A Week of Money: Where Thanksgiving Makes Me Grateful

DAY ONE

5:36 a.m. — I wake up early because of Little Bun bouncing on my belly squealing with each bounce: “Mommy (bounce) Potty (bounce) Mommy (bounce) Potty (bounce)”….and my partner gets up too and goes to shower. I remember Little Bun is in underwear not pull ups because he fell asleep early last night before our bedtime routine and I rush him quickly to the bathroom.

5:38 a.m. — After the bathroom and I grab his milk (this baby of mine would never forget he gets a huge bottle of milk), and I lie down beside him, half rested, still fatigued. I slept a lot last night and quite well, but my body craves even more sleep.

6:02 a.m. — I get up and start getting ready after my partner is out of the bathroom. Little Bun starts squealing to stay at home.

6:03 a.m. — I start recounting the story of Chester the Raccoon in The Kissing Hand and it ends with Chester agreeing that preschool is fun. We go through the Kissing Hand process (Daddy on one, Mommy on the other), and I hope that solves it.

6:07 a.m. — Little Bun is so enamoured with now embodying Chester the Raccoon that he starts saying things like: “Then Chester the Racwoon took his schwool bus and got a book! ….” and goes to get a book with his toy school bus to show me, and I run with it and manage to get “Chester” to put on his shirt, pants, socks, shoes and kiss his stuffed animal good bye which he tucks into bed face down for a nap and gives the toy a few pats on the bum saying: “Just a little bit [of patting] and the no more!!” .. which is what I say to him when I don’t want to pat him to sleep for too long.

6:49 a.m. — He gets dressed, I’m dressed, I gulp down my tea, and he waves good bye to his toy and then we set off after “Chester” puts on his coat and “Mommy Raccoon” grabs her lunch and makes a salad because she forgot she is trying to recreate a $20 salad for cheap (he is totally narrating all of this out loud).

7:01 a.m. — Little Bun then bursts out with: “No school! All done school!! No more! No thank you!! *claps desperately*”… to which I start narrating the following: “Well, Chester the Raccoon sat at the edge of the forest and cried and when he said “No, no more school”, his Mommy Raccoon said: “Sometimes we have to suck it up and go to school and listen to our Mommy and Daddy and behave, because school is fun and Chester the Raccoon knew deep inside that he would get treats (cereal), have lots of fun, read books and play and he would no longer complain to his Mommy Raccoon about how school was a No, and he said: “I love school”, and went without any more trouble. THE. END.”

7:11 a.m. — Little Bun, a bit stunned and swept away by my final narrative, goes out the door without a peep. We get into the car and “Chester” gets a blanket while Mommy Raccoon feels like a sherpa, carrying all this crap for two Raccoons. (I’m narrating all of this out loud).

7:25 a.m. — We get to preschool and he starts sobbing again. I distract him by making him choose which banana he wants but he is not having it. The teacher holds him back, and gives him cereal as he sobs with a pink, wet face, watching me leave.

7:28 a.m. — I get into work and literally don’t stop except for a bathroom break, 1 meeting and two teas. When it is time for yoga, I am SO READY.

10:17 a.m. — During a meeting a guy cracks a joke in bad taste about “not being a woman” and a male colleague of mine turns and retorts: “Is there something wrong with being a woman?”. BAM. I want to hug him. It is great when women say things but better when a guy does it to his own compatriot to demonstrate it isn’t acceptable (in a joking manner) to say such things.

10:35 a.m. — I also spy Little Bun outside playing with a tricycle and he is fine now, so I know things went fine. He is just a little sick and wants to play “Baby” and be with Mommy but …. he has to suck it up.

10:43 a.m. — I also make a little secret resolution that I don’t want to reveal just yet … if ever, and am working on this secret internal project. Oh yeah! I add a few things from my closet to the list to sell. I need to get on this. It is already autumn.

11:25 a.m. — I jet off to yoga and get there early.

1:30 p.m. — For some reason the class today doesn’t help me. Maybe I didn’t push hard enough.

1:39 p.m. — I head back, fatigued and HANGRY.

1:42 p.m. — I devour my vegan cassoulet and eat my yummy “gourmet” salad which I accidentally overdressed. I choke it down anyway.

2:15 p.m. — Then I eat a KitKat and decide to stop before I go nuts and finish the box behind me.

4:55 p.m. — I continue working and just as I go to leave, I organize my papers and decide to do it tomorrow.

5:01 p.m. — I leave and pick up Little Bun who is happy to see me (as usual). We head home and I tell him Mommy is tired and has things to do at home, was it okay if we went home directly? He agrees.

