A Week of Money: Where life just gets busy

DAY ONE

6:32 a.m. — Little Bun gets up and I get up, get his milk, and go to get ready. WHOA. It’s already super late, so I skip the green tea latte. (I’m so glad I started taking those Advil night pills. I am finally sleeping well now through my cold.)

6:59 a.m. — Little Bun squeals to stay at home but I bribe him towards school with some Scooby Doo pack they gave out for Halloween and I have been saving aside to use JUST FOR THIS PURPOSE to lure him to school. That sounds bad. But it’s true. It’s a bribe.

7:28 a.m. — At work.. I start working. I sort of get into a heated discussion with my team lead. I KNOW I am right, but it is very frustrating when someone older who knows less than you do, tries to tell you that you aren’t doing it the right way. Srsly? Frustrating.

10:18 a.m. — Vindicated from a meeting to discuss the very heated issue from above, my team lead is little put out that he “lost” and I was right all along, proven by a VP in the meeting. THANK GOODNESS. I could have hugged him in the board room when he basically said: “Actually we don’t want that any more, we don’t think it’s a good idea.” My team lead is good most of the time but blustered in trying to save face because he really, REALLY fought for another analysis and result. I WIN.

10:32 a.m. — LATE for my second meeting, with a Director. I apologize, out of breath but I ran from another part of the building to get to this meeting. I go through the meeting, make notes, and then get to my desk to pound out all the info they need.

12:08 p.m. — Lunch time. It’s a farewell, and I have to go. I get a pasta dish of the day and an appetizer. I also eat 5 rolls of bread because I’m hungry. $54.58

1:28 p.m. — Back at work, I just .. WORK. I don’t even stop and look up until.. it’s.. time to go. I can’t even believe it. Time really FLEW.

4:15 p.m. — “It’s already 4!?“, I exclaim. I was going to grab a tea and keep working but forget it. I’m leaving. My colleague looks wearily at me: “We aren’t saving lives here. Just some numbers. Go home.”

4:45 p.m. — At home (what no traffic?) after grabbing Little Bun, I set him up with some French videos (he seems to be picking up a lot of words now), and I log in to try and get my other things done. I’m getting tired. I feel like everyone wants everything for the end of the month because it’s the end of the year.

5:35 p.m. — I unsubscribe from more email lists. No more. I need to save money.

6:37 p.m. — I do the dishes and then just end up reading to Little Bun all night while chatting with my partner in between. Little Bun HATES it when we talk and we’re trying to break him of that habit.

8:07 p.m. — Bedtime for all. He falls asleep readily as we continue chatting into the night, he seems to have skipped his nap today.

Spent: $54.58

DAY TWO

7:00 a.m. — I wake up and Little Bun squeals about not going to school. Ugh. WHOA IT IS LATE. I slap on makeup, an outfit and quickly dress Little Bun amidst protests and hustle him out the door.

7:40 a.m. — I get him to preschool and he doesn’t cry as he sits down for some reason… I don’t care. Got lots to do. Don’t know why people wait until end of the year to want to get stuff done but I’m scrambling.

7:44 a.m. — I make it to work and don’t stop until yoga time.

Morning Count:

• 3 teas
• 2 bathroom breaks
• 1 piece of fudge
• 2 meeting
• 8 emails
• 5 panic attacks

12:30 p.m. — At yoga I stretch it out.

1:25 p.m. — After yoga, I head back to the office and gorge on chocolate. Terrible. “Hate the holidays” I say, as I stuff my face.

2:00 p.m. — I take a break and do Starbucks Plays. I never expect to win, that stuff seems really impossible and rigged, but it’s fun anyway to pretend.

3:27 p.m. — I continue working and it is hard when people keep checking documents out from like 2015 and don’t check them back in so you can’t add info!!!!! Grr. I have to email all of these people to beg them to check it back in. So annoying. If you check it out and don’t finish the document, then CHECK IT BACK IN.

4:15 p.m. — I want to stay and keep working but can’t. I need to pick up Little Bun, am tired, have 9 documents completed in record time, and have 3 more projects about to start that I have to spearhead. I’m sort of glad everyone is leaving on vacation for the holidays. GO AWAY. LET ME GET SOME WORK DONE.

