2023 Time Tracking Challenge: Day 6 – birthday fun – Laura Vanderkam

It was 8 years ago tonight that I woke with a start and had a sudden realization that I was… in labor. One would think, four kids in, that this would be obvious, but I was induced with my first three kids, so I wasn’t fully sure what the start of natural labor would feel like. Well, I found out, and pretty soon it wasn’t early labor, as my fourth child arrived fast and furiously. We pulled into the hospital parking lot at 1:13 a.m. and he was born at 1:32 a.m.

Anyway, we’ve been celebrating the soon-to-be 8-year-old this weekend. After I hit post, I hung out with the 3-year-old for another hour or so. My husband mysteriously disappeared after returning with the 11-year-old and 7-year-old from ice skating and then I realized he’d gone to take a nap. This didn’t put me in a great mood, especially since I’d spent an hour of my life trying unsuccessfully to get the 3-year-old to nap. I responded by refusing to round people up for our family trip to this arcade/go-kart/laser tag place. I sat on a chair and figured we’d go when we’d go. We did eventually get out the door, so maybe I will do that more often.

We left around 2:50 p.m. and arrived 3:20 p.m. The place was packed, but the birthday boy got to do the things he wanted to do: A round of laser tag, a stint on the tree course, riding in a double go-kart with Daddy. He also played some arcade games. I held everyone off from trying to eat at the arcade (the offerings weren’t great) and instead — after leaving around 5:15 — we stopped at WaWa and got various pretzels and icees and other such things.

We arrived home shortly before 6, and my husband and I commenced cooking dinner (fondue — I didn’t eat it). We ate family dinner around 6:30 — so at least that’s two family meals this week between that and yesterday. We finished around 7, did some clean up, and then we opened presents for the almost 8-year-old.

While he and my husband were writing thank you notes, I worked on my puzzle while the 3-year-old watched some random pedantic cartoon on YouTube. At 8:35 p.m. I took him up to read stories and have his “baba milk.” I got him into bed, at which point my husband took over sitting in the room with him. I went and did Legos with the birthday boy (starting around 9:05). We finished the set!

Now I am posting this. Only one more day to go in the 2023 Time Tracking Challenge! Since a few folks asked what these days look like in excel form, here’s an approximation:

7:30   7:45 up, H up, snuggle
8:00   H (+ scroll)
8:30   coffee, eat, ready
9:00   drive to Y, lift weights
9:30   lift weights, elliptical
10:00  elliptical (1.3), drive home
10:30  work/rituals, shower
11:00 Legos w/A, H home
11:30  kids, lunches, etc.
12:00 skate ready, H, phone
12:30 basement, stories
1:00 H, clean up,
1:30  work (in H room),
2:00 H, etc. play
2:30  ready (sit), in car, M drives
3:00  M drives, Arnolds
3:30  Arnolds (for A)
4:00  Arnolds (for A)
4:30  Arnolds (for A)
5:00  Arnolds, to WaWa
5:30  WaWa, M drives
6:00 cook dinner
6:30 eat family dinner
7:00 clean up, A presents
7:30 A presents, H diaper
8:00 puzzle (H computer)
8:30 puzzle, H up, story, feed
9:00 feed, Legos w/A (finish)