day in the life post Archives

Day in the Life – 3.5 weeks

We are 3.5 weeks into life with Ms. Mila, and things are…well, they’re still a little all over the place. We have no routine in place yet, but experience reassures me that we’ll get there in a few months. Until then, I’m just trying to enjoy the newborn phase – the cuddles, the cute random faces, etc.

That being said, I wanted to document a day in the life type post so I don’t forget the beautiful chaos of this time.

So here was how my day unfolded on November 11, 2021…

4:45 am – I wake up to feed Mila. Vishnu took the last two feeds, which was so sweet of him, but I told him not to do that because this meant I hadn’t pumped in like 7 hours. No bueno!

5:25-6:10 am – Power pumping session. Went too long between sessions. Got a lot of milk but don’t want to make this a habit.

6:30 am – Make and eat breakfast (protein shake) in peace – no kids/husband needing me. Just me, the dark, and some silence.

7:15-8:30 am – Kaiden wakes up, eats breakfast, and eventually, we’re out the door for school. While I’m handling K, Vishnu is feeding Mila and eventually puts her back down. Teamwork makes the dream work!

8:30-9:00 – I drop K off at school, make a pit stop at CVS, and also at Dunkin for some coffee per VIshnu’s request. He was super tired this morning.

9:20-9:50 – Time to pump again. Wish I could’ve gotten to this sooner, but ahh…that’s life! I had to start and stop a couple of times because Mila was a little unsettled and fussy. Finally got it done…that’s what matters, right?

9:50 am – 12:00 pm- Mila starts stirring. I go get her and bring her downstairs to eat. Apparently, she’s more interested in sleeping in my arms than eating! Yes, this went on for over two hours! I just let her sleep. Eventually, I put her down in her room…until the next feed that’s probably in 30 minutes. Haha!

12:00-12:20 pm – I heat up leftovers from when my mom was here earlier in the week and eat those quickly (you never know when you’re sleeping baby will wake up wailing!). So good and so thankful I had that food ready to go!

12:45 pm – Time to pump again. Praying Mila doesn’t wake up from her nap until I’m done!

Timing is a little hazy after this point, but here’s a quick rundown of what happened next…

Mila wakes up and I feed her.
My mom comes over – we give Mila a bath, I get to take shower…
I pump yet again.
My dad and I pick Kaiden up from school and take him to PT.
We eat dinner when we get home (mom made her famous green enchiladas!).
Vishnu eats and then gives K a bath, my mom feeds Mila, and I pump.
Kids are down, mom and dad go home, I pack K’s lunch, wash bottles, clean up in the kitchen, finish up this post…
…and then…you guessed it…I pump…

AND THE CYCLE REPEATS ITSELF!

Not an exciting day by any means, but one I want to remember for sure. I just read somewhere that ‘time is a thief…’ ain’t that the truth!

Happy Friday! Hope y’all have a great weekend.

Day in the Life – July 14, 2020

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I thought I’d share a day in the life update today, as things look a little bit different around here than they did even a month ago. I used to share this kind of post more often back in the day, and I love going back and seeing what our days looked like at various points in our lives. Oh how things hav changed!

Let’s dive right in…

5:45a – I randomly woke up and looked at the clock to see that it’s 5:45. I forgot to set my alarm! I usually wake up at 5:30. Gah!

6:00a – I quickly brushed my teeth, washed my face, and changed out of my PJs before settling down at my desk to check emails and do a little bit of work.

6:30a – I heard Kaiden saying, “Mama, mama, I need to go poo poo,” so I ran to his room and to take him to the potty. He’s usually not up until 7:00, so this is a fun surprise! However, I’m still so thankful he wakes up and tells us he has to go versus going in his pull-up.

6:45a-7:50a – I attempted to continue working but not very successfully. I also made Vishnu a salad for lunch before making Kaiden a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. We then watched an episode of Pinkalicious. When I told him it’s time to brush his teeth, he told me to set a timer. After two timers, playing with his dinosaurs and dump truck, and cutting some paper with his scissors, we went to the bathroom to brush his teeth! Then we put on his socks and shoes. He jumped into his stroller and we were off!