5:17 p.m. — At home (whaaat no traffic? people must be away on holiday), I unpack our bags, pick up my orders from Sephora and unpack it all. I could have sworn I ordered the huge bottles of cleanser but I probably made a mistake in rushing.

5:35 p.m. — My partner comes home and says he has to work tonight. He gets undressed and logs in immediately. It is unusual for him to work so much but it is year end so he is getting swamped.

6:17 p.m. — I feed Little Bun his soup and after eating a WHOLE BOWL, he asks me to “make noo-noos” (noodles) because he loves them so.

6:45 p.m. — Instead, I warm up one of my prepared lunches for dinner because I had that farewell lunch and have a spare lunch to eat, and my partner takes a break from working to pulls out a small loaf of red pepper bread he bought and Little Bun’s face lights up. My partner continues working as Little Bun basically keeps revisiting the bread board on his tippy toes, with his little fingers reaching for the next piece, and finishes about 3/4 of the loaf under his nose….THEN ASKS FOR MOAAAAH BREAD!!! This child.

7:02 p.m. — We have been waking up late in the morning so I haven’t had my green tea lattes in a while and I miss them. I make a cup of spearmint tea. My skin is slowly improving but I have a huge patch of eczema on my chin and cheek and under my eyes I have red patches. I need to just take it easy on my skin, no retinols and let it heal.

7:42 p.m. — Little Bun plays quietly and happily by himself for half an hour making up games with his trains and using the blankets as a mountain or a tunnel. I’m very pleased he has started to show imagination in this regard because I find it quite important that he builds this creative side that seems to be missing in so many kids today. It is partly why we don’t have many toys for him — so that he uses a tissue box and uses it like a car and goes vrrooom vrrooom up and down the blanket mountain.

8:00 p.m. — He is having so much fun that he fights bedtime and I end up having to be super patient and congratulate myself silently for not losing it. I get him dressed by pretending it is a game and then tick off The Bedtime Routine (he likes numbers):

1. Put on pyjamas
2. Read a book (OR FIVE… O_o)
3. Slide on the bed
4. Mommy explains the outside
5. Bedtime

I tick off each of these things, he follows along and then agrees to be dressed in pajamas for bedtime without a fuss. My partner logs off finally for the night.

8:24 p.m. — Bedtime!!! My partner and I keep talking however as we have a lot going on and next week my friend is coming up to visit and I cannot wait.

Spent: $0

DAY THREE

5:15 a.m. — I wake up super early unable to go back to sleep. I finally decide to check the time and it is 5:15 so I get up and quietly make myself a tea. Maybe I’ll read my book.

5:20 a.m. — Without any lights on, I do everything as not to disturb Little Bun or my partner (who is already awake like me but doesn’t want to get out of bed and is half dozing). The best thing about not having a ton of stuff, toys, or furniture is that it is SUPER easy to find your way around without worrying about something small, hard & plastic being embedded into your foot or stubborn your toes on something (I’m super clumsy).

5:51 a.m. — I end up logging in to get some blog administrative stuff done. Gen Y Money (fellow Canadian, holla!) asked me in the comments the other day how long I spent on blogging and even with my full time job and life, I spend at least 20 hours on top of that in a week. It doesn’t seem like I do but when I add up what I do every day:

• Make constant running notes for my Week of Money posts
• Think of post ideas and actually write them
• Reply to Ask Sherry Anything!
• Take photos for Instagram @saverspender then remember to even POST THE DANG THINGS

…. it adds up even if I am not doing as much as I did when I was off with Little Bun. When I was off, I think I put in more like 60 hours a week.

6:07 a.m. — I play Starbucks for Life and win 5 stars!

6:20 a.m. — I get ready and leave at the same time with my partner, grabbing lunches and things.

7:00 a.m. — We all head down together and my partner kisses Little Bun goodbye in the back seat.

7:10 a.m. — I get to preschool early and pretend it is Scooby Doo day which Little Bun now is excited about (I will say ANYTHING), so I leave him with Cheerios and no tears.

