Our day(s)

What does a day in our life look like?

Every day is different but in many ways the same. The kids are up for the day around 5 a.m. The baby is up multiple times per night for a feed, but the 2 year old generally sleeps through the night. We have breakfast, bathe and are out the door a little after 7. I work 40 plus hours a week, my husband 48 plus hours, depending upon his overtime. Some days I am alone 24 plus hours with the kids, 2 dogs and 2 cats. Twice a week our 10 1/2 month old and her 2 year old sister visit their mom. My husband and I take turns with these visits. I am so grateful for that. On Tuesdays the visits are from 9-10:30, and on Fridays they are from 12:30 to 2. When he is working I work around the visits with great support from my work. When I take the kids on their Tuesday visit, I take them to work with me, drop them off to their visit, pick them up from their visit and then take them to daycare. 

Daycare is fantastic. The kids attend 5 days a week and our carer is nurturing and wonderful with the girls. The downside to daycare is how quickly the kids get sick. It passes through like wildfire, so in addition to the weekly visits we have had to visit the doctor a few times. I have to notify the birth mom every time I take the kids for a doctor's visit as a part of our participation in the reunification plan.

Do I like visits with mom?

Visits with mom are complex since instead of doing the work she needs to do to get her children back, she has spent most of her time creating drama for us, accusing us of withholding information, and neglect and abuse.The visits usually end with mom pulling some passive aggressive move, some sniping comments or plying the 2 year old with open containers of food (something we asked her not to do).

I hate the visits.

Nighttime consists of dinner for kids, feeding the animals, sometimes a bath, and then the baby to bed first. That leaves time for play, stories and bed for the 2 year old, and then L and I try to sit down and have dinner. There are bottles to be made and packed, bag for daycare to be packed, and I try to be in bed by 9 so that I can get a few hours of sleep before the baby wakes.

Every day is an exhausting whirl. Some days we are incredibly tired, but incredibly happy. Our lives have changed for sure, and the future is uncertain. We could be back to where we were on April 28th, or we could be a new family.