Follow our co-founder Amanda as she navigates the business world, masters the side hustle and tries to find “balance” while working from home and wrangling her unruly, nap striking toddler!
So, let me just own the fact that I signed off on my last post as “check out next week when I bring my toddler to work”……well that was 4 weeks ago and life has gotten the better of me these days. Pregnancy, a toddler, a career and a side hustle has been less than glamourous and let’s be honest here– most of the time I just want to sleep because I’m growing another human!
But alas, I am back to hitting the keyboard and getting all of these mom thoughts out of my brain and onto this blog. So today’s entry of the Mommy Diaries is dedicated to my daughter. My unruly, nap striking, teething, attached to my hip daughter. I love her, but damn is it ever hard bringing your toddler to the office!
The Morning Routine
Check out the last post to see the morning routine, because I’m not writing it out again! Our morning routine has been the same for months. It never changes. Click here to read!
The Drive to the Office
This one is hit or miss everyday. I get to commute on the lovely Don Valley Parkway, or those of you from Toronto know it better as the Don Valley Parking Lot. Instead of be angry everyday of the hour long traffic backups, I have started to listen to podcasts….lots of podcasts….all of them!
Felipa also loves podcasts. Well she doesn’t really have a choice, but I swear the Moms Thay Say F*** Podcast actually soothes her. Or she’s just so bloody bored in the backseat that she falls asleep every single time.
Whatever, #momwin in my books. No one wants to listen to a whiny and screaming toddler in the back seat for an hour. On the days she doesn’t sleep–well snacks and toys are a must!
The Office
10am-11am: We arrive anywhere between 10am and 11am. Then here is where the fun starts. Unloading the car. UGH. I hate unloading the car. It is such a pain in my ass EVERY SINGLE DAY.
11:15am: Felipa gets Starbucks every time I work at the office. RELAX CAROL–I’m not giving her coffee, she just gets her usual egg bites and a croissant lol This allows me an extra 15 minutes of quiet time to set up my desk, her baby jail gate and all of her toys on the floor.
11:30am: Release the beast from the stroller and watch her go wild for all of her toys! I have about a solid 30-45 minutes now until she will be at my leg begging for attention. I crank out as much work as physically possible and await the toddler whining that is soon to come.
12:15pm: Cue toddler whining and begging to touch everything on my desk. Pick up Felipa, and she sits on my lap as I type away emails, policies and work on marketing material. Here is when I contemplate getting out the ipad for her to watch some Peppa Pig on….do I want to listen to Peppa Pig for an hour? that is the question really…..
12:30pm: It’s lunch time. I set up my Guzzie and Gus (click link to purchase) and put out her lunch. This will keep her busy for 40 minutes–at best.
1:15pm: Attempt a nap. I’ll turn off the lights in the office, crank the sound machine and hope for a miracle! Nope, it’s a nap strike kind of day so fuck that, I guess she’s joining my staff meeting.
1:30pm-3:30pm: Staff Meeting commences. Felipa loves the attention of the team. They are in a semi circle with all of her toys in the middle. She obviously could care less about her toys–look at all the people! So instead, she takes turns sitting on everyone’s laps and drawing on their meeting notes.
4:00pm: Maybe I’ll squeeze in a workout? Who the fuck am I kidding…just because I work for a fitness company, doesn’t mean I actually work out–ha–It’s home time. So, diaper change, pack the bloody car and get back on to the DVP. Sit in traffic for an hour and hope, no pray that she naps.
5:00pm: Get home and start the night routine. Click here to read our night routine. It’s the same, every night.
The Struggle is REAL AF
Now, I know that I have made my own routine, my work schedule and have it pretty good. I mean really good. I make my own hours, I bring my kid to work with me when I need to, I can work from home whenever I want with no explanation. It’s pretty awesome.
But sometimes, I’d like to just have a normal conversation with an adult without interjecting in a sing song voice ” no hunny, we don’t take off our diaper in public”. I mean, is that asking too much?
Ever have a marketing meeting with a designer that is doing a million dollar renovation for your client and then in the middle have to say….”oh I’m so sorry, let me just go change her” because the room just smells so overwhelmingly of shit. Oh no? That’s not a normal work day for you? Cool.
The multi-tasking mama that I have worked hard at is coming in handy when these situations arise, but sometimes I just want to be away from my kid. Like I love her and all, and when I’m away from her I count down the seconds until I’m home with her. But sometimes mommy just wants to go to work and be an adult–not a mom–just a regular adult.
Okay, enough rambling– it’s snack time and I’ve got to feed my spawn.
If you have a similar experience, or just need to vent about your day then please use this space as your outlet! Swearing, funny stories, sad stories, mom fails and mom wins are highly encouraged. No judgment–just real moms and dads supporting one another on this crazy journey of parenting!
Until Next Time,
Amanda
If you want to be featured in The Mommy Diaries or published anonymously, then submit your momfails, momwins and other bullshit from your day to: amanda@strollinforlattes.com with the Subject Line: The Mommy Diaries Submission. Please make sure to let us know if you want your name public or not. We will do our best to get back to you within 48 hours, but please allow up to one week for a response!
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