Life's Greatest Happiness

On Wed Feb 23, 2011 I thought how interesting it would be to record a day in my home life. Here it goes ...

1:00 am - Lily climbs into bed with us.
5:00 am - Jim is off to work for the day.
6:27 am - My alarm goes off.
6:30 am - I reluctantly drag myself out of bed.
6:31 am - I head downstairs to unlock our front door so my cousin can let herself in. My cousin is 9 years old, I babysit her 5 days a week.
6:32 am - I make my way to the laundry room; I transfer clothes from the washing machine to the dryer.
6:33 am - I grab my neatly folded clothes off the top of the dryer and head upstairs.
6:34 am - I open the living room curtains, turn on some lights and the put the t.v to Family Channel for Jaimie.
6:35 am - I sit for a sec and play around with my iPhone.
6:40 am - Jaimie arrives.
6:41 am - I hop in the shower, wash up, brush my teeth and enjoy the peace and quiet.
6:56 am - I turn off my shower and hear "Mommy!". Lily is awake.
6:57 am - I dry myself off and get myself dressed.
7:01 am - I moisturize and brush my hair.
7:03 am - Head out to the living for snuggles with Lily. She watches Phineas and Ferb and I go on my iPhone. I check The Weather Network (-6 and cloudy, calling for snow), Hotmail, Proboards and Facebook.
7:14 am - I start washing a huge pile of dirty dishes.
7:16 am - Lily requests her breakfast - elbows deep in dish water, I ignore her!
7:17 am - Lily requests her breakfast again.
7:18 am - I put dishes on hold and get Lily her Rice Krispies.
7:19 am - Dish washing commences.
7:23 am - The dryer beeps, clothes are dry!
7:25 am - Almost done a full sink load of dishes, unfortunately barely made a dent in the pile. Lily requests juice, I ignore and head downstairs to wake up the boys.
7:26 am - I send Brendan for a shower and Keyan goes upstairs for breaky.
7:27 am - I put a load of laundry in the washer. I collect the boys clothes for the day, they're neatly folded on top of the dryer.
7:32 am - I take Keyan's breaky request; as usual he would like toast with margarine. He helps out by putting the bread in the toaster.
7:34 am - Keyan begins his breaky. Lily gets her long awaited juice!
7:35 am - Cant forget about Jaimie, she's watching Zack & Cody: Suite Life on Deck. Brendan's shower comes to an end.
7:36 am - I start making the boys lunches. Tension headache makes it's appearance.
7:37 am - On the menu for the boys lunch: burritos - no wraps upstairs. I head downstairs to the garage to fetch some from the deep freeze.
7:39 am - Back upstairs. Set an 8:00 am timer. Back to making lunches.
7:40 am - Annoyed! No clean containers to make lunches, Ziploc bags it is.
7:43 am - Ask Brendan to make his own breaky. Keyan requests chocolate (soy) milk.
7:44 am - I cut up some apples for the kids breaky. Where did Brendan go? He's in the bathroom combing his hair. I redirect him back to the kitchen to finish making his breaky.
7:47 am - I finish making the boys lunches.
7:48 am - Lily starts a temper tanturm, cause unknown. I ignore.
7:50 am - Tantrum continuing, I tell Lily if she doesnt stop screaming she will have to go back to bed. Lily jumps down from the table and runs to her bedroom yelling "Noooo!". In her room she cries over and over "I dont want to!" This lasts 30 seconds before she is silent.
7:52 am - Lily emerges from her bedroom.
7:56 am - My back begins to ache.
7:58 am - I make a good morning phone call to my hubby.
7:59 am - Lily requests pudding. I ask her to finish her apples and then she can have some pudding. Lily agrees.
8:00 am - Timer goes off. I ask Keyan to leave his breakfast (sloooow eater!) and go get dressed. I set a 8:15 timer.
8:03 am - Lunches are finally finished. Quite behind.
8:04 am - Dress Lily, who at this moment is a Puppy! Hannah Montana is on the tv.
8:06 am - Keyan's done getting dressed, he heads back to the table to finish his apples. I brush Lily's hair.
8:08 am - Back to those dishes! Lily colours.
8:12 am - Keyan's done his apples, he brushes his teeth.
8:14 am - Done a 2nd sink full of dishes.
8:15 am - Timer goes off, head outside to warm up the van. Brendan stops eating and brushes his teeth.
8:16 am - Keyan packs up his back pack with a little help from me.
8:18 am - Keyan goes downstairs to his room to play. I chill on the couch and watch Phineas and Ferb.
8:19 am - Brendan obnoxiously bangs his tooth brush on the bathroom counter - I roll my eyes!
8:20 am - Brendan is back up to the table to finish eating his apples.
8:21 am - I finish making my grocery list.
8:25 am - Time for everyone to head downstairs to put on their shoes and coats. Lily turns off the tv. Brendan packs up his back pack and takes his last two apple slices with him.
8:26 am - Keyan is still in his room, slow mover! He turns off his tv and bedroom light.
8:27 am - Lily requests we go shopping for some cow's milk!
8:28 am - Brendan tries to leave the house without a jacket! - remind him of the snow fall warning! Get Lily in her boots and coat. Keyan needs help with a stuck zipper.
8:31 am - On route to school! I crank Taylor Swift and sing along - Keyan plugs his ears!
8:35 am - We arrive at school.
8:36 am - Homeward bound. Begin Lily's second temper tantrum, she's unhappy her brother's are going to school.
8:39 am - We're home!
8:40 am - Lily's yelling turns to whining.
8:41 am - Lily is happy!
8:42 am - Lily is mad! - Mommy turned off her bedroom light!
8:43 am - Turn on tv, sit in my chair and watch PVR'd 'Parenthood'. Lily objects, she wants to watch Imagination Movers. Lily wins.
8:45 am - Now's a good time to make MY breakfast. Lily is playing princess.
8:47 am - Make myself toast.
8:48 am - Rinse off remaining dishes while toast is cooking.