5:24 p.m. — We get home, I unpack my bags, toss my sweaty yoga gear into the baskets, and repack a fresh outfit for tomorrow. I then read a little more of my book, while cuddling Little Bun who wants to play “Baby”.

6:39 p.m. — I then do the entire load of dishes, cook 3 eggs to eat (nothing better than a warm half cooked egg with a dab of salt), and grate the Parmesan for my salad tomorrow (I HATE grating cheese), while portioning out the salad to eat for tomorrow in little boxes. I’m measuring the dressing with a spoon tomorrow because I went nuts today on it and I hate overdressed salad.

7:13 p.m. — I make a cup of spearmint tea, do my skincare routine and then water the basil plants, wipe down the floor corners, wash the garbage can with soap and hot water before drying it and putting a bag in.

8:02 p.m. — I don’t finish until 8, all the while having Little Bun hassle me for various things — reading, playing “Baby”, doing math on the iPad, wanting to be fed a full meal, spelling every word he wants spelled (e.g. Plate, Bowl, Daddy), and the potty.

8:30 p.m. — BED.TIME. And it is after we talk about the outside that he goes to sleep.

Saved: $0

Spent: $0

DAY TWO

??:?? — I wake up three times due to Little Bun squealing: “No! This is no!! Not working” and thrashing like a tied up piglet because his covers got jumbled up and need to be refluffed out and covering him properly, thankyouverymuch.

??:?? — I then wake up again for a potty run.

??:?? — Then a milk run.

6:20 a.m. — Then back to sleep he goes for another half an hour but it is already time for me to wake up and get ready.

6:21 a.m. — I start a load of laundry, and go through my skincare routine. My eyelashes look AMAZING. I’m going into maintenance mode now, no need to have them longer. They look like normal eyelashes now but just a bit longer.

6:30 a.m. — I get ready, and give Little Bun the mini iPad he craves to keep him quiet and out of the way while I put away all the dishes, make tea, and get my lunch packed.

6:45 a.m. — I’m finally ready and I coax my little bear out of his house with the iPad and he squeals: “No school!”…. sigh. I use poor Chester the Raccoon in vain again this time ending with: “And Chester the Raccoon never ever asked to stay at home again when it is time to go to school and never have his poor Mommy Raccoon trouble ever again for the rest of his life.” (Wishful thinking on my part).

6:49 a.m. — I get him dressed (again, Chester wanted to be dressed), and then we are out the door.

7:05 a.m. — In the car seat he says again: “No more school Mommy”… to which I say: “Chester loves school and never wants to stay at home!!”, and he screws up his face trying to see a hole in my logic while being The Raccoon Chester.

7:28 a.m. — We get into preschool and he snags some bagel pieces (?? Kid loves plain whole wheat bagels), and he sits down without sobbing and eats if after a kiss bye bye.

7:38 a.m. — I get into work and end up having to switch to another seat completely for construction work issues. I have to pack everything up like a sherpa and make several trips before settling down.

8:25 a.m. — In my new spot, people come over to say hi, and the project manager of the area quizzes me on whether I’m an independent, a consultant with a company, or an employee. I wonder what they derive from knowing my permanence — how to treat me perhaps? Wish I knew.

8:55 a.m. — I start working and prefer this space, there is more space, more light and less noise.

9:11 a.m. — I head out for a short walk to mail a parcel and buy some mascara (Essence Princess False Effect mascara to be exact), as I heard a lot of hoopla about it. $22.79

9:32 a.m. — Back at my desk another issue, but I am waiting on people. I feel like a Starbucks but it is too close to yoga time so not a good idea.

10:05 a.m. — I crack open some of my kryptonite (Tomato Pretz), and finish a pack. I need moahhh!!!

10:35 a.m. — I get an email from Davids Tea giving me 40% off one tea so I order 650g of a tea to top up my existing reward points of 33 to make it 100 points (104 to be exact) to be able to get 50g of free tea and not waste those points as they won’t rollover to 2018. I also redeem my two rewards for 100g of Matcha green tea which normally costs $17 per 50g. $70.05

11:35 a.m. — I head off to yoga early after my manager pops by to tell me to “come back home”, as they rushed the construction to make sure I could get back to my seat and work. LOL. I joke that they could use my name next time to get stuff done quicker.

1:05 p.m. — At yoga I stretch it out. I’ll move my stuff back after I’m done my lunch — vegan cassoulet and my gourmet salad with Parmesan, avocado, greens and sesame dressing.

1:25 p.m. — I walk back from yoga and feeling my size 6 shoes finally stretch (I am a 7 and normally take a 6.5 but took a 6 hoping to stretch it out) and it is working!!! Finally! I feel like they are a 6.5 now.

1:44 p.m. — At the office I eat my yummy lunch and move everything back to where it was. I clean up my space and end up feeling a bit dizzy from all the exertion.

