The post is sponsored by Lance Gluten-Free Crackers.
Time for another installment of “Day in the Life…!” The last DITL post I wrote was over a year ago – WHAT?! I re-read it and noticed a couple things. One, Lincoln is wearing the exact same shirt in last year’s recap as today’s. Whoops! My bad. ? Guess we need to go shopping. Also, I remember that day over a year ago feeling hectic, but when I re-read it, it’s like a dream. The hardest stage is whatever stage you’re currently in though, right?
With that…
12:30am: Good morning! OY. ? Cam caught a cold from his brother and it’s been messing with his sleep for the past week or so. I feed him and am back in bed before 1am. Thank goodness he falls asleep quickly too.
5:30am: My alarm was set for 6am so this wake up call from Cam is good timing as I’ll be forced to get up versus hitting snooze. I feed him then head downstairs for 45 minutes of uninterrupted work time. It would have been an hour but I spent 15 minutes hunting for my cell phone. It was in my hand as I was walking downstairs but mysteriously disappeared while making coffee. Finally found it in the junk drawer. WHAT IS HAPPENING!?
6:59am: Cameron’s head pops up on the monitor and Lincoln starts calling out a few minutes later too. I head up to retrieve Cam who is all smiles then meet Ben, who has snagged a sleepy Lincoln, in the hallway.
We all lay in bed for half an hour watching Nature Cat then Lincoln says he’s hungry, so I take the boys downstairs and make him a bowl of banana chia oatmeal topped with dried cranberries. Bon appetit, little dude!
7:45am: I unload then reload the dishwasher, kiss Ben goodbye, feed Cam his oatmeal + applesauce (can you tell its his favorite?!) check emails, then crank up the Moana soundtrack that’s available for free on YouTube – it’s our fave and I officially have every line of every song memorized. #iammoana
8:15am: Time to play! I get Cameron’s basket of toys out, Lincoln selects a puzzle, then we jam for the next half hour until Cam’s ready for his first nap.
I put him down, throw a load of laundry into the washer, then Lincoln and I build mega towers with his blocks. I’ll occasionally let him do his own thing and work while Cam takes his morning nap, but the times I put my to-do list aside in order to play with him are times I never regret. It’s one of the only 1:1 times we get during the day. “I LOVE building blocks with you, Mom!” Heart = melted.
9:30am: Lincoln and I head upstairs to get ready for the day. The sun is out for the first time in what feels like weeks, so we’re heading to the zoo – wohoo! My parents got us a Tri Membership to the zoo, Living History Farms, and Science Center for Christmas and we use our passes constantly. Cam wakes up as we’re finishing so I feed him then we head downstairs.
10:20am: I switch the laundry over, make and pack lunches for the zoo, then quickly scarf a peanut butter sandwich plus a giant bowl of leftover soup for breakfast – I am STARRRRRRVING! I was out of town the weekend prior and wasn’t able to prep any hard boiled eggs, breakfast casseroles, etc, so randoms for breakfast it is.
10:50am: We are zoo bound! Though this recap may make it sound like the morning is going smoothly (or maybe it doesn’t, I don’t know!) the past couple of hours have felt rushed for some reason. I’m glad we’re leaving the chaos behind and have our sights set on a fun morning at the zoo. (Changed into more appropriate shoes before leaving!)
11:10am: We arrive at the zoo, check in, then have ourselves a great little time. Cam has fallen asleep in the car so he snoozes while Lincoln checks out the fish, seals, and rope bridges, oh my!
12:30pm: That’s a wrap on the zoo! The weather was perfection and we are leaving tired, aka naps are gonna be good. ? Cam chats on the way home while Lincoln eats the lunch I packed and watches a movie. We are in great moods.
1:00pm: Lincoln has leftover food from his car lunch so he sits at the counter to finish while I assemble the Breakfast Taco Casserole (which is EPIC, by the way!) I’ll be shooting for the blog the following day. Cam jumps away in his jumper beside us.
(recycled pic!)
I quickly assemble then eat a meat and cheese plate for lunch then we settle in to watch a movie for 20 minutes. Lincoln is obsessed with Disney movies so we let him watch 20 or 30 minutes of whatever he wants before nap and bedtime. Today it’s Return of Jafar (I’d rather watch Aladdin.) ?
2:10pm: Goodnight, Lincoln!
2:20pm: Goodnight, Cameron!
2:25pm: I settle into my chair at the kitchen counter then sit in the quiet for a moment. This is the hardest part of the day. So much of me wants to take a breather, or start dinner, or do laundry, but it’s the only big chunk of time I get during the day to work, so off we go. I pour myself a bowl of Lance’s Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Crackers then get to typin’.
Ben bought me these mini cracker sandwiches in individual snack packs for a road trip a few months ago and we loved them. Every Mama needs a secret snack stash she doesn’t disclose the location of with the rest of the family, and a box of these peanut butter crackers are included in mine. Love that they are certified gluten-free, don’t taste gluten-free (a must!) plus they really tide me over until dinnertime. I find them at CVS and Super Target – here’s a store locator!
