Thursday, April 1, 2010

Did You Have A Big Day?

I admit it. I'm tired.

Scott took over bath duties tonight which I really appreciated. After dinner I flopped down on the couch and relaxed for the first time all day... Scott asked, "Did you have a big day today?" Well, let's see. I got up and ran 10 miles this morning before anyone else rolled out of bed. Then I entertained a toddler for 4 hours, then I rode my bike trainer while she napped... managed to reply to a few emails before I heard her calling for me... then I entertained the same active toddler for 5 more hours (at the mall nonetheless- more on that later) and then got home and busted my butt to get dinner ready before any hunger fits were thrown. Then I cleaned up the kitchen and washed all the dishes. So, I guess it was just a normal day.

That's a schedule that's easy to keep for a few days, but day after day after day after day... well, it gets hard. Mama needs to relax a bit sometimes, you know? Chill out with my feet up. Maybe tomorrow. Ha! Not likely.

Easter is coming so I took Moana to the mall this afternoon to meet the Easter Bunny. She was intrigued for sure but she didn't want to get too close.

Sometimes they do pretty cool things at our local mall. Today they had little Easter activities where kids could create a little Easter basket, make some bunny ears, and dye an egg. Moana liked her basket but only for about a minute. And she did NOT want it decorated at all. She wanted nothing to do with the bunny ears (so clearly there are no pictures of her wearing them) but she did enjoy watching me color the egg. Very interesting. I put the egg in her little basket which she thought was pretty cool to carry around- for like a minute. Then she took the egg out of the basket and threw it on the ground. Perfect.

Luckily there were lots of other things to do at the mall too. Who knew the mall was so full of free entertainment? I never went to the mall before I had Moana. Now we got quite often, though rarely for shopping. Mostly just for the free entertainment. It's like an amusement park for toddlers over there. See? You can even drive an ice cream truck.

You can ride a shark!

This little play area there is great for Moana now that she can really climb all over the stuff. She squeals when she sees it and if I'm carrying her she insists, "DOWN! DOWN!" She likes to walk herself all around the mall and explore, and I pretty much let her do just that. I just follow her around and she manages to find the toy store, the arcade, the mini golf, and the bouncy house room. Today she scored herself a free balloon from a store manager who thought she was cute. She was obsessed with the balloon until I actually tried to give it to her, when all of a sudden she was scared and started crying, "NO NO NO!" You wonder what goes on in that little mind of hers.

Like her bracelets?

This morning she dug into a drawer and found her old baby bottles and immediately decided that those bottle tops made good bracelets. She wore those all day.

Anyway, clearly we really do have a ton of fun together and I enjoy the heck of of spending my days with her. But I won't lie. It wears me out.

12 comments:

Clare said...

i wondered about the bracelets in your facebook picture...hilarious.

Allison Chapple said...

Sounds like a great day to me! But I hear you...VERY tiring day in and day out. :)

Rebecca DeWire said...

I was just talking my husband about this yesterday, that Elena just goes a mile a minute and wears me out. Each stage has its challenge, that is for sure. Sounds like a great day, though! I love that play area at your mall.

Unknown said...

Sounds like a great, tiring, normal trimommy day. Enjoy!!

Running and living said...

The stage that Moana is in now is the most tiring. I assure you, it gets easier! I am SO GLAD you got a little time to relax. SO important!

GetBackJoJo said...

You are at a great, but tough stage! It's all you, all the time. Preschool means you get a few hours a few times a week... but that's still a bit away! Doesn't it make you sort of miss when she was like six months and sitting up -- but not moving yet? :)
Good luck getting any R&R!

Regina said...

Hallelujah sister! Just a normal day feels exhausting when they pile one on top of another.

But you are at a tough stage too where she wants to move now that she can really walk and I'm sure, starting to assert her independence. At least I can get my son to sit and read or do puzzles anything stationary.

I LOVE the bracelets, what a clever girl!

Angela and David said...

Love the bracelets. Such a girl to pull them out and insist on wearing them. I think we are at the stage where it's easier to stay at home than be a working mom. Work is tiring but at least most of the people don't through tantrums when they don't get their way (or they at least hang up the phone so I don't have to listen to them!).

Lizzie said...

She is seriously like a little doll - I mean, you could just pick her up and put her in your pocket!! :) I think you're amazing balancing training, coaching, wifing, and being a mama!

Katie A. said...

You are one busy Mamma! I have such respect for all the stay at home moms - your job never gets a vacation :) I will say though, coming from a household where my mom was home my whole like, I feel like I really lucked out and look back on all the days she was taking care us as very special. I'm sure Moana will, too ;)

Aimee said...

Awww...those bracelets are so adorable...and totally creative!

Being a parent is definitely exhausting and very tiring. And, some days are better than others. But, I wouldn't change it for the world. Think of all the fun play areas I would miss...ha ha :)

prashant said...

Sounds like a great day to me! But I hear you...VERY tiring day in and day out. :
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