Home alone

Today was my first day all on my own with two kids. It was the best possible day for this milestone since Danny had Parents Morning Out. It let me ease into the task of toting around two young children.

My day started at around 6:3o when Fiona wanted to nurse. It was clear she wasn't going back to sleep. The big eyes were staring at me again. So my feet hit the floor around 7 and I took my first shower since Monday. I got myself and Fiona dressed and downstairs and actually got to eat breakfast before Danny got up. Most days Danny is up between 7 and 7:30. On Fridays, when he has PMO, I have to wake him up to get to church by 9. Around 8, I woke him and got him fed, diapered and dressed.

We're now ready for the first outing with two kids. Deep breath.

Two packages to mail, shopping bags and list, two stocked diaper bags, my purse, my drink, all in the van before I load the kids. Danny first, then Fiona. At church, Fiona is unloaded first, then Danny. My current theory is to lock down the mobile one while I tend to the immobilized one. Danny doesn't cry when I leave this week, thank goodness. Fiona and I set off for the grocery store.

Halfway through the grocery run, Fiona starts crying. She's inconsolable until I unhook her from the Baby Bjorn. There's no turning back with a full cart of groceries. So now, I'm pushing a cart with one hand and carrying a fussy baby in the other arm, trying to find a cut of beef suitable for making cheese steaks (on the menu for Thursday). Better to keep going, I figured, since there's no telling when I'll get to the grocery store again (and, I think, limited time for shopping is actually good for our budget). Later, at the checkout, I still have her in the crook of my arm, the Bjorn hanging down in front of me, while I unload groceries, even bending down to get items from the bottom of the cart and rummaging for my wallet in a purse stuffed with receipts, crayons and cracker crumbs. The weird thing is that none of this rattled me. With Dan, panic would have set in when the crying began.

On our way back to the van (parked next to the cart return - a bit of mommy wisdom I've picked up in the past two years), she's still crying on and off. She settles down once I get her in the car seat. Turns out she had a poopy diaper. After getting her home, fed, changed and burped, it's only 10:30. So I turn my attention to some daily chores and the groceries - empty and load dishwasher, put away the groceries, start a load of diapers, fix Danny's lunch. I swear that I'm not on NoDoz - unless Diet Coke and Thin Mints have the same effect. Energy seemed to have materialized out of thin air this morning.

Next stop, the post office, off to pick up Danny, lunch at home, naps ... and Danny was an angel this morning and afternoon (dinner was a different story). The two of them decided to go easy on me today. The only things that I forgot were to change Fiona's diaper before we left, to release the parking brake before backing out of the driveway and to brush my teeth. Oh, and I forgot to bring the 75 cents off coupon for the yogurt. All in all, not too bad for my first morning alone with the kids.