8:10 a.m. — Someone tells me three people are leaving (OMFG). Work is about to get real. I start working and jump on an urgent issue from a VP then send out instructions for everybody on what to do. There’s no point in pretending I’m not in charge.

9:16 a.m. — I don’t know what happened to my hair today but I’m totally channeling Diana Ross. It is all wavy, curly and out of control. I just leave it to do its thing. I showered last night and slept and my hair does what it wants during the night.

10:10 a.m. — I buy some school pictures (his first!) of Little Bun at preschool. $28.74

10:15 a.m. — Apparently Little Bun was a rockstar for the photographer, and sat nicely, very still, smiled sweetly and was a dream to work with. I pre-coached him before Picture Day, which may have helped, and I also take a LOT of photos of and with him at any time. You know, for the kids who hate photos, I wonder if it is something their parents (90% mothers) pass on somehow because I’ve noticed a trend in the kids who hate photos, that their mothers hate them too. I always hear the mother say: NO PHOTOS OF ME! Please, I’m not looking my best, bla bla bla. and maybe the kids pick up on photos not being a good thing if you don’t look like a model or whatever. This is why I am consciously always up for a photo with Little Bun or anyone for that matter, no matter what I feel like, how I look and what it turns out being. One day, I could look back and think I was insane for refusing a photo. I don’t want to pass on any insecurities to him (not that I have any either..)

11:36 a.m. — I head off to yoga after my back to back, insufferably long meetings, and then come back early for ANOTHER meeting. Why am I so busy these days?

2:40 p.m. — It surprisingly is easier than I expected so I deliver the tentative good news to a Director and then continue working on the next assignment.

3:16 a.m. — A couple of meetings have been cancelled (YES) and in the cafeteria I agree to go to eat pho on Friday with the boys. Two of them are leaving quite soon so let’s do something fun together. I have another lunch tomorrow with another group of guys.

4:15 p.m. — I grab Little Bun after tearing myself away from a spreadsheet. I REALLY want to finish it but I don’t want to hit traffic.

4:40 p.m. — Whaaaat!? NO TRAFFIC. YES. YES TO ALL THE PEOPLE ON VACATION. STAY AWAY.

5:39 p.m. — My partner is home early, he must have left work early to work from home in peace and quiet, and hasn’t stopped since. I feed Little Bun his dinner of vegan soup and pasta. He eats it while “doing math” as he calls it. He loves playing on the iPad adding and counting things, subtraction is still a bit fuzzy as a concept for him, but addition is slowly coming together in his brain. (He totally hassles me for this, I don’t push him!)

5:44 p.m. — He leaves to pick up dinner (presumably) and I quickly try to get all my things done, namely finish drying the load of laundry from yesterday, putting away the dishes, blogging a little, and then going through my notes of what I have to get done today for the office tomorrow.

6:00 p.m. — My partner comes home with food, and I quickly get Little Bun situated to eat.

6:20 p.m. — He ends up burning the chicken because he is going back and forth, taking calls, trying to fix the situation. We’re talking RED ALERT, CODE RED, about to lose a million bucks kind of deal.

6:50 p.m. — We half eat with him and he is just irritated and very stressed so I try to contain Little Bun in the room by giving him a the Crocodile Puzzle Truck Toy/Puzzle I bought. I manage to hop on a call with a friend and talk through her work SNAFU that happened today. She’s still shaking from it.

7:45 p.m. — I let my friend go after I’m satisfied she’s fine, and calm and I get Little Bun ready for bed while she settles in for Netflix.

8:22 p.m. — I read to Little Bun, play with him then tell him it’s time for bed. He comes to me readily after I tell him The Routine and tick off my fingers.. “First, we put on our pajamas…” He loves lists and routines and is very excitedly naming out: “AND NUMBER 27 IS LITTLE BUN SITS ON MOMMY!”

Spent: $28.74

DAY FOUR

 

6:30 a.m. — Up “late” again. I skip the tea and just start getting dressed and ready. Feel super tired.

7:12 a.m. — My partner and I keep talking up until it’s time to leave, we’re both in such a good place mentally, emotionally, relationship-wise, career-wise.. it’s all really meshing.

