It’s been a very long time since I wrote a “day in the life” post. Years, maybe!? It’s no secret to any of us that my posting frequency hasn’t exactly lent itself to getting as granular as an hour-by-hour breakdown of a day but as today wound down, I realized that the way I organically documented it was perfect for this style of post.
So here I am writing a day in the life post AND posting two days in a row for the first time in a long time. 🙂
7:15a – I woke up naturally without an alarm (how I wake up 98% of the time these days and it’s amazing). I checked email and news on my phone and then Finn started to stir. He always wants to snuggle in the morning before getting out of bed. We watched dog videos on Instagram until he was ready to come downstairs for breakfast.
8a – I made Finn’s breakfast and my coffee. Finn almost always chooses a bagel for breakfast. We do varied flavors of the Dave’s Killer Bagels. He likes to watch a show while he eats breakfast.
8:15a – I made a smoothie for my breakfast and poured some in a separate cup for Finn. It was chock full of spinach, cauliflower rice and fruit and he drank over half of it so I was happy.
8:30a – I drank coffee with Bulletproof Collagen and my smoothie while I worked on my laptop.
9a – I went upstairs to shower and get dressed for the day. After I got dressed, I brought Finn up to get him ready.
9:45a – Finn’s nanny arrived and they took off for a morning outing to Big Air. I got back on my laptop and made a playlist and prepped for my 10:45a yoga class.
10:20a – I left for the yoga studio. I called my dad on the way to check in on how everyone was doing.
10:45a – taught an hour long hot power yoga class at Charlotte Yoga. It was a great class! I had all of my students grab two blocks for the practice and I incorporated them throughout.
Noon – left the studio to meet my nanny at home to take over with Finn. She typically works until mid-afternoon on Mondays but worked a short day today.
1p – sat down to eat this salad after getting Finn’s lunch ready. Mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, hardboiled eggs, ham, carrots, avocado, shredded cheese, red pepper and ranch dressing. This was such a great combination! Highly recommend recreating.
1:30p – cleaned up the kitchen, unloaded the dishwasher and played Finn’s very creative version of Candy Land.
2p – went outside to pick up dog poop, pull weeds and pick up sticks to place at the curb in preparation for yard waste tomorrow.
2:40p – left home to go to Metro to lift. We called my mom on the way to the gym and chatted with her on the bluetooth. I typically workout before or after I teach yoga but since my nanny was working a shortened day, I had to push it back. I have been consistent with lifting lately and didn’t want to miss it today. I figured the gym would be slow mid-afternoon and it would be the best time to take Finn. Finn loves working out with me so he was all game for a gym trip with mommy. He hung out with me for the first half of the workout. Nothing like adding 40 pounds to your sled pull!
He eventually asked to use his tablet and stayed in this position for the last 20 minutes of my workout. I try to schedule my workouts around when I have childcare or when Finn is with his dad but sometimes I just have to include him in them. I always frame it in the most positive light and speak to how exercise makes my body strong and helps me to be a better mommy. He now cheers me on saying things like, “Go mommy. You’re a strong mommy.”
I know that our children watch and model everything we do. I hope that by consistently seeing me prioritize my mental and physical health, that Finn will one day do the same. <3
3:50p – we left the gym to head over to Greenapple Sports for a chiropractor appointment for me. I actually called the office on my way to the gym to see if they could squeeze me in today or tomorrow and they got me in a 4p today.
4p – Dr. Bradberry worked on my hip and low back. I have to stay on top of bodywork to manage my hip condition and I’ve dealt with low back stuff since I herniated a disc in my back in February. Both my hip and back have improved tremendously but I have to do preventative maintenance work to stay healthy and pain-free.
4:30p – we left Greenapple and went to Park Road Shopping Center. We stopped in Suarez first for some of Finn’s favorite thumbprint cookies. He had pink and chocolate and he chose purple for me.
4:45p – we walked to Park Road Books where we browsed the shelves and read books together. Finn loves bookstore trips and it reminds me so much of my childhood when my grandmother would take me to the bookstore and buy me anything I wanted. Reading is such a gift. <3
5:30p – left the bookstore to go home. We called my grandmother on the drive home and caught up with her.
5:50p – home! Folded laundry, prepped sourdough, wheeled trash to the curb and made Finn’s dinner. He had a breakfast dinner of waffles, scrambled eggs and bacon. I took a quick shower and got my pajamas on while he was watching a show after he finished his dinner.
7:20p – Finn was ready to head upstairs to take a bath. I honestly cannot remember the last time he opted for a bath over a shower but we found a pink bath bomb during our bathroom cleanout/organization yesterday so he was stuck on taking a pink bath.
7:50p – got Finn in PJs and we picked out books to read. He hysterically laughed out loud through three Elephant and Piggie stories. We just got this Biggie Set at Park Road Books today. Is there anything sweeter than a freshly bathed little kid in jammies? It never ceases to melt my heart.
8:20p – Finn was asleep and I headed downstairs to make some dinner. Earlier in the day I had dreamed of making eggplant parmesan with the eggplant I got at the farmers market. Well, that didn’t happen. I was so dang tired by the time that I got Finn settled for the night that I opted for a frozen meal from ALDI. I am very happy to report that I would definitely recommend this salsa verde chicken enchilada bowl. It was very flavorful (and spicy)! I added sour cream, salsa, cilantro, a little bit of extra cheese and some leftover corn to it.
9p – got kitchen cleaned up and hit the couch to write this post. My last task for the night is to roll my sourdough into balls and put them in the fridge for their final overnight rise. After that I will head upstairs to read in bed. I’m currently reading Mary Kay Andrews new book, The Homewreckers. I am much overdo a post on what I’ve been reading and what I want to read. I promise that is coming in the next week.
One of my biggest takeaways/lessons from motherhood thus far is that my definition of “productive” is so very different than it was pre-child. Today felt crazy busy and I was pretty exhausted at the end of it…but I was barely productive with work. So much of my energy and attention goes to Finn and taking care of household chores. I have learned to give myself grace with this. I buckle down with my computer when he’s with his dad and after he’s in bed (when I have the energy, which is only sometimes). It’s hard sometimes to accept that I am in this different space but I am also acutely aware of how fast time is passing and how fleeting this season of life that we are in truly is.
That is all that I have for you on this Monday.
QUESTIONS
How often do you talk to your family?
What household chores drain you most? Which do you enjoy most?
What’s your favorite time of day with kids?
