A Day in our life!

It might seem that we are always out having fun, trips to the zoo, Build a Bear, Ottawa or going to the doctor/clinic or physio.
Believe me, sometimes it feels like that.
But the rest of the time we are just doing boring stuff.


Watching TV
Doing laundry
Sweeping the floor (this is as clean as my house will get some days)
Playing inside, playing outside
crafts
Fun trips to the grocery store
Or just doing nothing
Mundane


I also work outside of the house. Sometimes alot (too much) and sometimes I have a break of a week or so between shifts (the joy of job-sharing).
I'm a nurse and sometimes that job comes home with me. No, not any nasty bugs (I try really hard to prevent that). But just the emotional toll of a bad day.


Some of home comes to work with me as well.
I think after having kids, but especially Nickolas I am stronger at work.
I had one situation where a doctor (we didn't usually work with) was nasty and talking down to me. I had a number of other people (nurses and doctors) say how calm I was and how I didn't let it bother me.
In my  head I was thinking that doctor is an ass, but he can't scare me. My son has had brain surgery . And sometimes that puts it all in perspective.


How many things can you really put in a day?
we try to fit some working, some learning (we are working on colours for Nick and certain sounds for Katheryn), some fun. And some mommy free time.
Balanced between the 2 kids.


Our current battle is to try to get a few healthy meals into the kids that they will eat.
Ha ha!
My kids refuse to eat anything particularly healthy.
We have just started to feel them what we are eating, no exceptions.
I know it's easier to just give in and give that hot dog, pizza or PB&J. (And I wonder when we have constipation issues?)


So what do we have covered?
Playtime, eating, cleaning..
Sleeping?


My kids gave up their naps a couple of months ago. Oh how I miss that nap!
They wake up late.
I generally won't let them sleep past 9am.
No nap, unless we are in the car and then sometimes
We go up for bedtime between 8 and 9pm.
Bath, cath, pjs, stories and snuggles until either mommy or kids fall asleep - usually somewhere north of 10pm!


So that's our day!
Oh yeah, and Kyle is in there with me (I use the royal we)

Just because it is today

Welcome 2012

Because it is today, someone decided to have a little 2 year old tantrum!

Because it is today, Katheryn wanted to play with some of her favorite new presents

Puzzles!!

Because it is today, we decided to enjoy a picnic

(notice Nick's little devil grin!)

Just because it is today we stood at the window and waited for some snow

It's too cold for snow ;)

It's just today. Any day.

Normalcy

Things are normal, we have a rhythm. We've hit our stride. Spina bifida is not the first thing we think of everyday, or the last thing every night.
I'm not quite sure when that happened. But it happened.

We have a routine now, that part is new.
Nickolas is actually on a nap-time routine! Yay!!! And he is sleeping more than 10 minutes at a time - sometimes I can even get an hour... or (yay) 2 hours! I've probably jinxed myself now I know.
Maybe the routine is what has helped me feel more normal, that I'm able to anticipate our day. Get out in the world, enjoy the last days of summer.
Not that we stayed at home before, I was just finding I'd look around and all of a sudden it was 4pm and time to get supper ready.

Normalcy has developed. What do we do with Nickolas that we didn't do with Katheryn? Not so much. We play the same games, sing the same songs, go for the same walks, play with the same toys.
Nickolas is less mobile. He's got rolling down pat, but not enough to go to where he wants to go.

Our days are cuddling, playing, diapers, baths, eating and cooking. With some outdoor walks or parks thrown in for good measure.
Yes the diaper changing involve cathing and the eating involves medicines and outdoor time involves careful monitoring of temperatures and finding cool shady areas. Oh yeah and playtime involves physio... but shh don't tell Nickolas he's working!