Capture the Day Session: Winter 2016

Our Day
January 22, 2016
54 degrees and rainy
James Island, SC

8:30 am
The boys are both up in the night. Boston falls asleep after an hour of wakefulness around 3 am and doesn't wake until twenty to nine. August joins us in bed at 6:30 and sleeps until just past 8. We send him to his room for about 20 minutes. He sneaks back in with two white cards from the inside of his library books. He hands one to me and says, "here is your ticket, sir." Brandon gets in the shower for work as August takes his place, turning our bed into a train. He brings his magna doodle with him. He drops it on my face. "You draw a truck for me, sir?" I am drowsy from sleep but rise to dress before Boston wakes. Brandon and August go downstairs and I join them with Boston a few minutes later. Boston is all smiles after a five hour stretch of sleep. I start the coffee before Brandon offers to take over the task for me.

9:00 am
Brandon leaves for work and I prepare a breakfast of leftover chai waffles and oatmeal pancakes. I whip up a quick raspberry and blueberry compote and top them with almond butter before slathering with the fruit. Boston drinks water and eats some waffle. I clean them both up and straighten the kitchen. August asks for "sesal" (cereal) so I give him Cheerios in a yellow bowl. We pick two truck pictures for August to color "for marker time, not crayon time." Boston plays with various rattle toys on the floor. He works his way to the little white table and suddenly pulls himself up to stand at it. He grabs the bowl of Cheerios and spills them everywhere. August is a pretty good sport and laughs about it with me as we whisk them out of Boston's way.

10:00 am
The boys play in the cardboard train, our very own Monkey Man Express. My old green trunk is behind it and August has taken to calling it a freight car. He asks repeatedly for me to "put Boston on the freight car, Mumma." At half past, Boston and I go upstairs for nursing and naptime. It is dark and quiet from the rain. I rock him in our glider and hold him close for a few precious moments.

11:00 am
August and I rearrange and clean the downstairs a bit. We roll up the rug to return to Lowe's, move the desk to the French doors, vacuum, dust and bring down the art easel. Boston wakes at 11:40 when I go upstairs to retrieve Sneezy for August. We listen to Charlotte's Web on audiobook as we play and work. The boys play on either side of the plastic-wrapped rug: August with his playmobils and Boston with the Monkey Man Express and various toys within.

12:00 pm
Boston moves over the floor by pushing himself to sitting then launching forward in the opposite direction. He dives back and forth over the rolled-up rug. I turn on Rend Collective Pandora station and begin to prepare our lunch. We are eating a variety of leftovers: sweet potatoes for Boston, a roast beef sandwich for August and beef stew for me.

1:00 pm
After I clean the boys up from their lunch, I carry them both upstairs. The rain is still falling and covering our porch and stairs. They play for twenty minutes with the police car and monster truck. Boston crawls around the room squealing. I  read a "Mater" story to August on the couch. Because I'm feeling brave or foolish or curious, I set up the pack n play in August's room. We are going to try napping the boys together in the afternoon. I nurse Boston on the couch while August reads books on our bed. Boston fusses when I put him down so I read two stories to August and reheat a cup of coffee.

2:00 pm
Once Boston settles, I put August in his bed. He snuggles in, plays with his magna doodle and falls asleep within 15 minutes. I sip my coffee, text mom about our packing day tomorrow and open my book to read.

3:00 pm
Boston wakes crying  so I quickly close my book and scoop him up before he wakes August. Within 15 minutes, August is also awake. Downstairs, Boston plays on the floor with his toys, I make pizza dough for dinner and August watches Thomas: Splish, Splash, Splosh. We all eat apple slices and August pulls the cookie butter from the cupboard. His smile is too charming to turn down. I catch up on my Capture the Day notes and play with squeely Boston. August brings his empty bowl. "What do I want?" "I don't know, August What do you want?" "Something. Something like Cheerios or puffs." I give him a few wheat thins.

4:00 pm
Boston and I are dancing around the kitchen when Thomas ends. August comes in and runs circles around us sort of hopping and skipping at once. "Splish splash splosh!" he cries as he dances with Sneezy in the kitchen. Then he stops and hugs Sneezy to his chest. "Oh, Sneezy it's ok. You don't like being wet. I'll sit here beside you while you dry." They sit on kitchen floor next to each other for a few seconds. I snap a picture. August turns around and says "no Mumma, no picture."

During this commiserating, Boston crawls to the living room. I look up and he is under the coffee table going straight for Chopper (our heater). We dash over to stop him. August thinks it is a great laugh that Boston crawled under the coffee table and joins him. They both move on to the rolled up rug once more. I explain to August that we will be returning it to Lowe's. I then say, "I am going to take you back to the store to live at Lowe's too." He stares at me, assessing. "No," he answers sternly. "I can't live there alone. I put my work shirt on and I get a piece of wood and I build a house. For you and Boston and Daddy and me." He smiles, proud of his idea.

5:00 pm
Brandon returns from work early and we video call David to wish him a happy birthday. The kids show each other their toys and talk about presents. August tells David he has a train table and David says "wow! that costs a lot of money." I roll out the pizza dough on parchment paper and top the pizzas with sauce, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. While the pizza bakes, I pop popcorn on the stove and set the table.

6:00 pm
August fusses when it is time to clean up his kinetic sand. He likes to bury his trucks in the "dribbly" sand. Once I show him the bowl of popcorn, he scurries off to the bathroom to clean up. We eat fast tonight. Boston munches on apple slices and sweet potato. He squeals for water often.  Brandon and August clean dishes while Boston and I tidy the toys.

7:00 pm
Upstairs, we dress the boys in their pajamas. August requests that I change him so Brandon struggles with Boston's flailing limbs. The night changing is the most difficult as Boston is squirmy and irritable. August brushes his teeth then runs off to play with his train table. We give Boston a bit more water and wrap him in his night blanket. August comes into Boston's nook to turn on his sound machine and say goodnight. I nurse and rock Boston to sleep. Brandon reads "Train" and "Bobbo Goes to School" to August before prayers and bed. I sneak into August's room for a good night hug and read him one last book in bed. I use my phone as a flashlight and try to make it seem like a special treat. August requests I read another book but I tell him its time for bed. I ask him to list three things he is thankful for. "Umm... I am thankful for treats and eyes- eyes that come off, and heads- heads that come off." "Whose heads come off?" "My head and yours and Pops." We talk for a few more minutes, I get him a tissue and kiss him good night. On the way out the door, I call out "Good night, Chitty Chitty." He responds, "Love you. *muah muah* You stay in bed, Mumma."

8:00 pm
Brandon rests in our bed upstairs while I settle August. We change into our comfortable clothes and go downstairs. The monitor is on so we can watch August to be sure he stays in bed. I write up our evening for our Capture the Day and Brandon watches Ridiculousness. I brew a pot of tea for us: Mum's own recipe called Long Purples filled with calming and immune boosting herbs. We watch The Big Short.

11:30 pm
The Big Short ends and miraculously Boston sleeps through it. Brandon and I discuss the film for a few minutes, we talk about our 9/11 memories and of his dad as a banker. Boston stirs about quarter to 12 so we both go upstairs. Brandon watches the monitor as I move into the dark nook. He tells me later: "You should have seen his face when you walked in. Big smile." I nurse and rock until past midnight.