4:25 p.m. — I leave from work and read Chickens in the Road, to relax while Little Bun plays happily outside (although he always has an eye out for me).

5:28 p.m. — We get home, I start laundry, take my makeup off and go through my notes from the day, and log all my purchases into my budgeting tool.

5:44 p.m. — I buy 3 more tops from Lululemon (didn’t realize I was short and THAT is why I’m doing so much laundry). $220.75 — but I plan on returning another one I bought in green

6:33 p.m. — I clean up my notes and then Little Bun watches himself in videos take selfies while I take a shower. I’m really too tired to remember if I did or not, so better safe than sorry.

8:38 p.m. — We get ready to go to bed and go to sleep.

Saved: $0

Spent: $313.59

DAY THREE

5:02 a.m. — Little Bun wakes me up before dawn as usual. He is grumpy and doesn’t want to have lights on ANYWHERE but I can’t see without light so I tell him to suck it up.

5:22 a.m. — I make tea, dry any wet dishes that didn’t dry overnight and put it all away. I start prepping my salad for my lunch today, and I get ready to go to work.

5:49 a.m. — Little Bun wants me to stay at home. I tell him “No, but nice try”, and then he tries to ask to stay at home with Daddy. I make him ask his father and his father says yes.

6:04 a.m. — I get myself ready leisurely, put away the dried laundry, and hang up what is still damp.

6:27 a.m. — I try out my new Essence Princess False Effect Lash Mascara and it is PHENOMENAL! If you don’t want to pay for EyEnvy at $100 I daresay this would be the closest you can get to longer lusher lashes. For only $5.

6:56 a.m. — I head off to work after Little Bun gives me a kiss good bye and I get in early. I organize my area, clean up and toss things, and make sure that if is well organized otherwise I can’t work.

10:27 a.m. — I am too hungry so I stop on my presentation and eat my salad which of course people find weird but I’m too hungry. Mid morning meal.

11:27 a.m. — I work until YOGA TIME!!!!

11:29 a.m. — I get there early and then stretch out while I make notes to myself.

1:27 p.m. — After yoga I’m still tired but energized and I head to work. I eat my super dang yummy lunch (vegan cassoulet) and add a homemade hot sauce from a colleague.

4:34 p.m. — I continue working and before I know it, it is time to go.

5:02 p.m. — I rush off to the library to get some blogging in because I need to do my budgeting roundup for the month, plus add some last minute links, fix blog errors, reply to emails and schedule a Week of Money. This all does not get done in an hour but at least I tried.

5:57 p.m. — I make it home, and the minute I am in the door, Little Bun for some reason starts crying and sobbing and whining. I know all kids do this for some reason to punish their mothers. I have seen it happen so many times, I don’t even take it personally, I know it’s not me, it’s him.

7:09 p.m. — It continues for about half an hour before I finally have to punish him (he was getting out of control with the squealing and the screaming). I’m exhausted. I’m already dizzy and fatigued at work due to lack of sleep and he is not helping.

7:10 p.m. — After he calms down from the threat of not eating at all tonight, we end up having a nice dinner of salmon and avocado (which Little Bun DEVOURS because he loves this combination, especially the avocado), and chat about our respective days.

7:32 p.m. — Little Bun then starts whining AGAIN, this time for my laptop, my iPod.. anything he can get his hot little paws on to ruin. I tell him “No“, repeatedly, and again.. another half hour of frustration before he gets punished with multiple time outs. AGAIN.

7:50 p.m. — I get him to get ready for bed (again, more whining, he wants me not Daddy), and I read a book to him, and get him to sleep.

??:?? p.m. — Very late at night, he starts wiggling around, kicking me in the face, kicking the wall, sitting up, refusing to sleep. This happens 3 or 4 times before I start losing my temper. He is being ORNERY.

??:?? p.m. — I get up, and get his milk thinking it was already dawn (I can’t tell night from day any more, this is how exhausted I am), and it is only until after I go to put the bottle back that I realize it was just 12 minutes past midnight.

??:?? p.m. — I get him back to sleep.

??:?? p.m. — Then he wakes up again and wants to go potty. Then he comes back to the bed and starts crying.

??:?? p.m. — Then he wakes up again, and starts sobbing for no reason. I realize he has a nosebleed. I try to get my partner to help but he refuses Daddy completely to put any hydrogen peroxide up his nose (it DOES NOT HURT, it just makes a hissing noise when it comes in contact with the blood) to stop the bleeding instantly. Instead, he wants Mommy. I do the old-school way of pinching his nose tight for as long as I can until the bleeding stops.

??:?? p.m. — He gets back to sleep.

??:?? p.m. — He wakes up again.