7:38 a.m. — At pre-school Little Bun clings to my leg and wails. *sigh* WHY.

7:48 a.m. — At the office, I commence work. People just.. swamp me. Like literally a phone call every 30 minutes. I had to ignore some calls, impromptu meetings.. and back to back meetings and issues until I have to force myself away to go get a burger with the boys.

12:08 p.m. — TIME FOR A BURGER.

 

1:12 p.m. — I get back from lunch, refreshed. It was non-stop chatting with the guys and we got to know each other better which is always nice.

1:44 p.m. — I start working and then look at the clock with a start. WHOA. TIME FOR A MEETING. I quickly rush to it.

2:00 p.m. — EFF ME. 2 hours. TWO HOURS. I have so much to get done you have no idea. I’ve been stuck in meetings all day, I have a list of 27 things I need to finish before the end of the week. People, stuff is going to get missed if you don’t effin’ leave me alone. I think I need to book a room tomorrow alone to just work in peace.

4:15 p.m. — Out of my meeting. Finally. I want to keep working… but decide to leave. I can’t do this. I’m too tired, my brain is fatigued, I’m tired, I missed yoga.. no. And tomorrow I have to skip yoga again, someone else is leaving, so it’s his farewell lunch.

4:47 p.m. — At home, I get undressed and just try to get through all my personal items. I’m starting to get hungry.

6:00 p.m. — My partner is still not home. He must be working late. He worked until 10-ish last night, it was insane.

6:10 p.m. — Interesting. My Love Language is Acts of Service. When you do stuff, you love me. Quiz here.

8:37 p.m. —

Spent: $

DAY FIVE

??:?? — “EHHHHHHHHH!!!” my partner rolls him over and back.

??:?? — “Maaa maaaa!!!” I untangle him and pat him back to sleep.

6:20 a.m. — I wake up from Little Bun smooshing his bum in my face. He is happy today that he gets to stay at home. After a bathroom run, I get him his milk. I fondly remember when he used to say “Mik! MIK MIK!” for “milk“…. I start getting ready, grab my things, and realize that today I have a lunch so I won’t be going to yoga AND I will not need to bring my lunch. I’ll eat it tomorrow.

6:49 a.m. — I’m about to leave, and Little Bun who has been so happy about staying at home all day with Daddy, comes up to say goodbye to me… then comes back again, and his face starts to crumple. He clings to my leg like a koala bear. “Mommy“, he says softly… I try to give him a kiss and hug good bye again, and he softly pleads.. “Mommyyy…“… I call out to my partner “Daddy… come here please“, he clings even harder to my thigh. My partner asks him if he wants to stay at home or go with Mommy to school, and he is torn. He wants Mommy but AT HOME. My partner firmly tears him off my thigh and picks him up saying softly: “Come here my baby..” I leave and I can hear Little Bun squealing a little but not red-faced or crying.

7:28 a.m. — At work, everything just HITS THE FAN. I have NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED but .. man… I’m run ragged until the VERY LAST MINUTE when I am about to leave for this Farewell Lunch I cannot miss.

12:08 p.m. — I tear myself away. Mate Poacher has been invited to the lunch, and seems to have quieted down. We chat a little but he just seems.. sad. I think he sort of wishes he had a family and all that, but he is really not mature enough for one. It is one thing to want a family and a girlfriend, it is another completely to really commit to someone forever and not be a Frat Boy any more. You can’t have both. $26.45

1:12 p.m. — After lunch I’m back, and working nonstop (well I stopped for some candy and a bathroom break), until it is time to go.

4:15 p.m. — Everyone seems looser and more relaxed during December.. they’re all sort of just breathing a sigh of relief for the year end, even though we’re all working way harder than before during the year, I think we’re all sort of coming together. I leave and decide to go straight home. I’m tired. No library break for me.

5:03 p.m. — OOOOOOH!! LITTLE BUN IS OUT WITH HIS FATHER. OMG OMG OMG OMG. A parental fantasy is coming true. I GET THE PLACE TO MYSELF. I rush inside happily, rip off my clothes, change into loungewear and start trying to get stuff done online.

