2023 Time Tracking Challenge: Day 6 – birthday fun

It was 8 years ago tonight that I woke with a start and had a sudden realization that I was… in labor. One would think, four kids in, that this would be obvious, but I was induced with my first three kids, so I wasn’t fully sure what the start of natural labor would feel like. Well, I found out, and pretty soon it wasn’t early labor, as my fourth child arrived fast and furiously. We pulled into the hospital parking lot at 1:13 a.m. and he was born at 1:32 a.m.

Anyway, we’ve been celebrating the soon-to-be 8-year-old this weekend. After I hit post, I hung out with the 3-year-old for another hour or so. My husband mysteriously disappeared after returning with the 11-year-old and 7-year-old from ice skating and then I realized he’d gone to take a nap. This didn’t put me in a great mood, especially since I’d spent an hour of my life trying unsuccessfully to get the 3-year-old to nap. I responded by refusing to round people up for our family trip to this arcade/go-kart/laser tag place. I sat on a chair and figured we’d go when we’d go. We did eventually get out the door, so maybe I will do that more often.

We left around 2:50 p.m. and arrived 3:20 p.m. The place was packed, but the birthday boy got to do the things he wanted to do: A round of laser tag, a stint on the tree course, riding in a double go-kart with Daddy. He also played some arcade games. I held everyone off from trying to eat at the arcade (the offerings weren’t great) and instead — after leaving around 5:15 — we stopped at WaWa and got various pretzels and icees and other such things.

We arrived home shortly before 6, and my husband and I commenced cooking dinner (fondue — I didn’t eat it). We ate family dinner around 6:30 — so at least that’s two family meals this week between that and yesterday. We finished around 7, did some clean up, and then we opened presents for the almost 8-year-old.

While he and my husband were writing thank you notes, I worked on my puzzle while the 3-year-old watched some random pedantic cartoon on YouTube. At 8:35 p.m. I took him up to read stories and have his “baba milk.” I got him into bed, at which point my husband took over sitting in the room with him. I went and did Legos with the birthday boy (starting around 9:05). We finished the set!

Now I am posting this. Only one more day to go in the 2023 Time Tracking Challenge! Since a few folks asked what these days look like in excel form, here’s an approximation:

7:30   7:45 up, H up, snuggle
8:00   H (+ scroll)
8:30   coffee, eat, ready
9:00   drive to Y, lift weights
9:30   lift weights, elliptical
10:00  elliptical (1.3), drive home
10:30  work/rituals, shower
11:00 Legos w/A, H home
11:30  kids, lunches, etc.
12:00 skate ready, H, phone
12:30 basement, stories
1:00 H, clean up,
1:30  work (in H room),
2:00 H, etc. play
2:30  ready (sit), in car, M drives
3:00  M drives, Arnolds
3:30  Arnolds (for A)
4:00  Arnolds (for A)
4:30  Arnolds (for A)
5:00  Arnolds, to WaWa
5:30  WaWa, M drives
6:00 cook dinner
6:30 eat family dinner
7:00 clean up, A presents
7:30 A presents, H diaper
8:00 puzzle (H computer)
8:30 puzzle, H up, story, feed
9:00 feed, Legos w/A (finish)

3 thoughts on “2023 Time Tracking Challenge: Day 6 – birthday fun

  1. Thank you so much for sharing an example of your Excel entries. It’s interesting to see how much detail others include. Do you have any tips for keeping entries concise but detailed enough to bring back memories when reviewing them in the future? Something I’ve been pondering for a while.

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