Saga of the bath

I got the lovely notion last night while bathing our boy that a bath would be a very nice thing to treat myself to.

I knew last night was out because I had been up since very, very early and had no nap and had a very hungry girl all day who was also very grumpy (for her) since she was hungry and not sleeping and the perpetual cycle of misery that these needs cause. Plus I had to go to the store in the evening for a prescription. When I went to pay, I realized I forgot the medical card at home and wasn't about to pay full price. Then while I was there I decided to pick up a few things we need at home. I did the grocery shopping as quick as possible, thinking perhaps I would have that bath after all But by the time I got home, I was done with the day and not knowing when Promise would be awake to eat, I headed to bed.

So I planned to have a bath at some point today. Good idea Lorene, just fit it in there somewhere.

I like to have leisurely baths so the evening would be best for me. Isaac went down just after 7 and I thought maybe I could squeeze a quickish but still relaxing bath in before Promise awoke. No dice, she was awake immediately, ready to nurse.

I timed it. That took one hour and four minutes of my evening.

So now we're looking at 8 p.m. Isaac is asleep. Promise is done nursing, has a clean bum and is snugly swaddled and putting herself to sleep.

I head downstairs to check for the aftermath of dinner. Not too bad as all we had were leftovers. But there's still a bit of cleanup to do. Then I make the mistake of tidying the front hallway (a constant disaster zone of boots, hats, coats, bags and other random goodies). I realize we still have Isaac's small rubber boots out even though Mom found him another pair that are his size. I figure I should get those put away before it's too late.

But they're dirty. Don't want to put away dirty boots so I throw them in the sink to scrub. As I'm getting them wet, I remember I've got the prescription to pick up at the store. I also have to do some more grocery shopping since I forgot about a meal I'm bringing a new mom Monday and for Tuesday when we're hosting care group.

A quick browse of the internet for my fave recipes and I'm ready to head out the door to the store. Just before I leave, Promise starts crying. Justin goes in quickly but a pop of the soother doesn't work. He's got a freelance project due tonight so I head in there to soothe my baby.

Rocking, shhhing and generally just being in there does the trick. She calms herself down and I can only presume she puts herself back to sleep as I don't hear anything else.

Head into the office to grab the medical insurance card that I had almost forgotten (again), see the mess of mail and thank you cards still to be dealt with and have a small rant about how unorganized our lives are.

FINALLY get out the door. Drive to store only to find that the pharmacy portion is closed. Then decide to drive to different store for shopping as they're cheaper, only to realize part way there that there's no grocery bags in Justin's car, which I grabbed as it was in the carport instead of our car parked inconveniently around the corner.

I'm not about to pay for grocery bags so I head home. Get in the door and realize Isaac's dirty boots are still in the sink. That will just tick me off in the morning to deal with so I pull out the cleaning stuff and scrub it down. Then of course our kitchen sink is dirty. So out comes the Comet and I scrub down the sink.

Then there's a few dishes to put away - may as well get the kitchen tidied - then while I have the Comet out I go upstairs to scrub the bathtub. After all, I'm going to have a bath tonight, right?

The bathtub is disgusting. Before I'm done scrubbing, the water is actually grey. We put our son in this festering porcelain tub almost every evening because of the theory he's been getting clean in there. I don't think so.

Then I remember the pretzel bark I made this afternoon for care group sitting in the deep freeze. Can't leave that sitting exposed in the freezer overnight, it'll get that funny smell to it. Out to the deep freeze on our deck, and I spend the next 10 minutes picking tinfoil off the bottom of the bark and putting it in a freezeable container. And OK, maybe sampling some of the chocolate salty goodness.

Clean out coffee pot, tidy up a few more things and finally head upstairs for my bath.

But then I have to go to the bathroom. For anyone reading this with young children, you are well aware of the shift in bathroom behaviour that occurs when small children are under your care. You simply do not have the time to, ahem, go, during the day. Yes, there are exceptions. But a remarkable thing happens after some time of having kids. Your body manages to simply alter when you need to, you know, go.

So there's that time flushed down the toilet.

Finally it's time for a bath. Unfortunately since this saga began, I mentioned to Justin I was having a bath. And then I realized I needed to have a shower afterwards to wash my hair. And Justin needs a shower too because it's church tomorrow.

Normally this wouldn't be an issue. But our hot water tank, along with a slew of household items, is on the fritz. Our hot water doesn't last long, certainly not long enough for a lovely bath and two quick showers.

I give up. I head upstairs, take a quick shower, almost go to bed and decide that I need to write this down. Because while I'm sure I will look back on these days as glorious, satisfying and some of the best days of my life, I should also remember that some days, there isn't even time for a bath. Lovely notion indeed.