8:50 am - Sit down to eat my PB & J and realize "oops!", I forgot to give the boys juice boxes in their lunch!
8:53 am - Lily wants to eat my breakfast. She whines at my feet. I continue to eat.
8:55 am - Lily's whining turns to anger. Anger turns to crying with tears. Crying with tears turns to fake crying with no tears.
8:57 am - I try to reason with the emotional Lily. Fake crying stops, angry grunting begins. I ignore.
8:59 am - Lily is still mad, she angrily turns off the tv.
9:00 am - Facebook status update "Miserable 2 year old on board!"
9:01 am - Lily begins a staring competition with me. I win! Grunting begins again.
9:02 am - I turn on tv. Lily cries, runs to the tv and turns it off.
9:03 am - I need to get away from her craziness, downstairs I go.
9:04 am - I turn on the dryer to de-wrinkle the clothes. Go to the family computer. Brr, it's cold downstairs!
9:07 am - Check hotmail - eep, 531 messages.
9:14 am - Visit my blog for the first time since July 12, 2009.
9:17 am - Fold 1 load of laundry, add another load to the dryer to de-wrinkle.
9:19 am - Lily is calling from upstairs wanting to know my where abouts.
9:20 am - A very happy Lily comes downstairs.
9:27 am - Load 1 of laundry is folded, on to fold load 2.
9:30 am - Load 2 is folded, jeans are quick and easy!
9:31 am - Load 3 goes into the dryer.
9:32 am - Load 4 goes into the washer.
9:33 am - Yikes, Hurricane Lily hit Keyan's bedroom. Upstairs we go.
9:34 am - Lets try the tv again. Happy Lily doesnt care, she plays with her cars.
9:35 am - Play 'Parenthood' on the PVR and begin my daily morning stretches.
9:39 am - Lily goes from happy to crying, her best friend Tyler wont be visiting today. I ignore.
9:44 am - Quit stretching, Lily wont stop climbing on me - I'm frustrated.
9:45 am - Drink a glass of water and sit in my chair to watch tv.
9:46 am - Brr, it's cold! I check The Weather Network: -5 with snowfall warning.
9:50 am - Lily requests an Oreo. I make a deal, 1 apple for 1 oreo. Thus begins another crying session.
9:52 am - We cuddle in silence.
9:56 am - Cue crying.
9:57 am - Blissful silence. Cuddles again.
10:00 am - Lily demands her Oreos.
10:18 am - Cuddles comes to an end. Lily turns off the tv ... pause ... then turns it back on. She's trying to make me angry. Temper tantrum begins, I ignore.
10:28 am - Enough is enough, I send Lily to her room. She's quiet, I calm my nerves.
10:31 am - Watch PVR'd Oprah.
10:32 am - Go on my iPhone, visit Proboards - post ... and then delete it.
10:56 am - Lily calls from her room "I'm ready for my apples!"
10:57 am - Lily runs out of her room, gives me a hug and a kiss and says "sorry".
10:58 am - Up to the table she gets and eats an apple slice.
11:00 am - Lily finally gets her cookie!
11:09 am - Lily finishes her second apple slice, cookie #2 for her!
11:10 am - I play a bit of Scrabble on my iPhone.
11:20 am - The mail man delivers our mail, Lily is spooked and runs for a cuddle.
11:21 am - Oprah is over. Lily watches Family Channel. I head downstairs to fold load 3 of laundry.
11:30 am - Load 4 in the dryer. Load 5 in the washer.
11:34 am - Sort dirty laundry.
11:38 am - I clean the boys bathroom ... and then the upstairs bathroom.
11:52 am - Lily requests juice.
11:54 am - Make Lily a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.
11:59 am - Lily eats grapes while she waits for her sandwich.
12:00 pm - Lily complains of an owie in her mouth. I find a flashlight, take a peek inside and VOILA, her bottom right molar has broke through.
12:06 pm - Lily enjoys her lunch.
12:07 pm - I make my lunch.
12:10 pm - Mmm, food. I eat and enter my food at SparkPeople.com
12:13 pm - Lily is done lunch.
12:22 pm - I check my email.
12:24 pm - I read Tara's blog.
12:37 pm - The washer and dryer beep, I ignore! We get ourselves ready for a trip to Walmart.
12:38 pm - Take Lily for a pre-outting pee. Put on her, a clean shirt and re-apply her socks.
12:40 pm - Put Lily's hair back into a pony.
12:41 pm - Lily turns off tv, I turn off lights.
12:42 pm - Warm up the van. Lily puts on her boots, I put on her coat.
12:46 pm - Out the door.
12:48 pm - Pull out of the driveway. I want music, Lily does not.
12:52 pm - Snowflakes begin to fall.
12:53 pm - Arrive at Quality Foods
1:19 pm - We make our way back to the van.
1:21 pm - Walmart bound.
1:28 pm - Arrive at Walmart.
1:44 pm - I go to smell shampoo, but end up with it up my nose!
2:08 pm - Exit Walmart, still lightly snowing.
2:09 pm - Load up the van with our groceries.
2:13 pm - Make a couple phone calls from inside the van.
2:17 pm - We leave Walmart and head to the school.
2:27 pm - Arrive at the school, Lily has fallen asleep in the van.
2:30 pm - I rock out to Madonna while waiting for the kids to get out school.
2:33 pm - Check Facebook via iPhone
2:41 pm - The kids enter the van.
2:42 pm - Home bound.
2:45 pm - Arrive home. Unload groceries. Send the boys upstairs to finish their lunches.
2:51 pm - Go for a drive so Lily can sleep a little longer. Snow is getting heavy and sticking.
3:08 pm - Arrive home. Lily is still sleeping. Idle van in the drive way and I play Scrabble on the iPhone.
3:22 pm - Time to take Lily inside.
3:25 pm - Finish putting away the groceries.
3:28 pm - Sit and eat a piece of pepperoni. Lily finishes her lunch. Keyan is playing Lego. Brendan is watching League of Super Evil and Jim is just getting home.
3:30 pm - Snuggles with Lily.
3:47 pm - Start making pizza for dinner.
4:03 pm - Put pizza into the oven.
4:04 pm - Relax, watch Ellen while dinner cooks. Kids are all playing quietly in their rooms.
4:13 pm - Pizza is ready.
4:14 pm - I eat.
4:26 pm - I get dressed into my work uniform.
4:36 pm - Hugs and kisses from me to everyone.
4:42 pm - Out the door and off to work.

