Life Lately | Quaratine Cuties

What's it like to be quarantined with a baby? It's simultaneously wonderfully delicious and cry-your-eyes out exhausting. On one hand, I feel so fortunate that time has stopped and I've had all obligations erased, and thus the ability to really soak up both Parker and Finn at this stage... but, the whole up-to-my-eyes in dishes plus absolutely no breaks has been a bit challenging. Obviously we have it easy compared to so many others  - we are super fortunate in all this that Max's job is "essential" and that he's still earning a paycheck, that we have a roomy house with a yard, and that we have money for groceries and occasional takeout. Still, when I look back on this post someday, I want to remember what our days were really like...

MORNING

Max's company is encouraging work from home when possible so he's here working in his office above our garage about twice a week. We love these days because we get more time with him in the morning and see him at lunchtime and usually for a midday walk. Parker (our superstar reader) wakes up around 7AM and reads for some time in bed (just this week, he blew through the Ralph S. Mouse series, Matilda, and The BFG). Finn wakes up anywhere between 6:30AM and 7:30AM and still nurses first thing.

With Max off to the real or home office, the boys and I do breakfast at the kitchen counter. Parker lived in pajamas the first couple weeks of shelter at home, until I made the "one pajama day per week" rule, which is working out quite well (he gets to skip making his bed on pajama days, too). Finn gets playtime after breakfast and then books and a morning nap (usually two hours after wake-up time). This is when I clean up from breakfast, fold laundry, shower... basically anything I can't do while our little hurricane is awake.

After breakfast is when Parker gets started on his day by logging into SeeSaw, the platform his school is using for their distance learning. Here's his weekly schedule (yes, that's online Chess Club and virtual piano lessons you see on there!):

This meme totally sums it up:

I have literally resorted to iPhone alarms for each and every event less we miss anything (it's easy to forget which day of the week or even what time of day it is with no outside references).

Parker works throughout the morning and afternoon, and I check his work and help him upload as needed.

MIDDAY

Max has been doing all our grocery shopping since the shelter at home order took place (yes, that means I haven't stepped foot in a grocery store since early March!). He makes a Costco trip every two weeks on Sunday mornings and we supplement with Whole Foods Prime deliveries (we are also still getting our twice-monthly CSA delivery of meat and veggies). And yes, we sanitize every item that comes into the house - better safe than sorry? I checked on Instastories just to make sure we weren't crazy and it looks like most of y'all are doing the same. Lunch during the week is leftovers, mac and cheese, or sandwiches. Afterward, the boys and I almost always do a neighborhood walk (with Max joining us when he's working from home).

AFTERNOON

Finn nurses then gets story time and goes down for his afternoon nap. Once again I do anything I can't do while he's awake - dinner prep, art with Parker, baking, dishes, laundry. Finn is up again around 4pm and we read and play with big brother.

EVENING

If Max is working from home, Parker will join him in the upstairs office and Finn and I will do a second neighborhood walk. 

I've also taken it upon myself to pick up the hobby of cocktail making in quarantine 😂 Happy Hour is a hobby, right?

Max is done with work around 6/6:30 and we always eat as a family.

We do dinner outside any chance we get.

(the most amazing burger recipe found HERE)

Parker is always up for a game of chess or monopoly after dinner, or a dip in the (not too) hot tub. One night last week, Max even camped out in the backyard with P!

Many people are experiencing insomnia with the pandemic and an inability to fall asleep in a timely manner -I think that's impossible when you have a baby you're chasing all day. Once we get the boys down for the night, Max and I can barely make it through a Top Chef or Homeland before passing out.

Also, a note about the weather. Alabama is notorious for quickly changing weather with drastic swings, and quarantine has been no exception. We've had a number of eighty degree days...

And some cold ones too... the low tomorrow night is 35 degrees. 

Not to mention the tornado watches and warnings 😬

One natural disaster/emergency at a time, please.