Green Tea Ginger: A Day In the Life--March 27

Today I woke up around 8. H was bringing R to school but I still got up. This is my sweet morning view. Babes.

R likes to helps carry things out for me...either a diaper or our Bobby. I love her sleep morning face. Lately she's been really unhappy so these sweet moments are even more precious.

Piper was about to leave but I got a quick and a peek at the note she prepared when she thought we were still sleeping. Can't forget the kitties.

Breakfast for R and mama....

And breakfast for Jude...

A bit of a morning nap. She usually wakes up, nurses and takes a quick little nap each morning.

While she naps, I work on some activism stuff...remembering Ethan Saylor in small ways as I try to spread awareness. I spend most of my breakfast time looking on line for articles detailing abuse against people with Down syndrome, spreading the word on what I know, and writing about these things.

R getting ready to bring daddy to work. H usually bikes but I had picked him up on Monday because it was so cold so he needed to get this morning.

Camille manages to get up in time to give her papa a hug goodbye.

Jude is ready to go!

Dropped H off and headed home.

A moment of beauty in a hectic day. These days when I walk around with my camera remind me that I need to stop everyday and look.

I come home to find Umberto up and loving cough torturing cough our cat.

R slowed down too and found a beautiful rock in the driveway.

Camille reads a book. She spends a lot of her day reading about all kinds of things. Today the choose was about wizards and dragons.

This. Repeat five times today.

Cleaning up for therapy. Therapy is kind of a pain because I have to clean. I try to see it as a good thing. But I really hate cleaning. Right now our therapist is I believe an OT who comes in every two weeks. Jude is on schedule with her development so we don't really need a physical therapist yet.

Jude was a rock star today. She showed off all her skills and even rocked out her tummy time. Therapy mostly means Jude lying on the floor playing. The therapist will give her toys to hold, and gives me advice on encouraging her to do things like rolling over, opening up her hands more, etc. She mentioned bringing the PT by so I can ask some questions about our sling and about a Johnny Jump Up.

Jude takes a much needed nap on mama...therapy wears a baby out.

More driving...on my way to pick up Piper from school. She has a dentist appointment.

She's not very happy when I get her. She turns to Jude for some comfort.

Dentist time!

Improvised emergency nursing session before appointment.

After the appointment, we stop off at home so Piper can rinse her mouth and I can pick up my wallet. Then it's back on the road for some supplies for dinner.

Jude shops in style while R lusts over cookie cakes.

I realize I have not eaten since breakfast. Whoops. Have a very late lunch.

I attempt to take a nap since I'm beat. At first, Jude thinks this is a super idea.

But then it just really pisses her off. This happens so rarely that it's worthy of documentation.

R thinks she wants a nap but mostly she wants to lay around, pick at Jude and just generally keep us from napping.

I finally convince Jude that she would LOVE to nurse which she does....

But not enough to go to sleep.

Finally success....sweet baby. I love sleeping with Jude. These moments are like she's part of me again, melted against me. I feel her so closely at these times as I hold her in my arms. My beautiful gift.

Up. Coffee. Needed.

Taking a page from H's philosophy of cleaning...doing some dishes while I wait for the coffee to finish brewing. I also get the kids' pizza into oven. Why yes, yes I do feed my kids frozen pizza for dinner. With salad of course.

Another blog entry on Ethan Saylor.

Late night math.

Once H is home, we relax into the evening. The girls usually draw or read books. Umberto draws tonight which is unusual. H gets some snuggle time with Jude.

Piper is really crazy about Jude like she was R. She loves babies. Jude loves her too.

H and C play a game from Camille's Wicked History of the World book. We are all rather horrified at the nasty things that happened to kids in the past. Camille says at one point "I just guess the worst thing imaginable and that's the answer."

R waxes sassy while H and Camille play. Jude decides to have a snack.

Time for bed. Med prep time. Umberto is on two different meds right now. We're weaning him off one. Allergy medicine for Piper and Umberto and melatonin for Piper. Whoo.

Umberto steals my baby. This happens often. I kind of love my soon to be 13 year likes to steal the baby but he can't keep her. That snugly goodness is all mine.