5:35 p.m. — Little Bun squeals in the hallway and my break is over. *sob*

6:30 p.m. — We eat a dinner and my partner logs in to work some more. For real? He says he has to work all weekend too. ARGh.

7:03 p.m. — I do the dishes.

7:45 p.m. — I spend the next half an hour reading to Little Bun, playing hide and seek and cuddling with him.

8:05 p.m. — I try to get Little Bun ready to sleep but he fights me until I count off my fingers all the things he has to get done, leading up to bedtime. I read a book to him, I get him changed “like a baby” (he lies down and pretends he is getting his diaper changed), and then we read another book, and I explain the outside.

Spent: $26.45 – I have ANOTHER lunch next week. Iz getting expensive.

DAY SIX

??:?? — Potty run. Then he asks for milk. Must be around 3 a.m.

??:?? — I’m exhausted. I hope he doesn’t want to wake up.

6:00 a.m. — Nope, no luck. Potty run and he wants to stay awake but doesn’t ask for milk at least. He seems to be in a great mood.

6:30 a.m. — I start laundry, I organize my day on my To Do app and decide to spend the morning scanning the rest of my papers after my partner wakes up.

6:32 a.m. — I hear my partner get up. He has a lot to get done today apparently. So do I. I need to grab all this stuff and then prep for my friend coming next week to stay.

6:45 a.m. — I make a cup of tea and hot chocolate, and then start scanning papers.

8:42 a.m. — I finally finish all the papers, things look to be in order!

10:12 a.m. — I feed Little Bun his soup.

12:08 p.m. — My partner is home and we eat some cheese and bread. He cut some boards / wood for the home but the guy made a mistake (one sixteenth of an inch) so he has to go back and get it recut.

12:28 p.m. — I get ready to go as my partner leaves. I THOUGHT I heard him say: I’ll just bring the wood down before you go out., so I’m getting ready, little bit of makeup, sunscreen, getting dressed and about to LEAVE. LIKE NOW.

12:46 p.m. — WHERE IS HE. WTF? He said he was just going to bring some wood downstairs. WHERE IS HE.

12:56 p.m. — I go with Little Bun to check and sure enough, the car is gone. He MISCOMMUNICATED by “I’m just bringing the wood down” to actually mean “I am bringing the wood back to Home Depot to get it recut before you leave”. ARRRRRGH. This is partly a Francophone / My Partner Communication problem. He isn’t clear about what is happening sometimes and not very detailed (he’s not super talkative, if that gives you a hint), so it’s like he expects me to read his gatdamn mind sometimes, and he isn’t SPECIFIC about the DETAILS of THINGS that are happening. He needs to communicate with SPECIFICS MORE. I’m fuming right now.

1:00 p.m. — I try to calm down but Little Bun is so excited Mommy is at home that he goes to sleep happily after I change back into lounge pants (bought them in the Zara’s boys department by the way for $15 versus $50 for women’s pairs), remove some accessories and get settled in while I wait for my partner to come home.

1:03 p.m. — I wrap myself in my favourite cashmere travel wrap and settle in for some catching up on TV shows and blogging.

1:12 p.m. — I get Little Bun down for a nap, then sigh, log in and research kid’s headphones and end up splurging on a pair called Puro Puro Sound Labs BT2200 Premium Kids Headphones, Volume Limiting Bluetooth Wireless Headphones for Children, Girls and Boys that received MAJORLY high marks from all the kid testers & adults alike. It is pricey at $130 but he can use them on trips, with the iPad at home and until he is 11 or older (or even smaller adults can use them too). I use up a gift card on it that I have had lying around and am pleased I saved about $10 on this. $140.41

I’m happy that they’re wireless because cords might strangle him or get him to trip or whatever, and they look comfortable and cool for as he gets older. It’ll be perfect for the iPad usage to he can listen to music and so on while at home with Daddy and we can fold it down to travel with it. You can also control the sound so it doesn’t blast out their eardrums.

1:44 p.m. — My partner is home and I’m calm now. I misunderstood him for sure, he would never do anything like that intentionally … plus it was for fixing the apartment. Or at least making it prettier.

