3:00 am
Wake up five-year-old so that she can go potty. We went ages with zero accidents, but suddenly, we need a mid-sleep potty break. Why? I don’t have a flipping clue.
4:15 am
Alarm goes off. Why so early, you ask? I had this magnificent plan when we moved to Hawaii that I could span two time zones to get more hours into my day. I work out of Central time, which is a five hour time difference. So, I can squeeze in two hours of work before the nanny shows up, and I’m done by 2:00 so that I can still get to the beach, park, or Costco. With the help of gallons of coffee each day, it is a brilliant plan.
5:15 am
“Shhhhhhhh!!!!! Why are you awake so early?!?” I ask my almost two-year-old as he wails from his bedroom. I’m already super sad that he turns two in a couple of days, so I gladly snuggle him in the bed for a few minutes until he falls back asleep.
5:27 am
Why do I already have 34 emails?
7:59 am
I’ve made it through two cups of coffee, four calls, and 22 more emails. Why did I want to grow up and be an adult?
10:06 am
Shoot. That meeting I led did NOT go according to plan. Oops. Must get more coffee to clear my brain.
10:07 am
“Mom!!! Can I go to my friend’s house to play?” my daughter yells as she scampers down the hallway.
“Sure,” I shrug, staring at my empty coffee cup in my hand as I walk toward the stairs. I want to go hang out with my friends….
12:22 pm
What. The. Actual. Hell? Is there a full moon? Why do I have co-workers, two friends, and my mom all in crisis? I just want some lunch and to hang out with my friends. Neither are happening because I can’t get off this stupid phone long enough.
1:59 pm
Why are there so few hours in the day?! It’s time for the nanny to leave, and I haven’t even started the presentation that is due at 5:30 am tomorrow. This is not good.
3:05 pm
“Sarah, as soon as your kiddos wake up from nap, load them up and come have a glass of Moscato with me. Yes, I know it is only three in the afternoon, but I have been up since 4:00 am. So technically, it is my night time.”
5:12 pm
“Oh thank you, universe!!!!” I yell as my husband’s screen saver lights up my phone to show he was calling. Music was playing in the kitchen, Moana was playing for the 393484848th time in the living room, two kids were asking for dinner, and one kid was crying due to an unpleasant diaper situation that needed attention ASAP.
None of this mattered. My husband did NOT have to work late. I was going to salvage the day.
5:14 pm
Nope…not gonna salvage this day unless someone brings me a Red Bull. Normally, I don’t drink caffeine after 3:00 pm because I will never sleep. But by this point, desperation has kicked in, and there is zero shame. I text my husband my request. I see the indicator on the message flip from “delivered” to “read”. #winning
10:23 pm
I haven’t seen this side of 10:00 pm on a work night in a really long time (thanks Red Bull). But, my presentation is done, emails are back at a sane level, and I have my to-do list for tomorrow ready to go for the morning.
It’s a great feeling…until I remember that it is already 3:23 am CST. The chaos starts again in a few short hours.
Life is short, and the days are even shorter. It is an epic cluster of insanity every single day, but I don’t think I’d change a thing. Being at home with my kiddos and having a job that I love is an amazing combination that I really and truly try to savor.
Sometimes it just takes a lot of coffee (and an occasional Red Bull) to keep me up past 10:00 pm so that I can take a minute to remember this.
