Tuesday, October 25, 2011

A Day in the Life

Last Friday I had decided that I was going to blog about our day. I will probably loose 99.9% of you by the end of the first paragraph, but I really want to remember the little things things that Hollyn and I did while we were at home together for all these preschool years.

I took her to preschool that morning and I did have a few hours to grocery shop and run errands. This is rare! Most preschool days I am at BSF or having to fulfill another obligation. When I picked her up from school her teacher said, "Hollyn was super sweet at school today but I told her she must have eaten wiggle worms for breakfast!" So when we got home I asked Hollyn to show me how she acted during circle time. She got on the floor and started wiggling, shaking, and rolling on the carpet.
Me: "Did your teacher ask you to sit still and listen?"
H: "I couldn't hear her because when I was rolling around the carpet was covering up my ears!"
Me: "If I pick you up again and your teacher tells me that you did not behave, there will be absolutely no TV for the ENTIRE day."
H: "And don't forget NO Sour Patch kids either!"

I then went to check my email. I heard a crash on the floor, so I go into the living room to find this...
Yes, naked jay bird at the top of the entertainment center. (She takes off most of her clothing every time we come home. She walks in the door and says, "I'm sweatin!" and then proceeds to throw her clothes all over the place. Every. Single. Day.)
Me: "What are you doing?"
H: "I wanted to climb up here and taste this bottle of lotion. It tasted like toothpaste. I thought it would."

On to lunch. I fix us both lunch and watch as Hollyn climbs on top of the counter to eat hers. She says, "It's my new thing." I did let her stay on the counter because she actually sat very sit and ate her entire lunch.

Now, the child went to bed around ten the night before and was up for a few minutes around 3:15 am and then was fully awake from 4:45 am until 6:15 am. She woke up for the day at 7:30 am. This can happen any given night. Sometimes things can be much, much worse. Instead of starting a 2 hour SCREAMING nap battle, I decide that I will try to get her to fall asleep on the couch. So we lay there and about 5 minutes later she toots. Really loud.
H: "I tooted! Smell! Smell! Do you smell that?" She then falls off the couch laughing hysterically.
I decide to fully ignore her and make her think I am asleep. She begins to walk all over me, jump from couch to couch, and pry my eyes open with her fingers. So finds a Bible and she opens it to read it.
H: "See these maps! These are the the places Paul went on to tell others about Jesus! The Bible is the most special book in the whole world. I am going to read it to you. Are you ready for this?
Go Rangers! Go Rangers! GO TEXAS RANGERS!!!!!"

Ok- now to plan B. I am really trying to prevent horrible meltdowns today. So I explain to her that she can stay in her room for 20 minutes while I do my Bible Study. I get a bucket and fill it with learning activities and things that she doesn't really play with. I set my alarm on my phone and leave it with her. I leave the door open to avoid a fight. This is my first time to really try this. One minute into it.....
H: I need some water! Please get me some water.

Five minutes into it...
H: I don't like this activities I need new activities!!

Ten minutes into it...
H: Azy (imaginary friend) told me to go poop on the potty. I told her NO WAY! I am NOT ALLOWED to come out of my room!!!

Overall this was a HUGE success! Now 20 minutes was not nearly enough time for me, but technically the girl never left her room. And there was not a fight! We are going to keep working on this.
Afterwards we worked on reading and writing together. On this day she was able to read, "Jill, Hollyn, Scott, Boo, and Cat, very easily. We also worked on "October." Then it was off to laundry. I can never just do a simple task with Hollyn. I always have to make it fun to get her to help me or just to leave me alone. We made mountains out of clean laundry and she jumped in them. Of course there was a huge meltdown when I had to put the clothes away. Transitions have never really been her thing. :)

While I was finished the laundry I heard, "Yes! I can climb this!" I RAN into the playroom to find that she had built a tall tower that she was going to attempt to climb. I am just thankful I heard her talking about it before she tried it. I am just thinking when can I leave this child unattended for more than ten minutes? She is OBSESSED with danger and climbing! She always has been!
We then also played grocery store, played with bubbles and painted our toenails. And spilled an entire bottle of finger nail polish remover on the kitchen table. Oops.
I let her watch TV while I attempted to get the house in order. At this point she is very tired and grumpy. She got mad and threw her cup on TOP of the fireplace mantle, and then threw one of those huge Sit and Spin toys completely across the room. I put her in timeout and then for the next 3 minutes listened to the wonderful SCREAMS of this:
"YOU HURT MY FEELINGS. I AM UPSET WITH YOU. I AM NEVER GOING TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN. SHE MAKES ME SO SICK. I AM SO SO SICK OF THIS. "
But hey, it was only 3 minutes.
We then had an afternoon watermelon snack. She got very sticky and wanted to take a bath. She can not stand being sticky or dirty in any way. She says, "Mom, you shouldn't have let me eat watermelon. That was a bad idea!!!" Of course, everything is my fault.

Then Daddy came home and we went to meet our friends, The Clarks, at the park for play and picnic. We had a great time! I didn't take my camera! And despite being awake during the night and not napping, and 5 mg of Melatonin- Hollyn did not fall asleep until after 10:00pm. Overall, this was a simple and GREAT day. I have been tired for the last 3 years, but I will look back and one day just long for this type of day.

4 comments:

Jennifer said...

I love this post!! In 10 years you will be glad you wrote this down. You have inspired me to do the same, one day I'm going to blog about a day in our life. Definitely not filled with as many hysterically funny things said as Hollyn's typical day!! It is a miracle you get anything done, girl!! The toot story had me laughing out loud, that scenario is something that happens regularly around our house!

p.s. I made the first 2 years of my blog into a book using Blurb.com, it turned out fantastic!!! I think I'm going to make a blog book every 2 years. How fun it is to go back and read about many of the things I'd already forgotten!

Lauren said...

You never lose me by the end of the first paragraph...I hang on every word. Although your life is tiring to say the least, you handle it with such grace and patience. And I love reading about your days with Hollyn. Tell that girl hello for me!

Jana said...

This was hilarious. And also makes me a little nervous about being a SAHM- ha! I like the part about prying open your eyelids. Real nice. You are such a good mom and Hollyn is adorable and hilarious as always!

Jesse and Dori said...

So glad you are recording all of these conversations and all about your crazy days with your little darling girl! I need to record funny things Hazel says more:) She is so photogenic, loved seeing all of these recent pictures!