??:?? p.m. — I get him back to sleep.

Saved: $0

Spent: $0

DAY FOUR

6:20 a.m. — #%(* I AM EXHAUSTED. I feel like I aged 10 years last night. I would not be surprised if I woke up and my half my head was white hairs. People, if you are thinking of breeding, and think it’s adorable to have a sweet little boy or girl running around (or multiples, OMG NO PLEASE NO), THINK TWICE. THINK VERY HARD. Your wonderful, free, single or coupled-without-kids life of waking up leisurely WHEN YOU WANT? Or when the alarm goes off? Doesn’t happen any more. You want to go out to check the mail alone? Forget it. You want to take a shower alone? Forget it. You think Saturdays are for errands and lazing around spontaneously deciding to go out and do things, ending up at a friend’s house until midnight before crashing? ALL FANTASIES NOW. My life is very aptly, and accurately displayed in this video People with no kids have no idea by Michael McIntyre…

6:31 a.m. — I get ready to go to work, pick out a dress (of course, it’s raining, so I wear boots with it…) and sort of want to cancel on yoga because I am so freakin’ exhausted…. I do need to pick up more salad though, so I’ll have to head to the grocery store in the morning.

6:46 a.m. — I get my makeup on and get totally ready and then Little Bun wakes up. He’s exhausted too I’m sure and doesn’t want to go to school so I brace myself for a fight.

6:59 a.m. — It is like a scene out of Macbeth in the apartment. Drops of dried Little Bun blood everywhere… his clothes are covered in blood and so is his face and arms, body, etc.

7:40 a.m. — I decide I can’t wait any longer. Little Bun is still sleeping and I am LOATHE to wake him as he needs his rest but I have to get to work or risk losing my favourite spot in the garage (otherwise only the crappy ones are available for those who hate them), and having to stay late today.

7:40 a.m. — I start undressing him as he is sleeping and he wakes up as I manage to get underwear on him and work on the pants.

7:50 a.m. — He realizes what is happening but before he knows it, he is dressed and wailing about not wanting school. I somehow manage to get him into the car, carrying him half the way there while toting two full lunches, my work bag and my jacket (and his), and he sits in the car upset.

7:51 a.m. — I turn on classical music and he seems to feel better after narrating the scenes outside to me and recounting how Daddy took him on the bus one day to come home. He seems fixated on that. And he is including his father a lot more in his narrative along with correcting me when I say: Mommy loves you very much… and he pipes in: And Daddy!! … all of this work we are doing is SLOWLY paying off but man it is hard.

8:15 a.m. — I get to the office after dropping him off (yes, TEARS happened on both sides, as I am super fatigued) now oddly mindful that my colleague (after my boss explained to me the situation), is very sensitive to noise and doesn’t like being too loud or hearing loud noises. I knew that sort of but now I need be careful on the phone and working …. sigh. I wish we each had our own soundproof cubicle.

8:45 a.m. — My manager gets in and we start discussing issues of the day. An hour later, I have a few documents to tweak.

9:25 a.m. — I make a mental note to mail a letter to my mother with Little Bun’s latest artwork (an autumn scene of a tree with leaves dabbed with a sponge brush mixed in the colours of red, orange and yellow; it looks very good and my mom would love it). I even helped Little Bun write a note to them.

9:46 a.m. — I continue working and basically finish a presentation with the utmost concentration, then a phone call comes in and I’m swept away with an impromptu meeting that lasts 2 HOURS… no warning, no prep, nothing.

11:22 a.m. — I get off the phone, my manager gives me The Eye and asks me WTF I was talking about on the phone and why he isn’t aware of the task I’m working on. I spend the next hour explaining the situation, all the while eying the clock (I NEED TO GET TO YOGA).

11:49 a.m. — Near the end, I kind of rudely make my mistake, and then run to yoga. Like I literally SPEEDWALK there and get there just in time for it to start after whipping off my clothes and tugging on my outfit. Thank goodness I’m organized.

1:15 p.m. — I go through the flow, and then leave to get back to the office after getting lost trying to find the stupid Fedex box to return my Lululemon top… it doesn’t exist where it says it does!!! ARG.

1:23 p.m. — I snag my lunch to eat (OMG SO GOOD), fix a few urgent issues (they’re like gophers)… and then I work on a presentation for the VP (that was my 2 hour call), and then it’s time to go home.

4:23 p.m. — I don’t even notice the time and I end up working more than I should have. Oh well. I will leave early tomorrow.

4:31 p.m. — I pick up Little Bun who is disappointed that there is no snack. I manage to wrangle him into the car, while telling him that they’re saying there is no snack today.

