Noah (7) and Rosie (4) are at ages where they are capable of playing nicely with each other and entertaining themselves. When this does happen, I mildly freak out about diving back into the newborn period. But I KNOW the sweetness will make up for the chaos. (As I type this, I'm breaking up a fight, so.... the moments of calm are short lived even now!) But I want to remember these relatively "calmer" days. Today I turn 33 weeks pregnant and -ish is getting REAL. I miss being able to bend at the waist and take a full breath. The last few weeks are going to fly by. So here's what life looks like today, when we have nothing but "normal" on our calendar for the first time in a while.
I was up for a bit at 2:30 and 4:30am last night. It's been pretty predictable for me to wake up to pee at midnight and wake up to have hot flashes, growling stomach, and generalized anxiety at 4am ever since the 3rd trimester started. I'm not a fan. However, last night was better than the night before! I've been really trying to eat and drink more throughout the day, including getting two sources of glycine-rich protein every day (bone broth and collagen or gelatin). I know I'm eating more protein than I used to, say, a year ago, but I'm trying to amp it up even more for the sake of sleep as well as postpartum recovery. This pregnancy is a little different in that I feel like I'm force-feeding myself by the end of the day just to get enough food, versus just honoring my hunger cues (and consequently probably not eating enough calories or protein). I don't remember running out of room in quite the same way with the first two, but then again it's been quite a while since I've been pregnant.
Anyway, the kids were making enough noise by 0715 that Ross got up to get them some breakfast. I snoozed for another 30 minutes. I got to bed a bit late last night, and I'm REALLY trying to spend 8-9 hours in bed each night, since I know I'll be wide awake for 1-3 of those hours.
Then I got up and scrolled my phone while I ate breakfast in silence. Ugh. I'm realizing that would've been a perfect time to do some of the Bible study I'm always bemoaning about not being able to wake up early or lay on my stomach in bed for these days.
0800: I had a breakfast of a grapefruit juice adrenal cocktail; oatmeal with raisins, pecans, collagen, and syrup; and 1 breakfast sausage (Rosie stole the other one). (Subtracting the swiped sausage, this only ended up being about 23g of protein which is a little shorter than I was aiming for.)
Wow. I've been interrupted 3 times since starting this post! So much for the calm.
0915-1115: Started the school day a little later than usual because I started this post. Played our hymn of the month and rallied the kids while getting our morning supplies out. Today we covered Bible, handicraft, reading, math, natural history, Spanish, handwriting, and history. We are 7 weeks into our 12-week term and I feel like we are all finally adjusting. Rosie was able to sit at the table for most of today's lessons and color/practice in her pre-handwriting book, which was nice. She's been feeling a little left out on Tuesdays and Thursdays when she doesn't have preschool and Noah's lessons dominate our mornings.
1045: I snack on a homemade granola bar with my pregnancy tea because I'm getting tired. We sit outside for play, Spanish, and history and the sun feels perfect with the 60 degree temps! Finally we have some ideal fall weather! Trying to make the most of it- let's face it, I'm physically uncomfortable indoors or out, so might as well be out as long as I'm not pushing it with a too-long walk in the heat or something.
1115: The kids take off with their imaginary play games while I make lunch and put school stuff away.
1145: Salami, crackers, carrots, and mango for them. Hash browns and 3 eggs sautéed with ghee, onion, and pepper (from our garden) for me along with some mango. Again, only 21-ish grams of protein for this meal, but I have to force myself to finish it over 40 minutes as it is! I had planned to do brush drawing after lunch, but the kids are happy outside (the weather really helps) and I'm exhausted, so I let them play and eventually join them for a bit while I re-read The First Forty Days. Then Rosie bit the dust on the sidewalk, so coming in was a bit chaotic.
1230: Stories before rest time.
1300: Rosie and I napped the entire 90 minutes of rest time! I could've kept going, honestly. I'm somehow more tired instead of less tired! It feels like it's been weeks since we had a normal rest time without having to rush somewhere before or after. I will definitely be napping at rest time for the foreseeable future as our schedule slows down.
1450: Noah came downstairs and had his snack (beef jerky and dried fruit) and played dominoes by himself while Rosie and I woke up a bit. Then Rosie and I snacked (hot cocoa with collagen for me = 10g protein). I seem to be having reflux again the last few days, reminiscent of the first trimester. Not a fan. I print out new 1000 Hours Outside tracking sheets per Noah's request, as well as a Facebook Marketplace shipping label, and the kids manage to get into a squabble that results in one crying the minute I leave the room. *SIGH*
1500-1645: We walk to and from the library. Again, the weather is just perfect. I'm so happy. I walked slowly, with my belly support belt, and still feel fairly decent afterwards. The kids are now sitting happily in front of their CD players listening to audio books while I warm up leftovers for dinner. Thursdays are my long days since Ross doesn't get home until after the kids' bedtime, so I'm thrilled I have leftovers today. While dinner warmed up, I ordered a postpartum nightgown, postpartum underwear (glamorous), and one of Rosie's Christmas gifts. I'm realizing that between baby and holidays together, I need to have my act together to literally JUST REST as of November 1.
1745: Ate leftover beef stew and crackers with the kids. Perfect for a cool, cloudy evening in! (30-40g protein based on the recipe in the Cook Once cookbook).
1815-1845: Brush drawing. Not normally something we'd do this late in the day, but the weather was too good to miss earlier, and Rosie is a brush drawing fanatic. Once I mentioned doing it today, she has not forgotten! This meant constant refereeing, breaking up fights, one 4 year old meltdown, and standing at the sink to clean LOTS of brushes while the kids got their pajamas on at the end.
1900: Hot chocolate for the kids' bedtime snack while I take a quick shower, then they brush their teeth and we start stories.
1955: On Thursdays, the kids fall asleep in my bed. I used to fit between them and be able to get to bed early too. But between Noah's latest growth spurt and my belly, that's not really possible these days. So I lay on the nugget on the floor and watch an Office episode while they fall asleep.
2030: I eat my own snack of beef jerky (4g protein), dried fruit, and tulsi tea. I ate a total of 80-95 grams of protein today. Not quite what I was aiming for (100-120), but can't fathom eating/digesting more! Here's hoping I can sleep tonight. I'll probably eat a Larabar at some point before morning, so I guess that's another 3g protein for what it's worth! I am so (literally) tired of waking up hungry and wired at night. Overall, though, today was a fun and low-stress day. I think the kids needed a day without obligations as much as I did. Planning to have many more of these between now and D day (which is a max of 49 days away, but much more likely 35-42 days away).
