First Day on Our Own

Monday was our first day alone -- Mac and me, that is. Until then, we'd had Gigi and/or the MacDaddy for at least part of the day. It went pretty well -- and was busier than you'd think. Here's what we did:

9-10am Second Breakfast (The MacDaddy does the first breakfast around 6am, then Mac will usually sleep until about 9.)

10-11am Tummy time and play time. (Play time is when Mac hangs out in the activity gym on his back, after he's tired of tummy time.)

11-11:15 Put on Moby wrap and walk the dog. Mac was still wide awake when I put him in the wrap, but sound asleep when we got back from our walk.

11:15-12 I did dishes with Mac in the Moby. It worked well, although I had to hold his head when I bent over to put something in the bottom rack of the dishwasher. But I was mainly doing handwashing at that point.

12-1 Lunch for Mac. I know it seems like a long time, but he's been a slow eater lately, and when you add in burping time and a diaper change, whenever I finally put him down, it's been an hour.

1-1:45 Lunch for the MacMommy while Mac swings and naps.


1:45-2:20 Blog update while Mac swings and naps.

2:20-2:30 I realize that during the next hour and a half, I need to shower so Mac and I can head up to SCC to meet the MacDaddy for an early dinner. Oops! I remember that Mac will be hungry at 3.

2:30-2:35 Move Mac to the bassinet in the bedroom and start shower.

2:35 Mac wakes up and realizes, to his clear dismay, that he is not in the swing and I am not there.

2:36-2:40 I finish my shower while wondering if I'm going to hell for not comforting Mac instead (as he cries miserably).

2:40-3:00 I alternately work on dressing myself and comforting Mac, in repeated, 2-minute cycles. Meanwhile, the MacDaddy calls to chat. I explain that I have less than an hour to get dressed and feed Mac so we can meet him for dinner on time.

3-3:45 Feed Mac, change diaper. Mac only has 2 ounces, and I know if I weren't rushing out the door, he'd have at least another ounce. Another point in the "bad mom" column for me.

3:45-4:10 Load up the car and drive to meet the MacDaddy.

4:10-5:20 Dinner with the MacDaddy. The MacDaddy even offered to do the diaper change, but we didn't think there was a changing table in the men's room. Turned out (long after the diaper change) we were wrong. I'll remember next time, though!

5:20-6 Drop the MacDaddy back at work and head home in rush hour traffic.

6-6:45 Put Mac in the stroller to wheel him inside. Feed Mr. McKitty (who is demonstrably furious that his dinner is nearly 2 hours late). Mac and I walk the Doggie-wog, who is thrilled to have a long walk, but wishes he could walk ahead of the stroller to protect us from those running children, bicycles, and cocker spaniels. I try to use the binky to hold off on Mac's dinner so we can finish the walk. A third "bad mom" point for me.

6:45-7:45 Feed Mac.

7:45-8:15 Hold Mac.

8:15-9:15 Test out the bouncy chair, just to see if it's equivalent to the swing for travel purposes. Result inconclusive. Mac is soothed, but stays awake. Could be effective or it could be Mac's in a good mood.

9:15 The MacDaddy gets home! 

Of course, we didn't get to bed until after 11 (though Mac was asleep by 10), but it's infinitely easier when you have backup.

All in all, a successful day.  Not perfect, but everyone survived!