breakdown: deli rye bread, which is still squishy and wonderful, turkey, cheddar cheese, spinach and spread with our homemade pesto. I may pay for this tomorrow, but it was worth it. Do you think there will be sandwiches in heaven? I ask myself. Probably not...but maybe.

1:45 - I had such a great parking spot when I left... no longer the case.

2:00 - Client shows up...alright, alright.

3:00 - Another break. What's up today? Decide to read the material for the group tomorrow that I'm facilitating... Nurturing parenting. I love the material- it's fantastic! This is why I do what I do.

3:30 - Cake in breakroom is calling my name. Somebody, please, save me from myself.


3:50 - Ugh. I should not have ate the cake.


4:10 - Last client of the day. I'm not sure how to read this one. Find my mind wondering during session....must focus.


4:50 - Finish up session, finish case notes and close up my office. Make sure to grab the rest of my lunch (i.e. supper) from the fridge and head off to my second job of the day.


5:05 - I'm late but I make it. Now I have the next four hours to man the desk, do some homework and surf the internet. Its not a bad gig, but it gets old. Call Derek a couple times to ask what he and Annabel are doing... miss them.


9:00 - Ahhh, home at last. Pajamas, bowl of ice cream and I'm a happy girl. Collapse on the couch to watch Scrubs and Criminal Minds with my wonderful hubby. Get ready to do it all over again tomorrow!