The work life balance is tough. I feel guilty when at work for not being with our girls, but when at home I feel guilty that I am not at work. My job is not the sort where I could work easily from home - I manage people: check work, find out detailed information from various sources, attend l-o-o-o-n-g meetings in stuffy meeting rooms with clients and team members. It is rare that I could predict my day. Yup, I am an architect - the sort that designs buildings. Except that I am more often than not involved in the technical side of it....the bit that you often don't see as a visitor to a pretty building.
Anyhooo, back to my yesterday. It was a work day. So, midnight to midnight....
Midnight
I was in the land of nod until Chloe and Ava woke at 5:30am. We went and brought them to bed with us, until my alarm went off at 5:45am.
5:45am
I dragged myself out of bed and went for a quick shower. Chloe was wide awake, so I locked her in the bathroom with me while I showered and got dressed (with all sorts of things being chucked into the bath for the duration!). I had to turn the bathroom stools (we have 2 - a Chloe sized one and an Ava sized one) upside down, otherwise Chloe climbs on to the toilet, the laundry basket, up to the basin, on to the bath...she is an accomplished climber!
6:15am
Flower Daddy and Ava were back asleep, so I dressed Chloe and prepared my bag for the day (latte in this awesome travel mug - seriously worth every penny for its anti-leak and keeping warm/hot properties - and fruit)
6:30am
Took a latte to Flower Daddy and tried to get the 2 of them to wake up. Ava was totally zonked. Flower Daddy managed to dress her in her half awake state.
7:10am
With Flower Daddy's help, us 3 girls are in the car and (not so) ready for the day. Ava still zoned out and in la la land...poor tired little girl. Chloe very busy removing her shoes and jabbering away. I could do with some of her early morning va-va-voom.
7:25am
After struggling to find a parking and then carrying Chloe (all 10.1kg's of her) in 1 arm, holding Ava's hand with my free hand, back pack on my back...we are finally at nursery. I give the girls a cuddle, hugs and kisses - with tears in my eyes, like every other day when I drop them off. For the first time since starting nursery, Chloe is happy enough to be passed over to her key worker, which makes me feel a teensy bit better. Not much though. Ava is distracted by the commotion of children arriving and wanders off to see what is happening.
7:30am
I hot foot it to the train station. My train is at 7:34am. I know that if I leave any later or walk too slowly that I will miss my train! If I miss this train, the next train would make me 15 minutes late for work. I hate being late for anything.
7:36am
I am on the train and miraculously have a seat today - yay! I twiddle with my iPad sketching out an idea for a new tea towel design...no doubt with various random strangers peering over my shoulder...annoying...
7:51am
We arrive at London Euston. Together with the rest of the commuter lemmings, I head towards the barriers and the station exit. This must be the absolute worst part of the whole commuter experience for me - the hoards of people and their bags pushing and jiggling in my personal space. I Need my personal space. Once through the barriers and breathing in the fresh air outside of the station, I walk the 20minutes to work. It is a lovely sunny day. I even left my coat at home today.
8:15am
I am finally at work. I switch my machine on, swap shoes, get my coffee out and settle down to get started on the day. (My work day officially starts at 8:30am)
9am
We have a team meeting - we have an intermediate deadline for the end of the week. From here on out, I am in and out of meetings and drawing progress reviews with various team members.
3:30pm
I have just left a consultant meeting which lasted 2.5hrs. Everyone knows that I leave work at 4:30pm so I have a queue building up by my desk for drawing reviews (I make it sound worse that it is...it was a 3 people queue!). I need to review the plans for the project before I leave work, so that I am comfortable that the deadline for the end of the week will go smoothly (there will be others in control while I am not in the office, but I like to know what is going on!). I end up walking out the door late.
5:10pm
I am late. I am worried about fetching the girls late. If I were able to run the 20mins to Euston, I would. Instead, I walk as fast as my little size 6 feet - and all the other pedestrians - will allow me.
5:30pm
I just make the 5:34pm train! Nursery closes at 6:30pm. If we are late collecting, we get charged a crazy amount of money. Something like £10 for every 10mins we are late for every staff member on duty. Plus if we are too late, they call child services in!! We certainly don't want that to happen. Besides that, the girls need to go to bed at 7pm....
5:55pm
I am on home turf and walking up to nursery. Fortunately the train was on time and not delayed. The girls are tired, as am I.
6:30pm
We are finally home. Ava had a tantrum on the way to the car. No doubt caused by being tired. Chloe fell asleep in the car. I had to wake her when we arrived home. Ava didn't want to get out of the car. We arrived home half an hour later than usual and all hell has broken loose. There is no hot water, so the girls get a flannel wash and are finally in their jammies.
6:50pm
I give the girls something to drink and some cheese to snack on. Chloe is in complete crazy child mode. She is tired and is going nuts - bouncing all over the place, biting me and throwing things. I take her to bed. Ava watches a little TV while I sort Chloe out.
7:00pm
I take Ava upstairs to bed, she is so tired that we don't even brush her teeth. I find the shortest story possible, which takes all of a minute to read. Tuck her in. She is pretty much asleep already.
7:05pm
Flower Daddy arrives home. Ava is already asleep so she misses cuddles from her daddy.
8:00pm
After getting the kitchen a little tidier - well, at least tidy enough to make some dinner. We are sitting with our supper and about to watch a I don't Know how She Does it - a movie. It resonates in more ways than I can count. Chloe wakes and I go tuck her back in.
10:00pm
Movie over....bed time! Thank goodness for comfy beds, comfy pillows and a snuggly quilt made by my mom.
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