The Simple Scrapper Story Starter theme for October, Tending the Nest, was the push I needed to get this Day in the Life project from June off the computer and into an album. This is the third Day in the Life I've finished this year, although I do have a fourth day recorded, and each time narrowing down the photos to include is the hardest part, even though I'm including 18!
As I had more journaling than previous, I included 8.5x11 text pages between the 9x12 photo pocket pages.
The patterned paper and plastic 'today' embellishment are from Elle's Studio. The 'yes to this' chipboard piece is from an Ali Edwards Story Kit and the washi tape was a great match found in my stash. :)
I use the voice recorder on my phone to record times, actions and thoughts throughout the day. It allows me to be plenty wordy!
Journaling:
1:16 AM – Woken by a hungry cry. Get up, turn off the monitor and not until I’m sitting down in the lounge room feeding little miss do I remember Mike is still at work and isn’t going to be woken by the noise. Fed little miss 6 minutes on the right side. Gave her a burp but she didn’t want the left.
1:31 AM – Back in bed after putting Milly down in her cot.
1:33 AM – I’m going to have to go back and resettle her. Not really surprised. Sitting her in the cot to find the dummy then managing to drop the dummy on the floor is more comedy of errors than the new routine we’ve developed.
1:37 AM – Going to turn off my light now. Seems like little miss has, fingers crossed, gone to sleep.
5:17 AM – Just a quick dummy return needed. She’d slept for 3 hours and 42 minutes.
7:00 AM – Woken by crying smack bang on the dot of 7 o’clock. Time to get up with little miss. She’d slept an additional hour and 43 minutes. Going to her room, she sounds so snuffly. Poor thing. Pick her up, have some cuddles. Change her out of her sleepsuit and change her nappy. Sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat at the change table, managing to forget half the words despite many recent renditions.
7:08 AM – Put little miss in her bouncer in the lounge room while I get toileted, dressing gown, slippers, hair tied back.
7:15 AM – She’s feeding. She still needs a dummy switcheroo which isn’t ideal but her feeding is so much better than it was. And, according to the baby scales we bought, she is finally putting on weight at the level we’d like.
7:35 AM – That was a good feed. 11 minutes in total; 5 minutes on the left and 7 on the right. Time for some burping now, spew cloth at the ready.
7:45 AM – After some playtime on the floor together, I leave her there for some kicks while I make breakfast. Toast and tea for me, stewed apple with a little rice cereal for Milly.
8:05 AM – The stewed apple went down very easy so now she’s trying some Greek yoghurt. It’s going EVERYWHERE.
8:11 AM – All clean again. Well, comparatively.
8:12 AM – A few games played on Mum’s knees before bed.
8:20 AM – Little one is down for a nap. Playtime was cut a bit short as she got grizzly, a sure sign she’s tired. Changed her nappy, needing quick hands as she peed at the same time. (Much better than the pooping the other day. 3 times in the one nappy change!) The new nappy bin is still a novelty to use. When she smiled at me as I put her down for a nap I figured she’d need some resettling, but after just one visit to return her dummy she’s quiet. We started a new sleep routine on Tuesday (3 days ago) when we transitioned her to the cot in the nursery and she has been going awesome. I check her nappy, change it if required. Put her in a sleepsuit and that’s when she starts to grizzle so give her a dummy. Pick her up and close curtains, door and turn off the light. I rock her in my arms for a few moments, say ‘Sleep time now Milly’, kiss her on the cheek and put her in the cot. Tuck her in, stroke her nose 5 times, pat her chest twice, making sure she doesn’t grab my hands, and then leave. It was a tough day but by the end of Tuesday she was going wonderfully, generally needing only one resettle. That’s it. Now it’s often none!
8:26 AM – It’s only been a few minutes but I chanced a peek. There was a little wriggling so I hurried out but she seems to be asleep. I’m sitting down now, enjoying my cup of tea that I didn’t get to finish earlier.
9:04 AM – I’m ready for a shower but want to be available in case little one wakes up after a sleep cycle. I could take the monitor into the bathroom with me; debating whether to chance it.
9:18 AM – Post shower, just peeked through the door and she was wriggling away but eyes closed and she’s seemed to settle back down. A 55 min nap and counting!
9:26 AM – She’s let out a bit of a squawk so I’ve started my timer for one minute. I’m hoping she’ll sleep a bit longer.
9:28 AM – I’m going to have to go in. Don’t like my chances of resettling; at least I’m showered and dressed.
9:34 AM – Busted, I think. I snuck a peek and she was just lying there peacefully, eyes open though. Surprised me because I had lots of smiles when I’d gone in to return the dummy. I’ll see if she dozes back off.
