A Day in the Life

This is my day:
Awake 7am: first born's whimpering in her room
nudge husband to request he feed her breakfast
breath a sigh of relief, newborn's still asleep,
maybe I'll catch another wink or two
pitter patter, pitter patter
rat, tat, tat
and my bedroom door flings wide
first born's inside and now newborn's eyes see light
cry, cry, cry
one for food, one for a bad mood
brought on by the sight of mummy
breastfeeding little creature who's invaded her home,
stolen her attention, and cries all the time
but then, she creeps into the bed and plants a gentle kiss on her head
just before insisting I come to breakfast
Coffee, my key to survival these days,
paired with french vanilla coffeemate, husband's mom sent from the States
received with an abundance of thanks
I eat a bowl of Cocoa Crispix hidden behind the healthier version
husband has mixed with yoghurt for little one
She definitely has her opinions already
and clearly notices as I'm up and down
from the table to tend to a twilighting baby
Husband departs on his "ba ba ba" (bicycle)
with affectionate daughter waving from window
I attack her with cuddles to counter her crankiness...
it works
we play for the morning and I only have to battle about
crayons and where they're meant to color
and how much soap to use in the bath.
Six newborn nappies and one, well, bath-invoking toddler one later,
time for another feed
my fatigue allows me to succumb to using a video to distract first born
from taking envious notice.
Decided to go through photos to remind her
that she used to sleep with momma and drink my milk-
may have been confusing, but she liked the pics.
Folded clothes, read a book, and put first born in bed
while enduring newborn cries until I could get her down.
Feed, consider sleep or clean stinky kitchen or
pick up cluttered lounge, or essential online shopping, or overseas
newborn paperwork, or putting clothes away, or emailing apology
to husband for previous nights crankiness
or......
Sleep wins, but decide I must write this instead
because lines are rolling through my head,
though eyes are achy.
Lie here hoping newborn won't awaken just yet
She doesn't, thankfully
and I do get to sleep, praise God
Dreamed I left newborn at home when I went to a friend's....
panicked, awoke just in time for guests to arrive,
fed newborn, let them in, then....
the poo again
only worse this time, the worst of my life!
walked into first born's room to see
she's sitting in bed, in a puddle of poo, casually reading her book
She reaches to me with soiled hand
I do believe nappy caught NOTHING somehow
Apologize to friends as I upend
an entire package of wipes on my daughter's behind, while hearing newborn's
cries from my friend's arms
then toddler's turn to cry as I soak her in shower,
she's upset because she hasn't yet gotten to greet our friends, yet
I throw poo-laden linens into laundry
and race around trying to be hospitable
First born spends playdate naked
Newborn sleeps through it
I'm impressed by toddler's willingness to share her toys,
though friend prefers not to
I'm also proud of her for sitting throughout most of her snack,
though she pesters friend for her cup the entire time.
Dinner-time, frozen blueberries buy me enough time
to feed newborn, though I contemplate another bath for toddler at its end
Down from highchair and she's decided its time
to go outside, but I'm looking at the house thinking that's impossible.
We dance and pickup instead.
DADDY'S HOME!
Just in time, he takes her for a walk
and I do another newborn feed....I enjoy her smile.
They're back and they had fun.
Pajamas, milk, and a book routine....
her linens aren't ready, so we make do
I try to brush her teeth, but she refuses
I'm relieved she's been a late teether and
she goes to bed easily.
Thankfully, our visitors brought a meal and husband
and I enjoy it as I run back and forth to the bedroom
as I did at breakfast, tending to you-know-who,
replacing long-debated pacifier, but looks like
she wants another feed anyway.
Quickly clean up, update laundry
Popcorn and drinks,
watch a movie with newborn in arms and my legs
in husband's lap.
Its nice.
Try a dream-feed, but its too early
My head's aching by now, but I step in to
tuck first born in and glad I did because I'd left
guard-rail down and almost burned the house down
by having her self-timed heater up against her bed
Get in bed 10:45pm, a good night
Newborn awakens, feed, my eyes heavy, but she goes back down easily
I briefly write and read Bible, close eyes, up 5 times in the night,
Amen.