a personal assistant

I had a boss once who told me when he hired me, "Don't come and tell me you have a problem without offering up a solution to it." Following his advice, I told my husband today I needed a raise so I could hire a personal assistant. The problem: my to-do list is too lengthy and I'm tired. The solution: Hire help, that would, in turn, allow me to get more stuff done. For example: do a craft with the kids AND mop the floor. Or, put away all the clothes I just folded, steam the girls' dresses while I read them books or take them to the park. And someone to make sure that we always have a steady stream of diapers, wipes, formula and nursery water.  I believe this all falls under my job description, but my overflowing laundry room proves there are only so many hours in a day, people! I am not too proud to admit that hiring someone to help organize our life and even tidy it up a bit, but I don't think my husband will go for it.

A few weeks ago I realized an hour  before Allie's dance class  that we only had enough nursery water for one more feeding for Ava. Not having enough time to get the girls dressed and to the store before dance, I planned to buy some in between their classes or during Audrey's, thinking that Ava could get by on one feeding before we could buy more. But then, Audrey's teacher told me they were going to dance for the parents at the end of class, WHICH meant I needed to run home and get the video camera during Audrey's class so I could video it. (The video on my phone doesn't record sound and she practices for the recital to the video). Therefore, I needed to wait until after her dance class to buy more water.  (This is where a personal assistant could have run to the store and get nursery water, or better yet, would have noticed we were running low days ago).

Dance day is always a juggling circus act. Three kids, two dance classes and lunch in between makes for a long morning. Normally our schedule is: go to Allies class, leave for lunch, return for Audrey's class and then come home. Today, we went to Allie's class (Ava screaming the whole way), left for lunch, returned for Audrey's class, came home to wash and sterilize a bottle (Ava screaming the whole way), get the video camera, returned to get Audrey and see her dance (Ava screaming the whole way), went to Target only to find they were out of nursery water (seriously!), and then went to Meijer.

And then Ava and I went to my doctor's appointment.

I was exhausted at the end of this day.

 It's a 20 minute trip to and from dance. Audrey's class is 45 minutes, which meant I had 10 minutes  to grab the video camera, wash and sterilize a bottle and get Allie a sippy of milk. When we pulled in the garage Allie had fallen asleep but Ava was still screaming. I run inside. I wash a bottle, sterilize a bottle. get Ava from the car. realize she's leaked through her onesie and sleeper and there's poop all over her, the car seat and now me. No wonder she was screaming. Mercy! I change her outfit, clean her up and change my  shirt. I grab a Norwex and wipe down her car seat with one hand while holding her with the other. I put her back in the car seat. She's still screaming and will not take her paci. She's tired, not hungry. We now have 7 minutes to make it 12 miles, in town. I pray that all 800 stop lights are green. They are not, and we hit lunch traffic on the parkway making me more anxious that we will miss Audrey's dance. I don't want her to be sad that I missed it. That would give me major mommy guilt. My anxiety rises even more as these cars WILL NOT MOVE!  Ugh! Another RED light. Finally, we get there, and park into a restricted spot because it's the closest one. I grab Ava from her car seat and pull Allie, still half asleep from her seat. We walk in just as the parents are entering the studio to watch. Whew! (huge sigh of relief). Ava begins to fuss the minute I put her car seat down. I try to give her a paci while getting out the video camera. About a third of the way through Audrey's dance,  Ava starts to all out cry. Here I am, concentrating on keeping the video camera on Audrey while I pick up her car seat (that feels like 50 pounds) and sway back and forth to calm her. The very kind mother next to me offers to video and I accept.

Dance is over.  Ava is like a ticking time tomb that at any moment will explode in hunger. Off to Target.

We get out of the car and walk into the store, me carrying Ava in her car seat and the two little dancers dressed in tutus and pink tights holding hands next to me. In the formula aisle there is no nursery water on the shelves. A worker confirms they are completely out. UGH! You lost points today, Target. Back to the car we go. I fight the tears of frustration that I'm not nursing my baby and have to lug three children all over this town to find water to feed her.  My mind screams, "THIS IS WHY WOMEN BREASTFEED!" She again begins to fuss. and I feel like THE WORST MOTHER IN THE WORLD.

We get to the formula aisle at Meijer and find their shelves empty too. No nursery water at all. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? Oh my heavens I'm going to lose it. Was there some sort of recall on nursery water!!?? Lucky for me, there was a worker stocking baby food a few feet away. I ask her if they are really out of nursery water. She says they have 75 in the back and how many would I like.

I took 10. I was tempted to take more, but my cart would not hold those, two boxes of diapers a car seat and Miss Allie.

 This day, I could have really used a personal assistant. In fact, a personal assistant would have reminded me yesterday we were low on water, and to take the video camera with me. And in turn, everyone would have been saved this stressful day. But then, what would I learn from that?! Obviously there is a lesson here in organization or buying in bulk.

The day didn't get much better once we got home. While I was giving Ava a bath I hear Audrey scream from upstairs, "Mom!" A few minutes later I find broken glass all over Allie's dresser and floor. She apparently was throwing books and one hit the picture frame, shattering the glass. Luckily, the girls were on the bed and no one got hurt.

While explaining my day to Jeremy, who came home early to watch the older girls for my doctor's appointment, Ava pukes all over her fresh clean outfit and the couch. My reaction to the pukey spit up made him laugh. The moon and stars are not lining up for us today. I have 5 minutes to get her redressed and leave in order no to be late.

Even though I had to stand in the room at my OB's office, covering myself with a white disposable sheet and push Ava back and forth in the stroller to calm her, the rest of the day was routine.

 I  don't think there's a mom alive that wouldn't love to have an organizational genius at their beck and call, But that is not in the cards for me, unless I could get someone to work for free........ Maybe an internship?????????? 

** Now, every time I'm at any store, I cannot pass the nursery water without buying at least one. And the video camera lives in my diaper bag. AND, I now frame pictures without the glass that are to be hung in the kids' rooms. 

Sarah