7:50-8:20a – I dropped K off at school. Thankfully, it’s within walking distance. Also, I’m SO GRATEFUL that Kaiden loves going to school now. He asks, “Hey, mama. We going to school?” EVERY SINGLE DAY! Makes things so much easier!

8:20a-12:00p – Work, work, work, work. Mid-year review (!), meetings, reviewing documents, writing, project stuff, etc.

At 10a, I also ate my first meal of the day because I’m trying out intermittent fasting (only my 2nd week)! I definitely plan to share more about what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, results, what I’m eating, etc. soon. Stay tuned!

12:00-12:45p – Workout break. I did a quick 30 minute PopSugar Fitness strength workout and took a quick shower as well.

12:45-4:00p – Work, work, work, work! I also ate my second meal at 1:45p because I was starving.

Vishnu came home around 2:00ish. Today was an academic day for him (he gets one every 2 week), but he still had to go to the hospital for a few things (he left the house at 7:15).

4:00p – Cleaned up around the house. Folded laundry and put dishes in dishwasher.

4:30p – Went to pick up K! Easily my favorite part of the day!

4:50-6:00p – PLAY, PLAY, PLAY

6:00-6:30p – Dinner time! We ordered pizza from Pequods for dinner. Kaiden and I shared a thin crust (half cheese and half pineapple/green olives) and Vishnu got a personal pan pizza with sausage and jalapenos. YUM!

6:30-7:30p – Bath time, reading time, bed time! It only took me three times to leave K’s room to be called back!

7:30-8:45p – Work, work, work. Wrapped up a few emails and worked on a project document.

8:45-9:15p – Typed up this post.

10:00p – LIGHTS OUT!

Day in the Life – February 19, 2020

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I love reading about other people’s days. The mundane details, the out of the ordinary stuff, all of it. I think there’s magic in sharing about our lives more openly, even the not so glamorous stuff. Like what you’re about to read. HA!

So I’m choosing to share a ‘day in the life’ type post now because unlike most days, I actually went to the office on February 19 and did more than just work and go to the gym.

Again not glamorous…just more interesting. Or so I think!

Let’s get started.

4:30 am – My alarm hasn’t gone off yet, but I’m up and just waiting for the beeping to start.

4:45 am – My alarm goes off and out I roll. Brush teeth, shower, put make up on, and do hair. It’s all a little robotic at this point in the morning, but I want to be ready before 5:45 which is sometimes when Kaiden wakes up. Once he’s up, there’s no way I can do anything for myself.

6:15 am – I have to go in and wake K up! I could’ve slept a bit longer!! It takes him a bit to wake up, so we cuddle on the couch and goof around.

6:30 am – I put a Daniel Tiger episode on, give K some cereal and make myself a shake.

7:00 am – Brush K’s teeth, put on my work clothes, change Kaiden…

7:15 am – We are out the door on our way to school and work! And like I tell K every morning, we’re going to have an AWESOME day!

7:25 am – Drop off complete and I’m walking to work. So here’s the thing. I used to complain about Chicago weather a lot. Like A LOT. It’s so damn cold and the wind is brutal. This year (knocking on all the wood!) hasn’t been so bad. With that being said, today was COLD. And I totally didn’t think to wear my warm winter boots. My ankles were exposed and freezing! The 10 day forecast looks a bit warmer than today, so there’s that! Look at me grow and not be a negative Nancy about things I clearly can’t control!

7:45 – Arrive at work, set up, get my water and start my day.

WORK WORK WORK WORK

9:30 am – Our team in Chicago does a bagels and coffee breakfast thing once a month, so I head out to the cafe area to meet them. I love this event because it gets us all together and talking and reconnected.

WORK WORK WORK WORK

12:00 pm – Eat lunch with a coworker/friend. We haven’t seen each other since December so there’s a lot to catch up on!

WORK WORK WORK WORK

2:30 pm – Grab a coffee with another coworker/friend and catch up. I haven’t really been in the office much since December, so it’s nice to just hear about what people are up to. To be honest, I get more done at home, but I do love going in to our office because of the people. Everyone’s so nice, and honestly, it’s just a nice break for the ‘work by yourself’ routine I’ve created for myself over the past couple of months.

