So the day has come. Alla is back off to work and I am home alone with the kids. I decided to keep a diary of the first day…
04.30 – We have just been woken up by my daughter screaming. I have rushed into her room to find her laying on the floor as she has fallen out of bed. I manage to settle her quickly. She was absolutely shattered as she was up until very late last night with a nasty cough.
04.45 – She is calling out again. I go in and she seems to be ok. No sticker on the ‘No Calling Out at Night’ reward chart today.
05.00 – More screaming. I rush in to find her laying on the floor again. Her crying has woken my little boy up as well and he is crying too. Manage to settle both in a few minutes and back to bed.
05.30 – We haven’t managed to get back to sleep yet. She has been calling out again. Alla goes in and manages to settle her to sleep.
05.40 – My son starts his usual moaning / groaning noises which means he is waking up. We try and settle him. Still groaning noises. I lay awake wondering if he will grow old in a life of solitude as surely no partner will put up with this amount of noise while he sleeps.
06.00 – Tried to settle him again. No luck. Daughter seems to be asleep.
06.10 – Still groaning from son. We are laying in bed curled, listening to him and giggling.
06.30 – Both get the shock of our lives as the room starts flashing followed by weird loud noises. I have a new phone and this is the first time we have used the alarm. It’s effective. We were awake anyway but now we are wide awake. I head into room to get son and bring him in with me while Alla goes to get ready.
06.45 – Son now up and playing. Sort out breakfast for him. Watch him eat all his cereal and then feed him a jar of fruit. My he can eat. Must get this from his mothers side of the family (*cough*)
07.15 – Alla getting a bit flustered. Possibly a bit nervous about first day back at work – is telling me what to do and how to do it. I reassure her that it’s all ok and I know what I’m doing. *GULP*.
07.30 – Alla ready and decides to go and wake my daughter up to say goodbye before she leaves. Daughter a bit sleepy but cough seems better.
07.45 – Alla leaves. Says goodbye and we wave at the window. Now it’s daddy time! Sort out Weetabix for breakfast for daughter and grab son to get him dressed. Nappy changed (pooo-iiiie!!!!) and clothes on. Think he looks great and wonder if there is such a job as a child clothes stylist as I think I’d be great at it.
08.00 – Daughter finished breakfast so leave son in front of TV to get her dressed. Arrange her in nice mini mouse outfit. Very cute – I could deffo be a kids stylist. Consider doing her hair. Son being very quiet in front of TV – all good.
08.05 – Chase daughter around room playing tag. Son still happy. This is easy…
08.06 – Son has had a crawl up into our bedroom and is playing with phone. Very cute – he is trying to say hi into it. I clap as encouragement towards him. Notice something on his face – pick him up and realise it’s the dried remains of daughters’s weetabix. Pick him up and he is absolutely covered as is the phone and bedroom carpet. Run to the lounge – so is the new lounge carpet. Brown smoog everywhere. Bugger! Wipe him down as his cute outfit is covered in what looks like poo – doesn’t smell like it though so deffo weetabix. There are lots of tears as I get the mess off. Clean carpet as much as possible and defend myself from daughter as she asks lots of questions regarding playing with her.
08.15 – Kids are getting restless. This is tough. Alla has only been gone half and hour.
08.16 – Have brainwave and decide to take a pair of scissors to an empty IKEA box to turn it into a play car. Cut out big hole and trim another bit of cardboard to make it into a windscreen. Daughter does some drawing on bonnet to make it look like a car. Daddy = Genius.
“Push us around the room again Dad!”
08.25 – Place both children in car and start pushing them around the empty dining room. Ikea car is a big hit – Both kids love it!
08.26 – Check bottom of car and see if there is glue / velcro / something else on there that is making it stick to the floor – is much much harder to get moving than I thought. Bloody knackered straight away. Daddy = not quite the genius he thought he was.
08.35 – Covered in sweat. Tell kids they have to do it one at a time. Kids start fighting. Son pulling daughters hair. Tell him to stop. He starts crying and does it again. She starts crying. Double meltdown time. Look at watch – I would normally taking a stroll to the canteen at work right now for my morning latte. Contemplate what I need to do to get CV up to date so I can start to apply for job again.
08.40 – Text from Alla asking if it’s all ok. I reply and say yes. Don’t want her to worry her / admit defeat.
09.00 – Kids calmed down. Still a bit bored. Son climbing over new car. Daughter asking me to play with her. Have another brainwave. Decide to get kids table and chairs we have been given out of basement. Bring them upstairs and realise they are absolutely filthy. Son starts trying to lick / eat table so decide they need a clean.
09.45 – Table and chair clean after placing both in bath and hosing down / scrubbing with kids helping. Leave them in bath to dry. Bath absolutely filthy – Alla won’t be pleased then realise cleaning bath is now my job. Bugger.