5:39 p.m. — I head home, start a load of laundry, put away all of my things (I had FOUR BAGS to carry including two coats!!!), and then I try to organize my life as much as I can for tomorrow, such as setting out my yoga outfit, and making notes about what to do tomorrow.

6:09 p.m. — My partner waltzes in with fruit and food, and I am starving. I can’t wait for dinner tonight. All that yoga, that walking.. it is making me hungry.

7:37 p.m. — I finish doing all the dishes and then we get ready for bed.

8:29 p.m. — Bedtime.

Saved: $0

Spent: $0

DAY FIVE

6:20 a.m. — I finally slept. Or I should say Little Bun slept and I finally got a good rest last night. Let’s be clear though, I wake up only because of Little Bun (late!! Already 6:30!!), and smother him with kisses telling him how much I love him, and he is our little baby. Little Bun looks up seriously into my face and says: “Mommy…. not a little baby any more. A little BOY now. A big boy.“… to which I realize he is absolutely right. But he will always be my baby. But he is getting so big….

6:27 a.m. — I make tea, put away the dishes, put away the dried laundry from last night all while getting ready to go to work. I laid out my favourite outfit the night before (button up + jeans = classic), and I get ready to go.

6:59 a.m. — Little Bun gives me kisses bye bye and runs back happily to his father asking for “videos of Little Bun” (my partner also videotapes “real life”).

7:20 a.m. — I get to the office and the Director is MIA the whole day without saying a thing. It is a bit of a double standard to be at home on a Friday or MIA when you expect everyone else in the office full-time. :-/

7:56 a.m. — I work, solve 2 issues but a third pops up I cannot wrap my head around.

8:25 a.m. — I go for a tea and think.

9:16 a.m. — I even go for a walk after eating my bread to buy some salad, an avocado and tissue paper for the office. My partner didn’t pick up salad last night so I needed to do that, plus I forgot my avocado at home. Arg. $6.40

10:56 a.m. — Back at the office I still can’t figure out why the numbers aren’t balancing and I work until it is time for yoga.

11:45 a.m. — After yoga, I drop off my Lululemon tank to return. -$73.60

1:22 p.m. — I walk back leisurely, loving this song: Give the Jew Girl Toys by Sarah Silverman (<3 her!)

1:42 p.m. — I sit down with a colleague and we crunch the info together to solve the issue. I honestly didn’t even leave to go anywhere. I just.. WORKED.

4:02 p.m. — I FINALLY. FINALLY SOLVE IT. My head hurts. My manager pats my head as I am supine on the desk, half sobbing, half crying… all fake.. sort of. It was really frustrating. It took me about 8 hours to solve it. I could not have imagined this EVER HAPPENING IN MY LIFE. It was the truly last place…..

4:19 p.m. — I pack up and leave to go to the library to work, schedule my September Budget post and help a friend with her professional resume by giving some advice on it.

4:36 p.m. — I feel like I have so much to do.. and no time to do it. I realize that my work is the first shift, Little Bun and home stuff is the second, and the third, is the blog. There is no space for ME in there. ME. Yes. Selfish ME. I want to be so selfish and have time to myself, and I don’t have it… or at least enough of it.

4:59 p.m. — I schedule a few more posts, and watch a few videos.

5:19 p.m. — I head home.

5:49 p.m. — At home, we have a delicious meal together and then… honestly I don’t even know what happened.

8:19 p.m. — Bedtime.

Saved: $73.60

Spent: $6.40

DAY SIX

??:?? — Why am I awake? No one is moving, I just woke up on my own. Insomnia? Habit? Little Bun wakeup anticipation? Who knows.

6:30 a.m. — Little Bun wakes up in a great mood. Like GREAT. I slept well too and woke up at 5:30 or 6 just out of habit rather than because I slept well. I wanted to sleep more but couldn’t … I even felt like I had some insomnia to be honest. I managed to doze back to sleep after he got his milk but then he wakes me up again after playing around me for 5 minutes.

6:39 a.m. — I get up, make some tea and organize my notes for today. I hope it doesn’t rain, I have my appointment for the skin and looking back at my first picture I’m amazed at the results.

8:08 a.m. — After tea, I am a whirling dervish of productivity. In a few hours after my partner leaves at 9 to “faire des courses” (run errands), I manage to pack up stuff to ship in a huge box, organize my day to return things, clean the bathroom, do a load of laundry and dry it, do all the dishes and dry every single one, feed Little Bun 1.5 quarts of vegan tomato and red pepper soup with oatmeal (this little boy is NO JOKE), and even manage to get a post scheduled. #LikeABoss for real. When I’m concentrating and really focused on something, I can kill it but my brain can’t run on full tilt like that.

