Here’s a thing to know as you’re picturing this: Baguette needs me to sleep with her. We are working on it. But it is hard, because I am tired.
04:30
Wake up. No reason. Try to go back to sleep. Probably fail.
05:30
Hear Mr. Sandwich feed the dogs.
05:40
Mr. Sandwich comes into the room to say goodbye to me and Baguette (who is still asleep). Get up.
05:41
Brush teeth, etc.
05:50
Go to back patio, take laundry out of washing machine, hang to dry and/or put in dryer. Bag any dog poop. Toss bag over gate so that it is near trash can.
06:00
Wash hands. Fix the fresh parts of Baguette’s lunch, such as berries or yogurt. Wash some dishes.
06:10
Wake up Baguette, get her to move to the sofa, make her breakfast (macaroni and cheese).
06:15
Get Baguette to move to the kitchen table. Make tea. Wash a few more dishes.
06:20
Stir macaroni and cheese in bowl to make it look more appealing.
06:30
Hand-feed Baguette, who is able to eat independently, but many mornings is simply too tired. Hopefully she will muster the energy to eat on her own after a few bites. Give her iPad or coloring materials if she asks. Drink tea.
06:45
Get Baguette to move to the bathroom. Put lunch in her backpack.
06:50
Check weather and lay out Baguette’s clothes for the day.
07:00
Supervise hand-washing and tooth-brushing. Brush hair. Let her play on the iPad or color.
07:15
Make sure Baguette gets dressed, to shoes. Let her play on the iPad or color.
07:20
Get slightly more dressed than pajamas. Start another load of laundry in washer. Get laundry out of dryer and bring inside.
07:25
Open blinds to see when bus arrives.
07:33
Bus arrives. Get Baguette to put down the iPad and walk out the front door. Walk Baguette down driveway to bus and hand backpack to driver. Pick up bag of dog poop and put in trash can.
07:35
Bus departs. Go back inside. Wash hands. Check work schedule and emails.
07:40
Fold laundry and put away, or at least put in correct bedroom. Finish getting dressed. Maybe eat breakfast. Maybe not.
07:50
Apply lipstick. Turn off lights. Start dishwasher (delay start because washing machine is already running). Wonder if there is time to clean kitchen floor. There is not. Ignore papers and markers everywhere.
07:55
Make sure everything that needs to be locked is locked, stove is off, microwave and refrigerator are shut, cabinets are latched, dog gate is closed.
07:58
Set alarm, exit house, lock door.
08:00
Get in car. Get out of car. Confirm that door is locked. It is. Get back into car. Check Google Map routing.
08:10
Call Mr. Sandwich and tell him how morning went, and how Baguette’s mood was.
09:00
Arrive at work parking lot. Walk to office building.
09:10
Turn on computer. Work.
17:00
Shut down computer, put phone in bag, walk to parking lot.
18:00
Arrive at home.
18:05
Put down bags and keys, greet Mr. Sandwich and Baguette.
18:15
Prepare dinner.
18:35
Put dishes in sink.
18:40
Make macaroni and cheese for Baguette, which she may or may not eat.
18:45
Move laundry in washing machine to dryer, start dryer.
18:50
Tell Baguette that in 10 minutes, it will be time for an iPad break.
19:00
Do some homework with Baguette.
19:20
Let Baguette have iPad again.
19:40
Give Baguette 5-minute warning on bath.
19:45
Tell Baguette that, yes, her idea of going to the bathroom now is a good one.
19:47
Unpack Baguette’s lunch bag.
19:50
Plug in iPad, get Baguette into bath, wash hair, condition hair, let her sit in the tub, rinse.
20:05
Help Baguette dry off (but not her hair–NOT HER HAIR) and move to bed.
20:10
Give iPad back to Baguette.
20:12
Sort laundry.
20:15
Put load of laundry in washing machine. Pack non-perishable portions of Baguette’s lunch. Wash some dishes.
20:25
Persuade Baguette to come to kitchen and have ice cream, which she may or may not eat.
20:30
Remove laundry from dryer. Take clothes off of line and tumble for a few minutes. Remove that laundry from dryer. Fold laundry.
20:50
Heat up rice packs in microwave and put in bed.
21:00
Clean up dessert dishes.
21:05
Get Baguette dressed for bed, comb hair.
21:15
Get Baguette into bed. Read aloud.
21:45
Turn off lights, hopefully sleep.
Photo by Giallo, via Flickr. Public domain.