09.50 – Get text from Alla. Problem with our container (with all our furniture from the UK) – It’s still in Montreal and held up in customs. Won’t be here until the end of the week at the earliest. Look at empty house, bored kids with limited toys and decide that me screaming out loud won’t help matters. Stiffle scream.
10.00 – Get kids in front of TV and put on Tumble Tot’s Dance DVD. Both immediately transfixed and start exercising and dancing. I join in for a bit and then realise that I need to get dressed. Get dressed.
10.30 – Kids really liking DVD – Son up and dancing. Watch him totter over to some toy blocks. Were they his first steps? EEEEK! Tell myself they weren’t as Alla not here and contemplate pushing him over if he tries it again just to make sure that he does the first ‘official’ steps while she is around (and not on her first day back at work FFS).
10.45 – Son ready for nap. Put him down to sleep. Just as he is settled get a scream from daughter. Run into room to find she has wet herself. She is really apologetic. I tell her not to worry etc and that it was daddy’s fault for not reminding her to pee. Get her changed and we go and play together on laptop doing advent calendar on the BBC Cbeebies website (awesome site for kids).
11.00 – Leave daughter on computer and clean plates in kitchen. Get a call from her that he game isn’t working. walk in to find she has decided to colour the mousepad on my new mac in with green crayon. Stiffle another scream. Explain she shouldn’t do this while she
apologises (very cute) and am relieved as it wipes off. Look at watch – Alla will be home in 6 hours. Nice.
apologises (very cute) and am relieved as it wipes off. Look at watch – Alla will be home in 6 hours. Nice.
11.30 – Son wakes up. Daughter wants to sleep. Get her down while he plays in hallway with banana.
11.35 – Daughter asleep. Son covered in squished banana as he has bitten the end off. Put him in chair and decide to feed him the rest. He is very proud as he manages to eat the whole thing. It has to be half the size of him. Can’t believe how much he has eaten. Realise this may be why he produces so much poo.
11.45 – Take son out of chair and notice he has wet tracksuit bottoms. Oops. Forgot to change diaper. Change diaper, tracksuit bottoms and vest. New outfit looks cute again. Applaud self for choice. Decide to do laundry as now have her wet outfit and his.
12.15 – Been playing with son on computer with AlphaBaby baby smash game. He is having fun. Wonder how long keyboard will last with him whacking it like that. Stop him playing game.
12.45 – Daughter awake. Get her some lunch and listen to her chest. Cough sounds much better so decide to walk to shops to sort stuff out.
13.00 – Get kids ready and wrap them up for walk to bank and shops for essentials. Kids in buggy and happy as we walk around neighborhood looking at christmas lights. Manage to get them past toy shop without them noticing – result. No meltdowns.
15.00 – Shopping and everything now done – buggy loaded to brink with kids and shopping. Call Jen and see if she is up for visit and whether she wants Starbucks on the way. Yep – all good.
15.05 – Get to Starbucks and massive queue. Daughter says she’s hungry so drinks ordered and get her a cookie – she asks for chocolate and I lie and tell her that they don’t have any but have oatmeal and raisin (errr- it has fruit in so I decide it will be better for her). I grab one too as feeling peckish.
15.15 – All sorted. Give daughter some cookie – ‘this is gooooood dad!’ – she loves it – result. Walk down to see Jen while skillfully holding drink in one hand and pushing fully loaded buggy with other – she is walking up to see us. Kids over the moon to see her (as always). She relieves me of her drink and we walk up to school to meet her daughter. I eat some cookie and realise that it’s the first thing I have eaten all day. Oops…
15.30 – Arrive at school and daughter gets out and plays with cousin in playground. All good fun. Son trying to climb up slide. Two steps up and slide back down. He’s very determined. Very funny.
“I want to go to the top and I don’t care how long it takes me…”
16.00 – Son is looking shattered after unsuccessful climbing so decide time to go and hope he has a short nap in buggy. Tears from daughter – minor meltdown. Head home via Jen’s. Daughter really upset we are not stopping at her cousins so she can play. – major meltdown.
16.25 – 5 mins from home and notice son has only just fallen asleep.
16.30 – Get home and do crafty manouvreing which leave son asleep in buggy. Check phone and notice message from Alla asking to call her ASAP re movers. Try from mobile and get message saying am not allowed to call foreign mobiles. Try from landline and get the same. Feel inadequate as can’t work bloody phone!!!!! Text her and tell her this. She replies she will be home soon. She must be so proud of me – I’m meant to be the IT savvy one…
16.45 – Wake son up and give him cuddles as daughter plays on laptop again (I LOVE this Cbeebies site – she’s not even 3 yet and it’s simple enough for her to use)
16.50 – Alla arrives home – kids very very excited. Lots of cuddles and then she is on the phone as needs to speak to movers ASAP. Seems problem is that UK movers have not forwarded relevant paperwork and they need our copy. Can we print it out? er no – printer is in container. duuuurr!Ooffer to take photo’s and email them (don’t you love new mobile phones) – told they need to be scanned. Bugger. Jen has scanner so decide Alla to go over there when kids are asleep.