10:28 a.m. — By the way, Little Bun eating that soup? 1.5 quarts. 1.5 QUARTS. Man… he is a beast. This huge 2 quart bowl was half full and I re-filled it with half the amount again for his second feeding.

10:59 a.m. — My partner comes home as I’m doing the dishes, and we have some Camembert with bread (he has the same vegan soup and olive bread), and Little Bun shocks me by EATING MORE. Not with gusto like most days but that child out away the equivalent of another 1/3 of a baguette. O_o He is my baby fo sho*.

*“Fo sho” makes me think of Ali Wong’s – Baby Cobra routine but where she says to her husband who tried to tell her (a half Vietnamese, half Chinese woman) that the restaurant “Pho Sho” for Vietnamese noodles was “authentic”. She comes back with: “You know it ain’t a REAL Vietnamese place for pho when you don’t see a damn number in the name and the bathroom doesn’t double as a supply closet!!!” LOL

11:58 a.m. — I get ready to go (love for my outfit today), wearing my Burberry trench, my <3 Montréal Tee and my Rag and Bone boots. I’m thinking of selling my Burberry coat ONLY because my shoulders are truly a US 6 and I shouldn’t have pretended otherwise even for a sale.

12:01 p.m. — I manage to extricate myself from Little Bun’s death grip on my leg because my partner picks him up and cuddles him, making soothing Daddy noises, kissing him and telling him they will have fun. They are MUCH closer now, I’m amazed each day and I know it only does GOOD that I leave and he learns and knows Daddy can be trusted to love and care for him as much as Mommy. This alone time? I’m doing this for myself but also for them. Surprisingly, or not, he quiets down, doesn’t scream, cry or have any tears as I leave and wave bye.

12:21 p.m. — I take the bus and at the last minute having taken for granted I had my OPUS card, realize it is not there. WTF. WHERE DID IT GO? DID I LOSE IT? I pay cash. $3.25

12:25 p.m. — Darn. I need to go to the main station Berri-UQAM after my IPL appointment. Arg. How annoying.

12:45 p.m. — After the bus, a Spanish couple asks for directions to get to the Montréal underground city (really, it isn’t that big of an attraction, it is just a bunch of shops underground and empty, dark, concrete building corridors/walking tunnels we use to get from one area to another without going outside in winter…) and I use my terrible non-existent Spanglish/French hybrid to tell them where to go. I hope they aren’t disappointed.

12:47 p.m. — I wonder what this guy bought for dinner. It looks like Tom Yum Goong. Oooo.. could go for a creamy Thai soup right now.

12:59 p.m. — Are hipster mom jeans in right now? Super high cropped and frayed hems? We spend all this time deriding Soccer Moms in high rise stone washed jeans (high rise all the way!), and then we co-opt their style and call it cool? I’m NOT EVER getting on this bandwagon. Guaranteed you will never find a pair of patched, highly cropped, frayed hem Kendall Jenner Kardashian whatever jeans for $500 in my closet in a BILLION YEARS. You heard it here first.

1:01 p.m. — Okay so my Burberry jacket stays. It isn’t that bad, I just leave it open (my favourite way to wear it), and get fits fine ish…..

1:15 p.m. — I get to my appointment and am thirsty. I should have had some water before…I drink a glass and get my third IPL facial. 3 more to go after this but I’m seeing good results although I have to say I’m not quite yet convinced it is worth the money yet as I’m quite young and my skin is good, but we will see.

2:45 p.m. — After my appointment I mention that a guy followed me the last time and to just be careful he doesn’t try to get my info even though I KNOW she is a pro and would never give out info. We chat about it, after she assures me she would NEVER be that silly and I joke: “Il n’était même pas grand, beau ni riche! Il faut me donner un cadeau avant, et on peut discuter..” (He wasn’t tall, handsome OR rich and should give me a gift before, then we can talk). But for real I think I was quite scared by that rather aggressive following on my subconscious and now I’m slowly getting over it by joking about it in relief. Still. I’m on the alert.

3:04 p.m. — I leave to go replace my OPUS card. $3.25

3:20 p.m. — I pay for new card (must register!). Thank goodness I had a TON of change and I was thinking the other day that I needed to use it up ASAP.. what an opportune moment even if it is a “waste”. $6

3:21 p.m. — The pinch-faced woman whom I can’t even hear through the glass coldly tells me I can’t get a free ticket to get back because it is not given to those who lose their cards. Well. So why did I pay $3.25 to EXIT to get to your service only to have to pay to come back in again to get to where I want to go?!? Next time I’m lying and saying my card was stolen.