I finish writing then schedule a blog post for the following day, write social media posts, and then tackle my inbox. It’s a disaster with a capital D!
4:21pm: Woot – epic naps out of the boys! Cameron’s crying like he had a bad dream so I quickly swoop him up before waking Lincoln. I don’t let him sleep past 4:30 otherwise he has a tough time settling down at bedtime. I feed Cameron then we all head downstairs to play before dinner. Poke Bowls are on the menu for Ben and me after the kids go to bed, so I’ll prep them later. CANNOT WAIT!!!!!
5:15pm: I make Lincoln Pizza Spaghetti for dinner – pasta mixed with spaghetti sauce, pepperoni, and shredded vegan cheese. Embarrassingly easy, yet one of his favorite meals. I also attempt to feed Cameron peas and oatmeal, which is an epic fail. Looks like he inherited his Mama’s taste for peas, which is NO taste for peas! At this age food is just for fun, versus nutrition, so fingers for dinner it is.
5:20pm: Ben’s home – whee! The boys play while I clean the kitchen from their dinners, plus pick up the tornado the rest of the house has become over the course of the day. Feels nice to have an extra set of hands.
6:15pm: Cam’s fading so I take him up for bedtime. It’s not a bath night so I wash his hands and face, put on his PJs, zip him into a sleep sack, read a few books, nurse, and then put him down smiling in bed. Couldn’t love this child more. After 47 kisses and 26 chubby baby thigh squeezes, I tell him goodnight and head downstairs.
6:40pm: I come down to find Ben and Lincoln hard at work chopping the ingredients for our Poke Bowls. Yes! We love teaching our boys that cooking and household duties are equal opportunity events!
I take over slicing the fish then craft a few pieces of nigiri while Ben and Lincoln continue to catch up. 30 minutes later we sit down to eat. Heck. YES.
7:25pm: Ben takes Lincoln up to get ready for bed while I clean the kitchen and start digging into work stuff. The boys eventually call me up then I read Lincoln one more book and go through 489 bedtime rituals, which now includes singing the happy birthday song before giving him his final kiss of the night. Sweet dreams, my funny boy!
8:15pm: Couch, meet my buns. BLISS! Ben’s been feeling off all day so he heads upstairs to doze and watch the NBA while I edit photos, answer more emails, then make my to do list for the following day. I can’t sleep unless I have that little piece of organization done before heading to bed.
9:30pm: I unload the dishwasher (anyone else feel like they load/unload the dishwasher 10 times a day?!) then grab a pint of Halo Top and watch the latest episode of Southern Charm on DVR. For the first time today, I am 100% fully relaxed.
10:15pm: Southern Charm was amazing, per usual. Can’t wait to go back to Charleston someday (hopefully!) soon. I head upstairs then get ready for bed and am asleep in less than 30 seconds. I don’t move an inch until Cameron wakes up the following morning at 6am. God bless pillow top mattresses.
And there you have it! Chaotic and filled to the brim, but GOOD, you know? I do wish I had just one extra hour per day. Really think it’d make all the difference. Either way, I know I’ll look back on these days in 5 years when both boys are in school full time and shed a monster tear over our tower building, zoo visiting, and Return of Jafar-watching days. Love these kids so, so much.
Thank you again to Lance Gluten-Free Crackers for sponsoring this Day in the Life Post! How do your days differ? How do they match up?
Whoa! Such a whirlwind! So glad this blog let’s you have this time with them!
Me too! Fulfills my desire to stay at home with these monkeys, and work too!
I totally love this post – and as a mama who is now 5+ years down the line, I read every word and was immediately transported back to those days that seemed to stretch forever, but were really way too short. Every stage is its own adventure :) love the ride! :)
Having Cameron has really put into perspective just how fast time flies because I can physically see how “old” Lincoln has gotten, compared to the baby. Hold me!!
Love these posts! I’ve got two girls similar in ages as your boys so I’m right there with you. What kind of utensil is Lincoln using to help prep dinner? My 3 year old would love to help with cutting up dinner.
It’s a cheese spreader. ? We have a couple that we let him chop soft fruits and vegetables with!
Genius, thanks!
I have been reading your vlog forever. I love them and all your photos, recipes. Your kids are the cutest thing ever. I was just wondering what soup that was and if you made it and if so can you share the recipe? Thanks
You bet! It’s Italian Sausage, Spinach and Tomato Soup – one of my favorites! http://iowagirleats.com/2017/01/16/italian-sausage-spinach-tomato-soup/
Wow mama! I can’t believe you take care of two boys and work from home. I honestly have no idea how you do it!
I have two little boys as well (2.5 and 11 months) and work out of the house (so I have help) and STILL manage to barely do anything well. haha! Loved reading this, it’s so interesting to peek into other people’s days.
Happy Summer!