WORK WORK WORK WORK

4:00 pm – Pack up and head out to get K and go home! But first, stop at Taco Bell to grab dinner. 🙂

There are no pictures after this point because it’s hard once K’s around. I just don’t think about it that much. So I hope my words paint a fairly clear picture for you!

4:30 pm – Get to K’s school (I take the train and then walk), convince him it’s time to go home, and head out.

4:50 pm – HOME!

PLAY, PLAY, PLAY, PLAY!

5:15 pm – Daddy’s up! This is Vishnu’s last few days of nights (hopefully forever!). Kaiden gets so excited to see him and it just melts my heart!

PLAY, PLAY, PLAY, PLAY!

6:15 pm – Sit down to eat our beloved Taco Bell! Surprisingly, Kaiden eats the burrito I got him with minimal fuss. Of course, he also eats a few carrot sticks and some apple!

6:30 pm – Vishnu leaves for work, and K and I head to the bathroom so he can take a bath.

6:45 pm – Get K dressed and lotioned up.

7:00 pm – Read books. Tonight’s picks include – If You Take a Mouse to School, Giraffes Can’t Dance, Krishna, and Lakshmi.

7:15 – Brush K’s teeth, finish up one last book, turn on sound machine (Kaiden’s job), debate about which ball to sleep with (he couldn’t decide if he wanted his new basketball or his old one – went for the new one!).

7:35 pm – Sing songs, pray, say affirmations…I leave his room and pray he goes to sleep and stays asleep!

8:05 pm – I check K’s monitor and he’s finally down!

8:30 pm – Do the dishes, pick up toys, fold and put away laundry, etc.

9:00 pm – Finish up this blog post

[If everything goes according to plan] 9:45 pm – Wash my face, brush my teeth, and get into bed. I read for a bit before my eyes feel heavy. Turn on meditation music and fall asleep.

10:15 – Hopefully I’m fast asleep…

SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP

5:15 am – Wake up and do it all again (with some variations!).

And that is a typical day…when I go in to the office. Like I said, nothing too exciting but joyful and fun nonetheless!

Have a great Thursday!

Day in the Life – A Random Wednesday

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I know most people could care less about the details of my random Wednesday, but I really appreciate these ‘Day in the Life’ posts. Especially since Kaiden’s birth. Our days have evolved so much over the years, and it’s nice to have a written record of it all!

With that, here’s what a normal, run of the mill day looks like for us at this point in time (for reference K is ~5.5 months old)…

4:30 am – My alarm goes off because I intended to work out this morning. I decide it’s not going to happen, reset my alarm, and try to fall back asleep. K has other plans for me because he starts crying almost immediately. I get up and out of bed to check on him. Luckily, this is one of those ‘put his pacifier back in his mouth and he’ll go to sleep’ type moments.

5:00 am – My alarm goes off again, and this time I need to get up and pump. And so I do…

5:30 am – I finish pumping, make Vishnu’s lunch, and get my bags ready for the day. I also warm K’s bottle because I have a feeling he’ll be up soon.

6:00 am – Sure enough, I hear K cry, so I bring him outside to eat. Kaiden is super fun first thing in the morning, so while I really want to feed him and play, we go through the motions quietly. Things don’t go quite as planned though. K needs a diaper change, so I bring him back in the room to change him. As soon as I attempt to take his diaper off, I realize he’s still doing his thang, so I hang out for a few minutes! Once I think he’s done, I quickly change him and put him back down.

6:30 am – I make a protein shake for Vishnu and then make my way back to our room to shower and get ready for work.

7:30 am – I’m running late! I should be out the door at this time. Instead, I’m running around the kitchen making my shake. I quickly drink my breakfast, wake up my dad, and run out the door (well, as much as one can when bundled up for the very very very cold temps!).

8:05 am – I’m at work! I decide to walk (because I’m crazy!). It’s obviously pretty damn cold, but it’s not toooooooo bad.

8:30 am – I run down to Starbucks and grab a tall coffee with steamed soy. My morning routine usually involves a cup of jo at home, but I didn’t manage to squeeze that in today.

Up until 12:30 pm – work, pump (at 9:30), work…

12:30 pm – A group of us head to the Christkindlmarket for a little holiday fun. We treat ourselves to mulled wine, potato pancakes, a stuffed pretzel, and sugar/cinnamon covered nuts. It even started snowing a little…the best part!

