A day in the life...

Pinpointing when a mother wakes up is sometimes a difficult thing. When someone asks me what time I woke at up, the first question I ask is, "Which time?" Lately, due to some sleep disturbances, I have been waking up at four thirty, five thirty, six thirty and seven. This morning was no different. By seven, I gave up on putting Ender back in his bed, listened to his little padded feet go 'padpadpadpad...padpad' and let him crawl into bed with me for a little while. Mike had been up late last night working on some homework, and hadn't gotten much sleep either, so it was a slow waking.

I made breakfast, (eggs with immersion blended kale, mushrooms, green peppers and tomato, with a side of sausage) while Mike got Ender dressed and put him on the potty. We ate, drank coffee, and Mike fetched the car from the lot, while I got Ender's sweater and boots on. I gathered up my school supplies, trying to remember, through my generally fuzzy mom brain what classes I had that day. Mike came back with the car, and I put on my own shoes and coat, and then Ender's coat and hat. This sequence is important. If you put Ender's coat on first, and wait, he will get very upset. He only will put up with wearing his coat if there is forward motion involved. I guess he gets that from me. He also dislikes if you put your coat on, or shoes, and then don't proceed to immediately put on his own outerwear, as then he assumes you are leaving without him. Sure, we are slaves to routine, but we also do what works.

Then, Mike drove me to school with Ender. I said my goodbyes, grabbed a cup of coffee and headed into the studio. I was there a half an hour early, which was perfect to get some homework done. Mike likes to do his homework at night, but I like to squeeze it in whenever I can by going to class a half an hour early every day, and working through all my breaks. That way it seems like I get maximal relaxing time, as well as time with Ender. So, I broke out my hip pocket sample and started to sew it up. I had a good conversation with my professor, so I sewed it wrong several times and had to go back, but made some progress. Then class started, where we learned to sew a sample welt pocket in wool. Wool was everywhere. My head ached from trying to stare at navy thread in navy wool, which absorbs light.

But, luckily enough, I completed my wool welt pocket by working through my lunch break, which meant no extra homework for that week. I couldn't have been more pleased. Next was show class, where we are working on costumes for the upcoming show. I was put in charge of hats, but also assigned a dual character (with one actress) who (unfortunately) has to wear a suit. Suits are not like dresses, they can't fit wrong and you can't claim its a design feature. Everyone can tell when a suit doesn't fit, so a few alterations had to be done to make sure that the suit fit her well. I took in the pants, put in a hook and eye closure, and still have to restitch in the lining. I also changed out the buttons on her vest for more netural coloured ones, designed a pocket for the inside of her jacket to hold a gold brick (?) and pulled a few scarfs and hats out of the closet at the request of the designer. Again, I did this through my break for dinner.

By five o'clock, I realised that I had history class in an hour and I hadn't eaten yet.  Luckily my classes are held above a grocery store, so I grabbed a few things --fruit for Ender, an immune system boosting elixer for mike who texted me to tell me he was getting sick-- and for me, a hunk of cheese and a pack of crackers. Not just any hunk of cheese, some kind of mouldy, delicious brie-like cheese. I got a knife from the attached restaurant and a plate, and headed off to history of costume class. There, I ate my cheese and crackers, listening to a lecture on Tudor era costume, and briefly talking to my friend Marlee regarding the possibility of one sewing their own jeans. Apparently she is going to try. This hour and a half was the most luxurious part of my day.

Mike picked me up at the end of class, and we drove home. It was my night to put Ender to bed, and already a little past his bedtime when I got home, so I scooped him up and put him in the bath, singing him songs, pouring warm water over his little body and giving him a little sudsy baby shoulder massage. I put him to bed, and he fell asleep pretty quickly. Now I'm here, writing a blog and considering what I should do with the rest of my evening.

A day in the life of me. Admittedly, Wednesday is my busiest of all days, and usually the most draining. This one in particular was hyperactively ridiculous. My brain hurts.

Much love to you, dear readers, that was a catharsis that I needed indeed.