Daycare Pickup

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Running in Circles

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Some days are still really hard. That’s not new. But occasionally.. some days are less hard? We find our self getting brave and leaving the house more and more. This past weekend we went on 3 separate outings as a family of 5. Most were less than an hour, but even a month ago we weren’t even averaging one.

Pickups have been hard for me since F started walking. There were days when all three of them would be running in circles in the gym and there was nothing I could do. I love that this daycare has a gym, but it definitely makes my day harder, since you have to walk through the gym to exit the building. I can’t catch all of them at the same time. I can catch one, and then the minute I try and catch a second, the first one is gone again. They know they outnumber me and they just laugh. I really can’t do much but wait it out.

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It's a Lot

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Life has seemed a bit harder than usual lately. And not the normal kind of hard. That kind of hard I’m used to – the push through even though you’re tired, get everyone where they need to be and just survive until life calms down type of hard. This is more emotionally hard, and it’s exhausting in a completely different way.

It’s the deep sigh that comes from once again realizing that it’s not that this country isn’t ready for equality, it’s that it doesn’t want it. It’s that familiar feeling of feeling a bit invisible, a bit stepped on, a bit like you’re screaming in a crowded room and no one can hear you. We’ve been here before, we live here. We’ll swallow the pain and move on.

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Lately

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Hi! Still here!

We’ve been feeling like we can’t catch up lately. Lack of sleep or extra things to do or who knows, but our to do list is piling up and nothing is getting crossed off fast enough. Which means that even though I probably have cute stories to tell, my brain is so foggy I can’t remember them.

Anyway, here’s a quick update on the tiny humans. As cute as ever, keeping us as busy as ever.

Baby G has decided that since his first birthday is coming right up, he would no longer like to be a baby, and this toddler thing seems great. He has stared babbling like crazy, entering the phase I loved with E. He’ll look at something, point to it, and tell you a whole story in his own language. And then he’ll look at you with these big eyes because he completely expects you to understand. Which I feel like I do, in the moment.

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Extra Mama Time

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Here's what I believe about toddlers, at least two year old toddlers. They don't know how to misbehave, or how to do things to annoy you on purpose. They only know there are things that will get your attention, and things that won't.

And if they're doing something to get your attention, it's because they need you and don't know how to say so.

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The Ride Home

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It’s hard to pick a favorite part of my day, but it might be right after I pick up E at daycare. I grab him first, and then we go to pick up his brother. I open the door and tell E to go find his baby. And he runs around looking from baby to baby until he finds G. It’s seriously the cutest thing ever.

This part of the day is easy and fun. It’s before the dinner struggle. Before I have to fight to get them in PJs and deal with tears because they’re overtired but don’t want to go to bed.

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And How Was Your Night?

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Every time I pick E up at daycare, I think that there has to be an easier way. I lug G in his carseat, which is heavy and hurts my wrists and back. I get into the room and am swarmed by toddlers who all try to climb in on top of G, or rock him like crazy until he cries. Then when I’m at the car with both kids, I try to hold E’s hand while I maneuver G’s carseat into the car. It’s not pretty, and it’s super hard on my back. I’m just not strong enough.

I see other mom’s use their stroller, but that seemed like a lot of work too. But today I finally decided to try it. I clicked G into the stroller, and headed to the door. Oh. This is harder. I had to type in my code, open the door towards me, move the stroller out of the way and then try to hold the door open and get the stroller through the door. For three doors. Phew.