Week in My Life: Monday

This week I am participating in Adventuroo‘s Week in My Life project, the purpose of which is to give a peek into your life and all of its little and big moments.

My first post is on our morning routine, which is especially frantic on a Monday.  The pictures aren’t be great because I took them in a dark house before the sun was (mostly) up, but hopefully they convey the flavor of our morning.

Shower!

Each Sunday I tell myself I’m going to take a bath that night so I won’t have to rush on Monday and without fail, I find myself trudging to the shower on Monday morning to wash my hair.  Washing my hair also means I have to dry my hair and try to tame it with the straightening iron.

I feel pretty. Oh-so-pretty!

Feeding the Beasties

By 6:30, I’m out of the shower and go to the kitchen to retrieve the cats’ food.  We have 3 cats, and they are very enthusiastic about their meals.  They each eat in different rooms because my biggest cat is OCD and will consume his and his siblings’ food before they have a chance to.  My third cat has slipped into the bedroom to eat her breakfast before I can get a picture of all three.

Feed us or we'll eat your soul!!

Doodlebug!

At 6:45, I hear Daniel’s voice on the monitor.  He’s awake albeit a little early.  I let him play in his room a bit longer while I finish putting on my makeup and putting in my contacts, and then I head to his room to get him.  Bless his heart, he’s not expecting the flash from my iPhone.

WTF is up with the flash, Mama? Stop it already!

He grabs two of his stuffed animals and trots to our bedroom.  He usually picks up Juliet (the white cat) and Alpha Pig, but sometimes he’ll add a third. Some mornings he’ll stop in his doorway, hold up his arms and whisper groggily, “Up.” I’ll pick him and he buries his face on my shoulder while I carry him down the hall *swoon*.

I cuddle him and ask him about his night while I turn on the tv and then put him in the crib to watch Super Why while I finish getting ready.  Daniel is 28 months and is at that stage where he is almost ready to sit and pay attention but still prefers to jump on and off the bed, so to the crib he goes.  He typically watches about 15 minutes of tv each morning.

Juliet is the white cat, and you can see Alpha's cape underneath her. The other animal is my ancient Alley Kat.

Collecting the Bags

By 7:15 I am back in the kitchen pouring coffee into my thermos, getting my lunch bag together and making sure Daniel’s clothes are together (his grandmother watches him every day, so he usually goes in his pajamas).  With the exception of the coffee (ewww), all of the bags have been prepared the night before, but I always double check.  I should have checked better today because I left my salad dressing sitting on the counter and had to run out at lunch to buy more. I place all the bags the table in the hallway so I can put them in the car.

Bags, bags and a lot of coffee

Time to Go!

By 7:30 I’m dressed and as presentable as I’m going to get.  The bags are in the car, and I change Daniel, put him into his coat and buckle him in the car seat.  Then our commute from Johnston County to Raleigh begins.  Daniel always has Alpha Pig and Juliet with him, and we have a couple of electronic alphabet toys to keep him entertained during the 30-ish minute commute.

Wish I were that awake

While he plays, I chat with him and listen to satellite radio.  Sometimes it’s NPR but lately it has been Morning Joe on MSNBC because I have become fascinated with the candidates for the GOP presidential nomination.  It’s a sick obsession. I switch back and forth though.

Should probably listen to Lithium or the 80s station instead

Then we arrive at work, and Grandma is waiting to pick up Daniel!  The morning routine is over, and the shift to the work routine has begun.

Notes

• J does exist.  He gets up after I do, though, and yesterday he was sick, so that’s why he’s not in any pictures.
• I realized how little conversation there is during our morning routine due to the time of the day and the need to get out the door.
• What the pictures and write-up don’t catch is what’s going through my head.  Since I get ready by myself and mostly before Daniel wakes up, I have a lot of time to think which often becomes time to stew or compose or worry.