Hard to believe this time EIGHT years ago, I was just reaching active labour with my first born child.

Here's his birth story:

On Wednesday July 11, 2001 I started having stronger Braxton Hicks contractions. Throughout the day they became harder. Around 10pm I went to the hospital in hopes that my baby would make his/her grand appearance. That wasnt the case though, when I arrived there wasnt too much going on, the nurse gave me a couple of sleeping pills and sent me on my way. The sleeping pills didnt work at all. I was up all night with contractions.

On the morning of July 12, 2001 5am, I woke my Mom up and asked her to take me to the hospital. The nurse gave me a gown and hooked me up to the non-stress test machine to check baby's heart rate and monitor my contractions.

Around noon they gave me a shot of demerol in the behind and told to go home and relax - easier said that done! From there, the contractions got stronger and more painful. I couldnt stay in one place for longer than one minute! I would go from my bed to the couch, from the couch to the bathtub ... I even tried to take comfort in my little brother's bedroom. I just could not get comfortable.

I was home alone. My Mom took my little brother's and my step dad was at work. I was left home alone out in booneyville to whimper and cry. Around 7pm I called my Mom (who was at a friend's house) and told her she must come home ASAP! She arrived home shortly after and took me to the hospital. The truck ride was awful. Each small bump was felt.

We arrived at the hospital around 9pm. My baby-Daddy arrived shortly after. The night seemed to go by so slowly. At the time, those few hours seemed longer than the nine months I carried the li'l person inside me.

Around 3am the time came for me to start pushing. It was the moment I had been waiting for FOREVER. There was no turning back.

4:18am Friday July 13th, 2001 - Brendan Mathieu arrived. It was a rainy morning but this li'l guy definately brightened up my world!

He was a tiny li'l man, 8lbs 1oz and 20.5" long. He had red hair and dark blue eyes. He was the cutest li'l guy. He had big hands and big feet ... and really long, slender fingers. The tiniest li'l toes! He had the cutest little cry. It was so soft and so quiet.

To finally hold him, and kiss him for the first time was the most wonderful and emotional time in my life ... words cant describe how amazing this moment was.