2:15 p.m. — I head to the Salon des Métiers and end up collecting 8 business cards of artisans (OMG so pretty!) but I don’t buy anything because I’m trying to exercise restraint. I take a lot of cards to look at the jewellery later.

2:45 p.m. — I walk up to return the foundation at Shoppers (bought it with the 20X points promo). -$98.96

3:25 p.m. — I then head to Holt Renfrew to pick up my fixed coat. It is prepaid and it looks great!!!

3:50 p.m. — Then I get sidetracked. Like really sidetracked… and end up buying a Burberry collared black wool poncho (SO GORGEOUS) with a buckle clasp. Oops.  I have until January to decide so I bought it because it was the last one in stock rather than to wait and possibly regret my decision. $1650.59

4:30 p.m. — I head out of there before I do any more damage. There was a gorgeous trench on sale but I’m being …. whatever right now. Trying not to spend any MORE $$$$$.

4:52 p.m. — I go and walk all the way to the most reliable ramen place I know. $13.50

5:35 p.m. — At home. I feed Little Bun his dinner after making him some noodles to eat, and then we read books and play the rest of the night.

6:09 p.m. — My partner eyes my Burberry bags. “WHOA. What happened!?” I sheepishly told him there was a sale. He gives me a knowing look and says: “This is why I don’t go into stores…” 😛

8:07 p.m. — I wrangle this child into pajamas and we all head to bed.

Saved: $98.96

Spent: $1804.50

DAY SEVEN

??:?? — Little Bun wants to go to the potty.

??:?? — Little Bun wants to go to the potty.  Again.

7:12 a.m. — I am exhausted. Interrupted sleep is NOT SLEEP. I grab his milk and pass out beside him.

7:19 a.m. — I get up and start making two cups of tea after he says: Mommy pease get up.

7:20 a.m. — I manage to get Little Bun interested in some cards as I try to organize things on my desktop and I promise him headphones. I have hidden the iPad because the music and the apps have gotten on my partner’s nerves and he is about to junk the whole thing into the garbage. 🙁 I need those child-friendly headphones first before I give him back this iPad.

8:18 a.m. — I get Little Bun ready and we head out to run errands.

9:48 a.m. — Quick Starbucks run. A drink and a sandwich to share. $10.19

9:52 a.m. — We sit and eat the sandwich together and I drink my drink as we wait for the stores to open.

10:02 a.m. — We burst in at almost 10 SHARP and I return all the towels. -$185.52

10:22 a.m. — I remember to buy this spatula for my partner. $45.94

12:08 p.m. — I was then held hostage for the next while until it was time to go home for lunch while Little Bun played with ALL THE TOYS in the store. I guess because we don’t have a ton of toys at home, when he finally sees a few toys, he goes nuts. HE LOVES playing and could spend all day there. It’s free, so I’m happy.

12:28 p.m. — On the way home, Little Bun conks out for 15 minutes. He is NOT getting out of the nap tonight.

12:56 p.m. — We eat lunch (yes he still has room in his belly), and then he asks for MORE food. Is he growing again!?

1:12 p.m. — He goes down for his nap and I log in to window shop online but then restrain myself and clear out my shopping baskets.

2:00 p.m. — My partner leaves to run more errands and I’m tired. I want to nap, but also not nap because I won’t sleep well tonight.

2:14 p.m. — Little Bun lets out this heart-wrenching wail and I don’t hear him (headphones are on), but then I do, and I RUN to him. He’s sitting up in bed, sobbing. I think he’s traumatized from yesterday when I had him go down for his nap and then I left him. 🙁 Now he’s feeling like if he goes to sleep or naps, Mommy could not be there when he wakes up. Ugh.

2:22 p.m. — I go back to watching more videos after I successfully get him down and back to sleep. I wonder if I should dress him for winter and take him to play in the snow…

2:37 p.m. — Little Bun wakes up, and cries immediately after running out to check if I am here. He then proceeds to whine and wiggle in my arms for 10 minutes (he won’t let me set him down and when I hold him, he’s wiggling), and I grab his bottle of milk and bring him back to bed to drink it and calm down.

