A day in the life of an underappreciated mother

7:15am - Wake up. Mind you, this is not the first time I have been awake today. There was 1am, 3am, 6:30am. However I got to sleep an extra hour today,  so woohoo!

7:30 - Teeth brushed, clothes on, herd 'em up, get downstairs. Greet Cole for the last day of daycare before summer break.

8:00 - Fix breakfast. Lily and I have decided on raisin bran with banana's today. I of course get my coffee!

8:30 - Actually eating now, in the playroom so I can entertain the 2 babies. 

9:00 - Nurse Dillion which gives me 10 minutes of computer time!

9:15 - Dillion is done, back to the real world. Lily is ready to read "Put me in the Zoo."

9:30 - Lily can now read, spell outloud, and write the word Zoo!

9:50 - Load 'em up. Cole in the stroller, Dillion in the sling, Lily on foot and here we go for a 30 minute walk down Bottom road. Lily scours the hillsides for honeysuckles that she can smell but not see. Dillion falls asleep.

10:30 - Return home and everyone is hungry. Cole gets a bottle, Lily a snack.

11:00 - Nurse Dillion again.

11:10 - All the children are settled for a few minutes. Time to unload/reload the dishwasher, put in a load of laundry, wipe down the counters...

11:20 - Diaper time for both boys. 

11:30 - Dad calls "Melissa, your mom and I are going to head up your way to visit in a bit." Panic sets in.

11:35 - I run trying to get things downstairs picked up and find clothes for everyone to wear.

12:10 - Make Lily lunch. Vegi soup, cheese, blueberries, and juice. I grab a diet coke.

12:20 - Cole and Dillion are both ready for a nap, rare but very appreciated!

12:30 - I quickly take a shower.

12:40 - Lily brings me the phone. "Mommy, it is Anton." The phone drops into the shower and dies.

12:41 - I get out and start explaining how A. 4y/o's don't play with the phone B. Don't bring a phone near water C. How did she come up with the name Anton?

12:42 - The bedroom phone rings. It's Anton. 

12:50 - Check on the sleeping boys. 

12:55 - Throw Lily in the shower.

1:00 - Get myself ready. Help Lily wash her hair.

1:10 - Lily is out, lotioned, getting dressed.

1:20 - The boys are waking up. Dillion needs to nurse.

1:30 - Diaper/clothes change for Cole.

1:45 - Throw Dill in the kitchen sink bathtub which he is quickly outgrowing.

1:50 - Get Cole set up in the highchair for lunch.

2:00 - Lily's lunch plate is cleaned up, table washed down, trash needs taken out. I sit it by the front door. 

2:05 - Finish feeding Cole. Dillion is enjoying the bath so I let him go a bit longer.

2:15 - Mom and Dad arrive. I wrap a wet baby Dill in a towel and strap him to the changing table.

2:20- Dad and I find ramps and attempt to get the wheelchair in the house. 

2:25 - Cole and Lily are occupied in the playroom, Dad and mom still fighting the ramps outside, I am wrestling Dillion into a diaper. 

2:45 - It is decided that the ramps are not going to work and we will just visit outside today. 

2:55 - Cole's mommy arrives. 1 last diaper, chat about summer, realize I am going to miss that little man! They leave. I am embarressed because the trash is still sitting there.

3:05-4:15 - Visit outside. Lily plays bubbles with Papa while mom and I oogle over Dillion.

4:20 - James comes home!

4:25 - Parents head out. I realize I am starving...no idea why.

4:30 - I nurse Dillion while Lily hangs out with Daddy for a bit.

4:40 - James and I have a disagreement. Which stinks bc I was having such a nice productive day.

4:45 - Realize I forgot to eat lunch.

4:50 - I remember the clothes in the washer and throw them into the dryer.

5:00 - James begins preparing dinner. I clean the playroom with a very uncooperative Lily.

5:40 - James is sitting at the table with dinner ready. I am still cleaning. Lily is finally kicked into gear when she realizes we are not eating until everything is clean.

5:50 - After a very stressful yet wonderful day I ask my darling daughter who I have put tons of effort into..."What was your favorite part of the day?"

5:52 - Lily says "eating this yummy pizza that daddy made!"

5:53 - Slightly sad, but I totally understand since it is yummy pizza and it is what we are currently doing. But I ask again "what was your second favorite part of today?"

5:55 - Lily says "blowing bubbles with Papa!"

5:56 - Even more sad, but these are very special events. Let's try one more time. "Lily what was your 3rd favorite thing today?"

6:00 - "I don't remember doing anything else today."

6:01 - I realize that my dream of being a mommy and showing my children how much I love and care for them everyday would go unappreciated for the rest of my life...