3:24 p.m. — I huff but wander around looking for a map to tell me what bus to take to get downtown and the super sweet Oxfam rep whom I ask, gives me a look of confusion when I ask her: “How do I get to the metro McGill with a bus?“, to which she replies: “Uhh…take the metro!” (Like I’m thick LOL)… and I explain the situation and her furrowed brow clears. She runs to her bag, and taps me in for free on her pass! LOVE. $0

3:30 p.m. — It is rather dumb (she explains) that they make you exit and pay again to enter to which I heartily agree. Much love. <3 … which is why I love Montrealers.

3:12 p.m. — I head downtown, return a Lululemon top and resist a few leggings. I’m addicted, but not stupid. -$73.60

3:17 p.m. — I wander around after that desperately trying not to make contact with the mannequins in the store displays in their alluring “come buy me” outfits, and spy this box of chocolates that had to announce the chocolates were not a “true depicted size”. REALLY!? It isn’t as big as an apple!? *eye roll*

3:25 p.m. — Wow these preteens are SO TALL….. I’m like a midget. What are they eating!?

3:47 p.m. — I head into Shoppers to buy more Essence Princess mascara but they are sold out. Figures. Cheap and amazing? DONE.

3:49 p.m. — I pick up a pill box for my vitamins. I have been toting the full bottles around and it is heavy. $4.26

3:56 p.m. — I bypass the micellar water and wipes because I still have a lot left and beeline for a candy shop.

4:22 p.m. — At the candy shop, I’m eying all the candy but it isn’t all for me, I’m buying them for my co-workers who have been so kind.. I pick up a stash of Jelly Belly in ONLY flavours people like (no coconut for my colleague who hates it and no weird popcorn even though I love it) $13.49

4:35 p.m. — I head back home leisurely. No more shopping. I get into trouble that way, almost convinced myself to buy these boots while “window shopping” but then talked myself out of them because NOW I KNOW WHAT THEY REMIND ME OF — those armoured steel boots that knights wore from the Medieval Ages!! I am not sure I’d wear these as often as I think I might. $2.25

4:40 p.m. —  On the way back, I’m recalling how my boss looked at my lunches and said in envy: “Better keep your partner happy to keep eating like that…“, to which I retorted: “He better keep ME happy which is why he is cooking.” LOL… in truth we keep each other happy. My other colleague chimed in jest that he may just desert his wife for my partner to which I laugh and say he has to then compete with me. No contest :-p

5:11 p.m. — I get home and Little Bun is already ready and eating olive bread. I give him a big kiss and we eat together while chatting.

5:31 p.m. — After we eat the appetizer, I take him to go play and he is OBSESSED with these little felt animals on this Thanksgiving card he got. Obsessed. He makes noises for them, they fly and run everywhere… it is a great distraction. I also love the card, the note, the time my friend took to send me a gift… she’s the best. <3

5:45 p.m. — We stop playing when it is time to eat freshly grilled chicken — my partner marinated it in garlic, paprika and oil all night. Mmmmmm! I’m glad I didn’t stuff myself on anything outside.

6:59 p.m. — I do all the dishes, and my partner has a surprise — lemon cakes for all!!!.. Little Bun KNEW THIS, and that was why he was purposefully holding back on eating the chicken and bread and kept saying “CAKE? CAKE? CAKE?“.. I kept telling him: “NO CAKE, there is only chicken” (not knowing he saw his father buy cake!)…YUMZ.

7:36 p.m. — I wipe down all the dishes and try out my Pear Blossom tea with some honey.

8:16 p.m. — Bedtime. We read books, Little Bun squeals for puzzles and then we go to sleep.

Saved: $73.60

Spent: $32.50

DAY SEVEN

6:00 a.m. — I wake up early because of Little Bun bouncing on my belly squealing with each bounce: “Mommy (bounce) Potty (bounce) Mommy (bounce) Potty (bounce)”….and my partner gets up too and goes to shower. I remember Little Bun is in underwear not pull ups because he fell asleep early last night before our bedtime routine and I rush him quickly to the bathroom.

6:02 a.m. — After the bathroom and I grab his milk (this baby of mine would never forget he gets a huge bottle of milk), and I lie down beside him, half rested, still fatigued. I slept a lot last night and quite well, but my body craves even more sleep.

6:10 a.m. — I get up and start getting ready after my partner is out of the bathroom. Little Bun starts squealing to stay at home.

6:15 a.m. — I start recounting the story of Chester the Raccoon in The Kissing Hand and it ends with Chester agreeing that preschool is fun. We go through the Kissing Hand process (Daddy on one, Mommy on the other), and I hope that solves it. Then I remember there is no school today.

7:59 a.m. — I log in and buy “Art before Breakfast” for my mother because I knew she’d love it. – $16.82

8:08 a.m. — I drink my tea, and my partner wakes up and starts cooking.