Up until 4:00 pm – work, pump (at 2:30), work…

4:30 pm – I’m home! I walk back despite knowing better. Again, it’s cold but not toooooooo bad!

Up until 6:30 pm – I play with Kaiden and hang out with my dad for a bit. Around 5, we feed K some mashed avocado (he gobbles it up!). Vishnu comes home a little earlier than usual, so all of us hang out for a bit before it’s time to feed K and put him to sleep. Thankfully, he eats a decent amount and goes down pretty easily!

6:45-7:30 pm – Vishnu and I eat dinner (leftover veggie masala pasta) and clean up the kitchen before settling on the couch. My dad takes a Lyft to my sister’s place as he’s eating dinner with Aekta and Adarsh tonight.

7:45 pm – I pump and work for a bit while Vishnu does some radiology stuff and tries to teach me about prenatal ultrasounds along the way. 🙂

9:30 pm – I can barely keep my eyes open, so I get up before I fall asleep on the couch and get ready for bed.

9:45 pm – My head hits the pillow and I’M OUT!

Annnnd…that’s a wrap on my random Wednesday. Here’s to an equally normal but fun Thursday! 🙂

Day in the Life at 3.5 Months

written by Parita 2 Comments

While my days have fallen into a somewhat predictable routine, I can honestly say every day feels slightly different. For example, this post was due to go up yesterday, and it would’ve been all about our Tuesday. However, I was EXHAUSTED on Tuesday. I blame the fact that I got more sleep than usual that night. My mind and body aren’t used to anything more than six hours!

Anyways, even though we pretty much did the same things on Tuesday and Wednesday (the main difference being a visit from my sister on Tuesday), the latter just flowed a lot better. And I was waaaay more energetic!

With that, let’s get started…

5:00 am – Our human baby alarm wakes us up, and he’s hungry! Vishnu offers to feed Kaiden so I can power pump.

6:00 am – Kaiden’s fast asleep again. After I finish pumping, I make Vishnu’s lunch (turkey + cheese sandwich and apple slices). I then make our breakfast protein shakes and chat with Vishnu until it’s time for him to leave for work.

6:45 am – I crawl back into bed as quietly as possible so I don’t wake up King Kaiden. 🙂

7:30 am – I hear some noises coming from the bassinet, so I wake up and soothe K until he falls back asleep. I try to fall back asleep but can’t, so I text with friends and look up random baby related stuff online.

8:00 am – It’s time to pump again. Thanks to my DIY hands-free pumping bra, I’m able to continue texting and then eventually call my mom.

8:45 am – K is up again, so I feed and change him.

9:15 am – Kaiden’s in a playful mood, so I put him down in his Pack n’ Play and do some laundry (oh so much laundry these days!).

10:20 am – K goes down for nap #1 of the day. I take this time to eat breakfast #2 (two slices of toast + PB). I swear breastfeeding/pumping hunger > pregnancy hunger! Surprisingly, I have time to fold and put away laundry.

11:15 am – Kaiden is up from his nap! We play for a bit until he’s ready to eat again.

11:50 am – Time to eat. Also, time for another much needed diaper change.

12:15 pm – Time to pump again. This session is a bit tricky because Kaiden’s still up. I manage to entertain him well enough to the point where I can finish pumping without stopping. Phew!

1:00 pm – Time for nap #2! During this nap, I manage to squeeze in a 40 minute Barre3 Online workout. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Barre3 and plan to share in an upcoming post more about why I think it’s the perfect workout for new mamas (and anyone really!).

1:50 pm – Kaiden’s up and a little cranky. Nothing a little song, dance, and farting noises can’t fix! I somehow manage to fit in my own lunch at this time (a super delicious Tex Mex type salad).

2:45 pm – I feed Kaiden, which automatically puts him in a better mood. We then read books, sing songs, and play peek-a-boo until Kaiden’s sleepy eyes appear again.

3:45 pm – My king goes back down for his 3rd and final nap of the day.

3:50 pm – I’m hungry again, so I snack on some grapes.

4:00 pm – Time to pump again…

4:30 pm – I figure I have 15-20 minutes before K is up from his nap, so I do more laundry, spot clean, and send an email.

