5:30 David calls for Mommy. That isn’t so good since David woke at 11:00 p.m. (we suspect the Rosie the Riveter action figure he insisted on taking to bed poked him), and I had trouble getting back to sleep, and here we are 6 hours later. But, we do ok nursing (almost gone in the mornings, but he occasionally calls it back), reading books, and making oatmeal with quite a bit of brown sugar.

7:15 I go back to bed and despite Rose waking me half an hour later stay off duty for awhile.

8:15 I tidy. The kids get their every other day hour of t.v. Hello Arthur.

9:15 Without great hurry or children making constantly conflicting demands (Mommy read to me! Mommy play golf with me!), I get the children a snack for now and pack up a snack for later.

9:45 John takes the kids for an adventure downtown. They get to ride a bus, monorail, and go up the Space Needle. I get to work on poetry. Yippee!

11:45 John calls from the bus, so I take the kids’ lunch orders and have them waiting at the table when they arrive. I don’t know why heating up a hotdog and putting a sippy cup of milk together takes so long, but usually I cannot get the food out before someone has a melt down, climbs on the table and knocks over the water, or starts grabbing for the knife.

12:45 I get David down for his nap, read my book, and take my own nap while Rose plays independently. (Actually, I’m not sure it’s independent or if she’s constantly bothering John who is now working from home, but she isn’t bothering me.)

2:00 Rose’s play date arrives, and they manage to play nicely together without my suggesting things to do. This did not happen last week. I tidy.

2:45 They want attention from me, so I make snack and read them stories.

3:15 David wakes up. Check out that 2.5 nap. I convince them to play a game while I get David changed and snacked. Aside from Rose yelling at David (Don’t touch that card! I need that one! David!), they again play cooperatively and nicely.

4:15 I take us all to the park. It’s sunny and happy. I can monitor the girls on the slide (It’s the little girl’s turn now) while standing in the sandbox with David.

5:05 No one gives me grief when it’s time to go. I drop off the play date friend without getting lost.

5:30 I have leftover chicken and potatoes. John has leftover chicken tofu curry. David and Rose have leftover French toast and pizza. David refuses to try the strawberries and Rose has one lick, but John and I think they are pretty good.

6:15 I walk to the store to buy a birthday present for a friend and milk.

6:45 Unfortunately, they have been playing dangerously in my absence and now are in foul moods. I somehow corral everyone into and out of the bathtub. I get yelled at a lot and only the red foam clown nose can calm us all down.

7:30 Bedtime goes relatively well.

8:30 John and I eat popcorn and watch t.v. Then I write.

So, that’s a 17 hour day with 2 hours for napping, 3 hours doing my own work, ½ hour hanging out with my honey, and 11.5 on with the kids. That’s my easy day.