One Day 2013

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yesterday the Hollywood Housewife hosted a second (annual) Instagram event to capture a single day in snapshots. One Day is about stopping to notice all the small moments that don’t typically get attention. fantastic idea. i truly treasure memories caught in photos, videos, journals, and stories (i think it is so important to record and preserve personal and family histories), so obviously i was totally on board.

7:02 am–every morning. this. no matter what the day brings, it can never start wrong with snuggles in bed.

7:28 am–who knew that counting was such good bathroom reading? we usually have potty success by the time we get to “10 busy bees…”

the day was an exercise in being present and aware of your own context, but also a fascinating glimpse into the hidden lives of others. in browsing the thousands of photos that were posted throughout the day, common threads between storylines were clear, but so was the vast variety of fun and frustrations a day can bring.

7:45 am–finally got diligent about my tummy exercises a few months ago and my diastasis is almost healed! only 1 finger width gap, now. 🙂

8:32 am–local organic kale in our morning smoothie makes me happy.

you would think the internet would already be at capacity when it comes to “what i had for breakfast” status updates. but somehow, among the all duties and diversions posted, this project prompted people share the mundane with more of a why than a what. instead of becoming just a tiresome tracking device for every tedious movement, it was more like a collection of the scenes that characterize daily life in this season. because we all know how quickly things can change.

9:58 am–more mobile = more bumps and bruises. the transition from perfectly-protected baby to active little boy is gonna be hard on mama.

10:30 am–sometimes i pick up the scattered toys during g’s morning nap…but usually, not.

11:11am–twice a day, every day. i rarely miss seeing these numbers on a clock. WHY?! what makes me glance in the direction of a digital clock at that exact minute every twelve hours?

11:25 am–reunited. an editor and her #redpen. so much of my work is done digitally, now, that it’s nice to have a job once in a while where i can break out my trusty tool for markup on a hard copy.

often my life feels like a neverending “groundhog day” cycle. i’m sure i’m not the only one who felt like a sampling of my day would just be a parade of cooking and cleaning and feeding and errands (or for some, emails and meetings and reports and phone calls). but when i stepped back and viewed my hamster wheel through the camera lens, i was pleasantly surprised to discover how un-boring my e’ery day, e’ery day activities really are.

12:40pm–these stinkers are always so lazy once the weather turns cold. #puggles

1:21–this kid eats broccoli and carrots as if it were candy. then again, he also eats paper 🙂 #hungryboy

2:43pm–picking up my share of apples and pears from Adam’s Pantry. #soexcited #organicproduce

3:12pm–déjà vu, five times a day. (anything to keep the poop out of the cloth diapers) sometimes he rides it like a cowboy, slapping the back with his palm. #giddyup!

3:37pm–daily walk to keep us sane, now it’s time for an afternoon nap so mom can sneak some Me Time.

4:16pm–tea and toast and trolling–a few moments of ahhhh before the housework scramble. so grateful he still takes afternoon naps.

4:49pm–clean fluff is just plain cheerful.

5:00pm–short nap

5:19pm–they can polish off dinner in less than 15 seconds. then they check to make sure the other one has cleaned his bowl.

5:54pm–daddy is home!

the best thing this project gave me is a refreshed outlook on the routines in my life that i tend to dread, but should really savor. most days, the evening hours find me just gritting my teeth and counting down the chores left until i can fall into bed. but family meals and bedtime rituals and the untidy aftermath of the day are all indications of a full and fortunate life.

7:52pm–story time with dad. we read lots of books during the day, but this is the most important one. #JesusStorybookBible

6:28pm–this is what i like to call “the oven is on” dinner. everyone gets their choice of cook-and-serve meal. just add toppings! burrito with guac for lee, sweet potato with yogurt for graham, and socca with zataar for me.

7:59pm–not sure how much longer we’ll get this sweet time together, but for now i’m content to keep nursing him into sleepiness each night.

8:20–a little tv with lee before tackling the kitchen cleanup. we always take a breather after bedtime – whew! we’ve been on a #FridayNightLights marathon lately.

it will be fun to look back on today and remember surprises happen every day, too.

9:43pm–just discovered these packages on the porch…and a creepy kitty guarding them. guess that’s what happens when you always use the back door…and have a lot of neighborhood cats. #YayFunMail

9:48pm–aaaahhhh!! one of the packages is the ultra-comfy yoga slings I’ve been wanting! this can only be a birthday gift from my awesome sister. thank you, @kelleighwhaley – LYM!

11:06pm–surprise call from my bro (awesome), at the end of which he totally fell asleep on me (not awesome). either I’m really boring, or early mornings at The Pour House are more exhausting than early mornings with a baby

11:40pm–midnight cereal snack. as always. mixing it up (lee hates that). as always. munching and making tomorrow’s to-do list while watching the @okcthunder. darn west coast games!

12:33am–there may still be toys on the living room floor or clothes in piles in the bedroom, but every night my kitchen will be clean. it keeps me from running back to bed to hide under the covers in the morning. #evenatmidnight

12:46am–face washed, teeth brushed, home stretch. and yes, I am as tired as I look. #onlyselfietoday #dirtymirror

as i brushed my teeth i kept thinking about the moments i had failed to snap: the baby petting (smacking) the dogs, the leftover (umpteenth) moving box in the office that i attempted to unpack, the before shot of the messy (very) kitchen…

and also the moments that are part of a typical day that just didn’t happen: trips to the store, a visit from grandpa, responding to emails…

but this wasn’t meant to be comprehensive. that’s not what a “snapshot” is.

12:51am–raw denim draped over the end of the bed where I’ll grab them first thing in the morning. wearing them 17 hours a day should break them in fast. #b7cleanstart #month1of7

12:57am–#NoShaveNovember means than goodnight kisses are extra scratchy. (he’s such a good sport, my goofball.) no energy for reading before bed tonight. signing off. goodnight!

i can say that yesterday’s experiment has affected my attention to detail throughout today, too. hopefully i can continue to be intentional about noticing the bits and pieces that make up my unique narrative. thanks for the motivation, laura!

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