4:50 pm – Sure enough, Kaiden is up from his nap and ready to party!

5:20 pm – Vishnu’s home!! He immediately washes his hands and scoops Kaiden up. The two of them play while I finish up some random tasks around the house.

6:00 pm – I feed Kaiden while Vishnu eats dinner (leftover Instant Pot butter chicken and rice).

6:15 pm – Vishnu and I switch roles so I can eat dinner (the ultimate bowl of banana oatmeal (minus the egg) topped with unsweetened coconut flakes, walnuts, chia seeds, chocolate chips, and PB…my fav!). V changes K’s diaper and cleans him up before putting him down to sleep.

6:30 pm – Vishnu and I relax on the couch and catch-up a little.

6:45 pm – We tag team a few tasks (me – dishes, Vishnu – putting on the duvet cover).

7:10 pm – Time to pump again…

7:45 pm – I go back to the kitchen to wash all of K’s bottles and my pump parts.

8:05 pm – Time for mama to shower. I take an extra long one because…well, I deserved it!

8:45 pm – I sit down to write this post.

9:30 pm – I crash on the couch and close my eyes. The exhaustion that was missing at the beginning of the day is now hitting me!

10:00 pm – It’s time for my final pumping session. THANK GOODNESS!

10:45 pm – I’m in bed fast asleep!

And that is a very detailed look at our day at 3.5 months. Our little baby is growing up!

Another reason for the detailed post is that I go back to work in 2 weeks and 6 days (who’s counting?!). I don’t think I’ll share another post like this before then, so it was even more important to capture all the tiny things. As you all know, I love to go back and read old posts…especially my day in the life ones…and even more so, the ones about/with Kaiden!

With that, have a GREAT Thursday!

Day in the Life with an 8 Week Old

written by Parita 4 Comments

I love ‘day in the life’ posts. For selfish reasons mostly. I like to reread them months/years later because they provide a glimpse into what life was like during a particular point in time. It’s interesting to see how my days have evolved over the years.

As you will see with this post, life is certainly different now!

I should start by sharing that my mom flew back to Atlanta this past weekend. She stayed with us for over 7 weeks, and I’m so grateful for everything she did for us and Kaiden. I don’t know what we would’ve done without her help. More than anything, it was so nice to watch her create a special bond with Kaiden!

As sad as I was to see her go, Vishnu and I both felt ready to be ‘on our own.’ We’re excited to start life as a family of three. My mom shared that she feels we’re more than ready as well which ultimately made me feel really good!

* * * * *

With that being said, here’s a glimpse into what a day in the life looks like with 8 week old Kaiden…

The day officially starts at 3 am. Kaiden’s up and hungry, and I need to pump. Vishnu gets up with me and feeds Kaiden. While a 3 am wake up call is a little rough, it is nice to be up together. Whenever this is the case, Vishnu and I find ourselves having some great conversations.

We all eventually go back to sleep. I wake up…errr…am woken up at 5:45 by Mr. K. He’s hungry again and a little fussy, so this feed is a bit rough. Eventually, Kaiden takes a little cat nap in the living room while I help Vishnu with his breakfast. Before we know it, he’s up and hungry again. Feeding him would mean pushing my next pumping session back. Vishnu decides to skip a morning lecture (they don’t take attendance!) and help feed K so I can pump and eat breakfast. Dad (and husband) of the year over here!

Once Vishnu leaves, Kaiden and I play for a little bit. He’s really into just listening to us talk these days, so I make up stories and sing to him. A crowd favorite right now is ‘The Wheels on the Bus.’ Once he starts to look a little drowsy, I try putting him down for a nap, but he’s not having it. What he does like, however, is sleeping in mama’s arms. Hey, I’ll take it! We snuggle on the couch until he’s up again.

We go through the sequence a few more times…play, feed, diaper change, [cat] nap, repeat…until Vishnu comes home. While Kaiden naps, I try to get things done around the house – pump, dishes, laundry, make phone calls (and not the fun kind), work out, eat lunch, etc.

When he comes home, Vishnu suggests we go on a family walk, so the three of us gear up and head out the door for about 45 minutes. Feels good to get some fresh air!