“Hard day dear?”
17.00 – Kids dinner on, Alla got their attention. I check out football (it’s not called Soccer!) and am delighted to see Chelsea have beaten Man City, the ‘invincible’ team at the top of the league. Do a little dance (after checking no one is watching).
17.15 – Notice Coffee machines have arrived and have been left by back door – take them out of box and get excited about what we have to review.
17.45 – Dinner finished – sons all gone. Daughter’s hardly touched… Tub time!
18.30 – Kids washed, dried and dressed for bed. It’s so much easier with Alla here. Son shattered so she puts him to bed while I make hot chocolate in new machine with daughter. She gets excited as she gets to push the button. Alla starts our dinner. I’m starving!
18.45 – Son taking time to settle so watch Blue Planet with daughter while drinking hot chocolate. Alla stops making dinner to deal with son.
19.00 – Time for daughter to bed. Son still moaning and groaning. I go and help him settle (overtired I think).
19.10 – Both kids down – daughter coughing a bit. And relax…… make dinner with Alla and chat about our days. All good. Reconsider updating CV and sending it to anyone that will have me.
19.20 – Settle down with dinner in front of TV with EPL highlights.
19.21 – Crying from daughters room. Alla goes to investigate to find daughter has coughed so hard she has thrown up. Bugger.
20.00 – Daughter cleaned, sorted and settled. Finish off eating dinner. Alla dressed up to get documents scanned at Jen’s so we can send them off to movers ASAP.
20.30 – Tidy up and head to bed with book.
20.35 – Text from Alla – Scanner not picking up writing on docs properly. She is heading home and we will have to use camera.
21.00 – Alla home and peeved so we are using various camera’s to take the pics. Get one that looks good. Take pics. Try to send emails but email server not responding. Stiffle another scream. Take frustration out by writing shitty email to UK movers.
21.30 – Lay in bed. Light off, cuddle into Alla. Think about day. Smile. Sleep time….
Hey Jamie and Allyson!
Hope you are both settled out in Canada. Thought it was about time I caught up on your adventures. It’s such an exciting move for you both. Have a fabulous New Year in your new home and will enjoy following your adventures from the U.K. Jamie… thought I had it tought with my 9-3:30 with 30 kids. Would take that over 2 full time any day I reckon! Lots of love to you all. Karen xx
Great effort Jamie. It is a tough job… but rewarding (on some days!) Glad I am back at work. But now I am feeling tired after reading about your busy day… hmmmm time for a walk out for a latte.
I’m so tired…tired…tried…Jamie you’re awesome!
Thanks guys. It was great fun in the end. day’s 2 and 3 went much better – I had a coffee first thing and had managed a decent chunk of sleep each night as well which was a bonus. Today may be a bit tougher due to the pouring rain and not being able out get outside but I have a dungeon, errr, I mean basement I can lock them up in if it gets too bad 😉
Sitting at my office desk, sippping my latte, reading this yesterday. By the end I was absolutely exhausted, but grinning madly…sounds like you’re in for a very fun adventure, Jamie. So glad we’re along for the ride!
Way to go Jamie. You took on the day like a pro.
That is one vivid daily account and you still have the warmth to snuggle.
I’ve been home for nearly 10 mostly and since my second child 4 years later after my spouse went back to work, we just turned a major corner, my 4.5 year old finally played by herself for nearly an hour without my requried involvement.
It was shocking and weird.
Despite the many moments my hair is graying instantaneously, I am still glad it has me handling my two handfuls.
Good luck tomorrow for both you and Alli.
I hope we meet you all in the hood.
Idas
You did amazing and the kids are sooooo happy with Daddy. BTW our son will not live in solitude as his father managed to find someone who will tolerate all the snoring in bed. Love you!
Fabulous!!! I particularly like the part when considered pushing over your son, so as to prevent a milestone from happening without Mom. I really think I need to show this to Curt & say “See it’s not just me!!” Congrats on making it through your first day. I too made cars out of big boot boxes & my boys took turns pushing each other around. Give the little guy a few more months & he can do the pushing for you!!
It’s a looooooong day, huh?!
So I’m wondering how many knew there was about to be a messy problem when Jamie said at 8:00 am. “Son being very quiet in front of TV – all good.”
A word to the wise Jamie… unless it’s 2:00 am “very quiet” and “all good” rarely seem to go together!
All in all… it’s always a good day when everyone ends it with limbs attached and you’re still speaking to your spouse… so GOOD JOB DAD!
Love it, Jamie! What an amazing first day! What I see here is exactly what I experienced when my kids were small – it is ALL consuming. There is not even time to eat you are so busy. And, there are always “surprises” to add some spice to your day. So glad all is well and glad you are so close that we can visit.