3:00 p.m. — I sort of don’t want to take him out now. I’m tired. I have to do the dishes. My back hurts… We’ll see.

3:11 p.m. — I start doing the dishes, headphones in, I’m totally relaxed, watching videos while Little Bun is watching videos in French and singing along.

3:47 p.m. — My partner wanders in and I immediately have to shut down the computer because he cannot stand music or noise (yes, a very unfortunate trait in a parent of a tiny little child). Little Bun, in the middle of some animals singing, bursts into tears and LOSES IT.

3:49 p.m. — I try my very best to calm him down and say that he CAN watch more later, quietly in another room but only if I can be with him, keep an eye on him and after I’m done wiping these dishes down.

3:55 p.m. — He is NOT buying it, screaming: “MOMMY IS TOO MUCH DONE! MOMMMEEEEE IS DONEEEEE!”

4:27 p.m. — I finally lose it and shut everything down, which makes him burst into huge racking sobs and tears, and now he is screaming: “WANT MOMMY MOMMMMYYYYY“… I go about wiping down all the dishes, half ignoring him, and his whimpers die down. Now he’s just quiet and sad (I HATE THIS), and clinging to the side of my leg, waiting for me to finish. He has to learn some how that sometimes we have to wait and things don’t go the way we have planned.

4:40 p.m. — Finally calm and everything is properly wiped, he helps me put away things, and then we go into the bedroom quietly together with our headphones. OH DEAR GOD I CANNOT WAIT for those headphones to come in. Why did I wait so long!?  My partner potters around the house painting, sanding, and basically working. I have to keep Little Bun out of the way.

4:42 p.m. — He loathes the earbud headphones (they’re too big for his little ears), and wants to just listen freely to music but I won’t let him. So he just watches the video and imagines the music in his head (this is what I am assuming).

5:29 p.m. — Time for dinner. He abandons everything completely in a heartbeat  and runs out the minute his father says: ” Want Pizza?”

5:35 p.m. — Oh YUM. This pepper and leek pizza is amazing.. I wish I had taken a picture of it but Little Bun is a fast little eater and half of it was gone by the time I packed up the laptops and came to join them.

6:52 p.m. — Dinner done, we ended with cheese on bread, and I am thankful of the lack of dishes to do.. it is work for both of us and we eat pretty well during the day, so at night, a light little cheese & bread thing is fine for me, to be honest.

7:00 p.m. — I ask Little Bun if he wants a bath and he eagerly grabs his little rubber toys, and runs to the bathroom in anticipation. He LOVES splashing in the tub now, and “bathing” his animals. I set up the bathroom with our towels out, the cream ready to go, and clean clothes, and then we bathe together.

7:16 p.m. — Bathtime over, bathroom is clean, I do all the dishes, wipe them all dry, put away the dried laundry, and make a cup of lemongrass tea which smells amazing.

7:34 p.m. — Tea steeping, everything is fine in the house now, and I log online to check some emails. Where is my mom? She must be at my sibling’s for the weekend because she hasn’t replied back or picked up the phone.

7:38 p.m. — I am DEFINITELY returning that Burberry poncho because it is really impractical for my life. You can’t sling a bag over your shoulder, and at best, your bag is hanging on the crook of your arm or held by your hands. I’ll save $1600 there.

7:40 p.m. — Instead, I buy that Italian wool bomber jacket from Banana Republic I have been eying for a long time now as it is SUPER well made, so soft and comfortable, and finally on a major sale. I am normally not into such casual items like bomber jackets, but this fabric is luxurious, it is more upscale than an actual baseball jacket and the poet sleeves are really quite unusual which is nice. $100.64

7:41 p.m. — Okay bedtime. I manage to get Little Bun changed and ready for bed, and I give him a choice of 3 books to read, which turns into 7, and now EIGHT. He pulls out 8 books to read with me and we happily read together. It is these moments I cherish. There are just such highs and lows with a child…. This is a high.

8:34 p.m. — It takes us THAT LONG to read 8 books and I finally wrangle him to bed.

Saved: $185.52

Spent: $56.13

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Want more? Read all of my previous Week of Money Diaries.