What day is it again... Oh it's Monday

For the most part we are handling this stay at home order well.  The hardest days are Monday-Friday.... because Dad works crazy hours... and by crazy hours I mean he works from before 8 in the morning until at least midnight every night.  A few nights last week he worked until 2 and 3 in the morning. I keep telling him his employer did not hire him with the expectation that he work that much, but the work is there and so he tries to do it best.

With Dad having to burry himself in work, that means the kids are my responsibility primarily and so my day looks a bit of crazy too.  I work all different times.  I work when Jennings is sleeping, when I can keep him entertained at my feet, when I have the big kids reading and playing quietly and when I just give in and let the TV be the babysitter.  It isn't easy and while Jarrett has had his share of meetings with Jennings in his arms because I'm on another Zoom meeting, our "work/school" days are nothing less than chaotic.

Today while I worked during Jennings long nap, Madelyn decided it was time to play Lion on my shoulder, so I worked while he played literally on top of me.  Thankfully she knows when I don't respond it's because I'm trying to get stuff done.  She just talks to herself and when she really needs me to pay attention she says, "Mom, stop working and listen to me."  I hope the kids know I'm doing the best I can and while I try to play with them, there have been many times I have to say, "I have to work, you'll have to play by yourself."  I think there is a lesson in this too.

I love to watch him sleep.  And because we are worried parents (still), we check on him about 12 times during each nap.  He loves to sleep in his position.  Butt in the air, head straight down on his hands.  I just love him so much. 

The kids are wrapping up their school work and for the most part, they have done a pretty good job transitioning to online school.  I am NOT a great teacher, they think I'm super mean and have high expectations.  I just tell them I would not pass them with some of the work they try submitting.... so I make them redo it and while they grumble I hope it helps them someday.

It's abs day today.

The kids also have mandatory exercise time each day.  I insist as it helps their mental health, wears them out and gives everyone a bit of alone time.  We have an elliptical in the garage and we each take our turns (well the boys and me), plus we have daily swimming.  While I exercise, the girls play or ride their bikes/scooters around the van about 100 times.  Today they made a game with chalk on the floor of the garage.

In other news Jennings is getting oh so close to walking. Just the other day he took three steps by himself and I think he was as surprised as we were.  He is still 9 months and I'm so not ready for my baby to start walking.

He's such a happy baby.  I seriously want to keep him little for a bit longer.  I need to soak up as much baby time as I can get.

He loves to play with the remotes.  He has 100 toys and he only wants to play with the TV remotes which means we can often never find them, and when we do they are in a completely different room in the house.  

And here's a few photos of Madelyn today.  She has found my googles from my last science class and decided they are perfect goggles for, well, wearing all day long.  Jennings isn't sure what to think...

Yes they are prefect for dancing in... 

And then poor Belle, she was coloring today and some how managed to get this on her face...

I kept showing it to her in the phone and each time she went to the sink to wash her face, she kept washing the other cheek.  It made me smile.  

So that's how today went.  We made it through another day.  Tonight I'll close with this video because someday I will look back and think... was there ever a day he wasn't walking?  I know I'll miss these days.

Until next time,

Angie