We’re all starving upon arriving home, so I heat up some of my mom’s pav bhaji (thick vegetable curry with bread) while Vishnu feeds Kaiden. We eat in shifts because the little guy wants our attention. Again, I won’t say no to that!

Once Kaiden finally goes down (took two separate tries), I go back to the kitchen to make some dessert – Chocolate Covered Katie‘s One Minute Mug Cake. It’s our go to healthyish dessert!

I finish up this post, go through one last pumping session for the day, and call it a night. Well, more like ‘call it a few hours.’ 🙂

And that, in a nutshell, is how most of our days look these days. I can’t wait to look back on this post in a few months and note all the changes. Because in the world of babies, things change by the day!

Day in the Life – 22 weeks pregnant

written by Parita 10 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve done a ‘day in the life’ type of post. Nothing about yesterday was super special, but I personally love rereading these posts. Given that this one documents life at 22 weeks pregnant, I thought I’d appreciate it that much more months/years from now!

So here goes…

It’s Thursday morning at 5:15 am. I’m up and out of bed. It’s cardio day, so I get ready and head downstairs for some quality time with this guy…

While breaking a sweat, I listen to a Foodist podcast. Forty minutes later, I head back upstairs. It felt so good to move!

Before making our breakfast shakes, I wash my face and apply my Herbivore Blue Tansy mask.

Then it’s breakfast time! I make our shake and guzzle down two glasses. Nothing tastes better in the morning!

After showing and getting ready, I start my work [from home] day (7:30ish). Emails, meetings, and presentations take up all of my time until about 11:00 when my stomach starts grumbling again. I reheat leftovers from the night before (Brittany’s Vegetable Lentil Soup) and continue working. This soup is simple yet delicious…and very filling!

Work, work, work, work, work continues until about 1:15, which is when I head out to my prenatal doctor’s appointment. Instead of taking the bus, I decide to walk since the office is only 0.9 miles away. Even though it’s cold out, I love breathing in the crisp air!

My appointment goes well…my doctor says I’m an A+ patient! Before heading home, I stop by the pediatrician’s office that’s located two floors up. My coworker Erin recommended it, so I scheduled a prenatal visit. The doctor I meet with is so nice (and smart!), and the office is clean and very kid-friendly. So great to check another thing off my list!

Not feeling a bus ride home, I decide to walk back. Vishnu’s home when I get back, so I give him a kiss and make myself a snack. Yogurt and a little PB for the win!

Back to work I go until about 5;30. After wrapping up a few things, I go through some paperwork related to the pregnancy. I also decide to register at the hospital online and sign up for a few prenatal classes. Tick, tick!

By this time, Vishnu’s standing in front of the pantry looking for a snack. I ask him what he thinks about pancakes for dinner, and his face lights up. I find a easy, quick, and delicious sounding recipe from the Minimalist Baker. You guys! This is a must try recipe. I don’t go down the vegan route (used an actual egg in place of the flax egg) but they’re still perfect…like big, warm, fluffy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!

Then it’s time for The Big Bang Theory. This week’s episode has both of us LOLing! Gotta love Sheldon and his quirks!

We clean up in the kitchen, make the guest room bed with freshly washed sheets (Roshni and Samir are visiting this weekend!), and chat for a while about random life stuff.

Around 9:00, I get ready for bed and settle in with my latest book – The Awakened Family by Dr. Shefali Tsbary. I’m not that far into it so I can’t comment in detail, but I will say that I love the intersection of psychology and parenthood. It’s so fascinating!

It’s about 9:45 and my eyes start to feel heavy, so I put the book down, turn off the lights, and go to sleep (not going to lie, it’s my favorite part of the day!). Vishnu’s in the living room playing a video game (boys!), but he’ll be in bed soon.

And with that, thanks for indulging me and reading about my day. Like I said, not super interesting, but hey, not every day can be!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Your turn – What’s a typical day for you look like? Do you have any particular morning and/or bedtime rituals?

Day in the Life – 3.5 weeks

Day in the Life – July 14, 2020

Day in the Life – February 19, 2020

Day in the Life – A Random Wednesday

Day in the Life at 3.5 Months

Day in the Life with an 8 Week Old

Day in the Life – 22 weeks pregnant

categories

Archives

Top Posts!

Follow me on Instagram!