9:39 AM – I poked my head in again and she was just lying there, awake. It broke my heart a little bit. Mummy guilt! I hope we did the right thing with the sleep training. I stroked her face and patted her chest, our normal settling routine, but it’s worked her up because there are squeals now.
9:46 AM – Mike has woken up and picks up Milly, who has been babbling quietly to herself in her cot. I’m showered, dressed, hair has been brushed (I wasn’t game to turn on the hairdryer) I’ve cleaned my teeth and even put on makeup. I’ve been sorting and restocking the nappy bag. Nappies, wipes, bags, dummy, cloth nappy, toys, blanket, wrap, change of clothes, socks, beanie, my wallet.
10:01 AM – I reclaim little miss from Mike so I can feed her and he can feed himself. And make me coffee hopefully.
10:15 AM – She’s fed a little but wasn’t hugely interested, just 4 minutes on the right side. And by the recent groaning and smell, I’m pretty certain there’s a dirty nappy waiting too.
10:24 AM – Hand Milly off to her Dad for a nappy change.
10:51 AM – Mike has put her down for a nap, trying now we have our new routine, while I watched. Fingers crossed.
10:56 AM – Milly seems to have gone down to sleep first time for her Dad, which is AWESOME. I’m going out now, my first longer trip without her in so long. Ironically, because I’m going to Mothers’ Group, without my baby.
1:09 PM – Home from Mothers’ Group and Milly is still asleep. Wonderful! Definitely odd being there without her, people looking around and asking, ‘Where is she?’, but it was lovely chatting with the mothers about problems, solutions, and probably a bit of gloating about her sleeping.
1:15 PM – Deciding to go out for lunch when Milly wakes up. Having a snack because I’m already hungry.
1:33 PM – We’ve heard one little squawk from little miss then she’s quiet again. I’ve sent Mike in as I want to normalise him getting her up. I want to though; I’m missed her! I’m in the study, doing some scrapbooking.
1:56 PM – I’ve sent Mike in to WAKE HER UP as she’s hit three hours sleep. Good grief!
2:06 PM – Feeding Milly. Mike comments that she’s getting long, almost doesn’t fit across my lap anymore.
2:38 PM – Little miss fed for 11 minutes; 6 minutes on the left and 5 on the right. She was fine except for some grumbles in the middle when she really needed to burp. Nicole gave me a call just as I was finishing so Mike grabbed Milly for a nappy change and some cuddles. Milly is wearing her jacket and in her capsule and we’re heading out for lunch.
3:54 PM – We’re at Bunnings, looking at wood for the table Mike is making for Jenna’s birthday. We had a very late lunch at Grilled. Milly got cranky in her pram just when we started eating and I think it was because she wanted food too. Like, ‘hey Mum, Dad, where’s mine? Huh? Where’s mine?’ I picked her up and she had a good munch on the innards of some chips mixed with her baby food.
3:57 PM – Asleep in the pram.
4:32 PM – Driving home after trying to buy picture frames at Freedom, only to discover their entire sales system is down. Milly is awake, having slept 33 minutes.
5:02 PM – Home again, I’ve just changed her nappy. Thankfully I’ve managed to avoid all the dirty ones today. She feeds for 4 minutes, just on the right side.
5:28 PM – I’ve just put Milly down for a nap. It’s certainly later in the day than ideal for a nap but she got a bit cranky after feeding so I think she’s tired. Hopefully a little top up nap will get her through to bedtime.
5:37 PM – Picked up Milly from her cot. Tried to settle her a couple of times but it wasn’t really taking. Hopefully she’s had a couple minutes to take the edge off. She and I are going to the front room to play games while Dad cooks dinner.
6:15 PM – I have tried to feed her again but she wasn’t particularly hungry, having just 3 minutes on the left. There were some screams when she had her reflux tablet. Mike’s getting some food ready for her to have some solids before bed. We would be aiming for 7 o’clock normally but we’ve moved bedtime earlier because she’s tired.
6:39 PM – I’m keeping out of the way while Mike goes through the bedtime routine. He’ll be on his own tomorrow night if I go to the football. She’s in her sleepsuit and he’s reading her a bedtime book in the lounge room. It’s not the exact order I’d do so hopefully she’s settle down for him.
6:47 PM – Just peeked in on little miss and she’s asleep!
6:55 PM – Sitting down in front of the TV having dinner. Adult time; I’m even having a cider.
7:14 PM – Milly woke up – there was some crying – but Mike’s going in to resettle her. Fingers crossed.
10:18 PM – As I was heading to bed Milly’s woken up. She was just babbling to herself though so I’ve left the monitor with Mike. We’re trying to mimic conditions for tomorrow.
10:20 PM – I don’t want to speak too soon but it appears he’s settled her down no worries with one visit. Hopefully she’ll sleep through into the morning. Everything is set for that first very early morning feed and I’m watching a video in bed before turning in. Goodnight.
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