We all struggle with the balance – wahm, sahm, wothm (work outside the home moms ?) – I’m glad you enjoyed reading!! Happy summer to you too! ☀️
We rock to Moana all day too!
The best!
That picture of Ben and Lincoln prepping dinner is perfection. Love this! You are such a great mama and it does go by way too fast. Makes me want another one! :)
You are too kind, Sara – and maybe you should?! ?
Love seeing your day, and your leftover soup for lunch looks deelish! p.s. I, too, am a huge fan of Southern Charm! :-)
Have you seen Southern Charm Savannah yet? I’m not in love…
Your boys are precious! Love your blog.
Thank you so much, Carolyn! ;)
Whenever I read this recaps of mom bloggers I hold my breath, it seems like it has to be so hard to balance everything!!!! I love that you remind yourself to look forward to the future when they are in school full time!
It’s hard but it will be over before I know it…and I’ll miss it dearly. I just try to remind myself of that during the challenging parts of the day! :)
Where do you find the meat for your poke bowls? I went to Whole Foods to ask for sushi-grade fish the other day and they said they don’t sell it. Help!
I want to know the exact same thing. I would love to make sushi at home, but I don’t think I could get fresh ocean fish here in mid-Michigan.
We have a seafood market called Waterfront here – I’d google your city + “seafood market” to see what’s available in your area!
Waterfront!! They have markets in Ankeny and WDM – we are there at least once a week – their sushi-grade fish/shell fish is the BEST.
Not only do our days sound similar as a fellow mom of 2 trying to make ALLTHETHINGS work. BUT, the most similar??? #IamMoana too!? “How far I’ll go” is the song of my SOUL? I know you “get it.”?
TOTALLY get it. Goosebumps every time. ;)
I love reading your blog and have been reading for years! I couldn’t help laughing at the fact that Lincoln wants you to sing him Happy Birthday at night. When I was little, I made my mom sing that song to me every night before bed (the last song in a line up of about 8 songs haha!).
It’s insane. HBD song, turn on then turn up a fake tv show, give him 10 hugs and 10 kisses, let him squeeze my hand as I slowly walk away, turn the light on in the hall…I could go on and on. Kids! ???
I, too, am curious about where you purchase the fish here in town! Waterfront?? And, any recs for Halo Top flavors?
Also, I am super impressed with little Cam’s sleep schedule! I have a baby the same age, and we’re still up 3-4 times every night to nurse.:-(
You got it – Waterfront all the way!! :) My favorite Halo Top is Birthday Cake, but I haven’t had a bad flavor yet. Have you guys started solids with your little one yet? That helped with both my boys. Even after starting solids Lincoln tried to get up a couple times a night but we know he wasn’t hungry – it was more out of habit – so we let him work through it for a couple of nights and he figured it out.
1. I belt “I AM YOU MOMMA” Instead of “I am Moana!”
2. I favored the same two fingers as Cam when I was a little one.
3. Totally love when we can leave the chaos at home for a break at the zoo, park, wherever! Come home refreshed!
I definitely worked this line in the other day and Lincoln thought it was the funniest thing he ever heard! ?
This was a good read this morning! My two babies get half an hour of iPads in the morning while I drink coffee in bed and come to. Our lives are almost identical- right down to the Sourthern Charm! Love your positive attitude. (Often I’m a little bit grumpy with mine.) Everyday is a rollercoaster but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The cooking and blogging is tough on top but feels so good to have an outlet. Love your style!
Oh I for sure get grumpy sometimes too – you are not alone!
Oh man, I know it must have been way more hectic than it sounds but it really does sound like a little slice of heaven to me. The best part is definitely both still napping (and at the same time!), and falling asleep on their own. My 3.5 yr old refuses to nap and won’t fall asleep at night alone even after million attempts at sleep training. UGH! I also feel like a referee most of the day, trying to stop my 3.5yr old from grabbing from or pushing my 1.5yr old. It’s so exhausting! Please tell me that happens to you sometimes!?!?!?
I have no doubt there will be some rumbles after Cameron learns to crawl and can start trying to snag Lincoln’s toys!
LOL my 2 1/2 year old requests either Twinkle or Happy Birthday when I rock him to sleep! I’ve also got a 9 month old and I am always torn when I have an hour or two between work and picking kids up- do I relax or prep dinner or clean??!
So much to do, so little time to do it – the struggle is real!! ?
have you seen their full size “ritz” like crackers and their copy cat “cheez-its”??? they are delicious!! and new – found ’em at target!!!
Yes!! The cheese ones are sooo good!
I love reading these!! I want some of your motivation, but I mostly want to know what mattress Cam has that sounds like a miracle worker ;)
Haha, I actually meant Ben’s and my pillow top mattress! ;) I resisted paying that much for one, but it is worth every single penny!
I love this post! I’m curious if you have an app or program that you love for your to do list?
I use Evernote which syncs between all my devices (laptop, phone, and ipad!)
Just wanted to say that I’m EXHAUSTED just reading that and your blog is one of my go-tos
HA! Thanks, Anna!