8:11 a.m. — I try to Skype with my mother but she forgot her password so I spend the next HOUR on Microsoft’s stupid system and accidentally put the year as 2017 for a birthdate and now it wants me to pay $0.50 on a U.S.-based credit card to access Skype to confirm I am an adult. OMFG. I decide to scrap it and start over with a new account which seems easier.

9:26 a.m. — We finally get to Skype and Little Bun reads a little, doesn’t talk to her much but turns into an active devil. I feed him while we chat (more stew) and then I finally log off — he is getting too antsy.

10:45 a.m. — I organize my closet but am not “into” it … I slept well the last two nights but my stupid body is so sleep-deprived it is craving more and yet paradoxically if I sleep even a little before bedtime, I will not be able to sleep at night.

10:52 a.m. — I struggle to stay awake and give Little Bun his most coveted item — Mommy’s iPad that makes slideshow videos with music. It has all of my wardrobe items on there so he likes to point out what I’m wearing “matches November 2015!” (the date I bought it then saved images of it in case I ever needed a reference to resell or whatever).

11:29 a.m. — I finishing reading through “Art Before Breakfast”, and love the premise of it but cannot add more stuff to do each day. If I didn’t blog, why not? But as it stands my brain is always on full throttle…. although I sort of want to pull out my sketchbook to draw daily. It is alluring all of this self-help, unleashing creativity stuff that we get sucked into as we get older to release our true inner self and recognize our potential….

12:36 p.m. — It is sunny outside now after a mini storm and Little Bun is giving me the “Hey look! We could go on the train today…” side eye but it is a trap because it looks like it might rain again and my partner has kiboshed all Train Outings because he always seems to come back coughing and sick he says. He is being a little overprotective but he has a right to parent and lay down rules too, so I follow them. If one parent says one thing, it goes for the other as well because we are a United Front.

12:56 p.m. — My partner calls out to us for lunch and it is a stampede to the table. It is a simple olive oil, fresh tomato sauce pasta web some basil, with bread on the side. Nothing fancy. Little Bun eats his share, and a few slices of bread.

1:02 p.m. — Then he starts protesting the nap that is coming: “Bye Bye nap!! No go down for the nap!! No more nap!!! Bye bye!”, to which I sigh and hand over a puzzle for him to do on the promise that he’ll nap afterwards. He grumbles about napping all while doing the puzzle with variations on “no nap”, “nap go bye bye”, “no go down for the nap”, “nap no more”….Wish I could break into that Jelly Belly stash I bought yesterday. Ugh. This child!

1:12 p.m. — He gets lured down for a nap (HE IS SO TIRED, and I can tell with his eye rubbing and yawning), on the promise that “we will have fun after you nap“.

2:42 p.m. — Time FLIES as I watch some episodes in the background and clean up my posts. I schedule another post, and try to get it together. Tomorrow is a holiday (Thanksgiving), but we have so much work to get done while we’re at home.

 

2:44 p.m. — Little Bun softly walks out and rubs his eyes, saying: “FUN? Now fun!? Want some FUN!“, and I give him a bottle.

2:48 p.m. — He tries really hard to convince me to take him on a train but even if my partner did not kibosh Train Day, I am (A) too tired to do this, (B) feeling a massive sleep-deprived headache come on and (C) not in the mood.

2:52 p.m. — I invent a new game with his little Thanksgiving card animals, some cardboard trains and a schoolbus, and how they all get on the train, get off at interchange stations, go shopping, eat pizza, etc…. and he names each train direction: Now this train goes to Montmorency! Angrignon! Côte Vertu! Honoré Beaugrand!.. it is rather adorable, so I videotape it.

3:40 p.m. — The time passes by like molasses but I manage to sneak in a 15 minute catnap and I feel a tiny bit better, but not totally like myself. I’ll try and sleep early tonight. I am exhausted.

4:12 p.m. — I organize my notes on my iPod, try to stretch out my back, and then Little Bun watches videos as I do the dishes.

5:37 p.m. — Dishes done, he turns into a MONSTER now. Now he wants the mini iPad and I told him “No“, but he kept pushing me, so he gets punished. My partner, frustrated and not used to this nonsense because I usually take Little Bun out so he can work and do things in peace (SEE HOW LUCKY HE IS TO HAVE ME?), gets really angry from the bedroom where he is sanding and working up a sweat.

5:38 p.m. — He slams the door on the way out, leaving, grumbling, to go buy a baguette and some dinner.

5:41 p.m. — Little Bun finally calms down but he has to learn that NO is NO.

6:37 p.m. — My partner comes back in with dinner, we eat, I make a cup of tea, do all the dishes, and then go to lie down.

8:12 p.m. — I’m already conked out on the bed. Exhausted. We both are.

Saved: $0

Spent: $16.82