Week of Money: Where we start growing herbs and I become a plant parent

DAY ONE

??:?? — I wake up tired. Again. I need another hour of sleep at least.

6:00 a.m. — We make a cup of tea. TODAY IS FIELD TRIP DAY!!!! He is very excited. I log into my first meeting of the morning which starts at 6:10 a.m. because someone saw me online, they’re ALSO working and thought: Hey let’s get this meeting done early…

9:22 a.m. — Last meeting of the morning. I tell them I am leaving for the morning, and we head out to the park, all 3 of us and play there.

11:20 a.m. — Back at home, we do laundry, Little Bun squeals with excitement at how much FUN HE HAD, and he has his lunch while I log in and try to catch up on the work – it is like when it rains it pours.

12:25 p.m. — I have my own lunch. I think I left it too long, I am lightheaded and dizzy now.

1:05 p.m. — Down for his nap. I take a book break and eat gummies. I have meetings all afternoon.

5:17 p.m. — Meeting finished, I am trying to finish up what happened so I don’t forget.

5:46 p.m. — On the balcony, someone was clipping flowers and he finds a flower bud freshly clipped. He begs to go out on the balcony to retrieve his “treasure” and when he gets it, he very gently pets it, wants to learn all about it, finds seeds inside, and slowly dissects the flower to see what’s there. Who knew he was so into plants and things. I’ll have to let him dissect more things we find that are cut / dead (we won’t actually kill anything).

6:10 p.m. — I am cleaning up things, and I actually feel pretty good at letting some items go from my closet in terms of wanting to resell them later.

6:40 p.m. — Remember that flower bud he found on our balcony? He is playing with it, and he finds seeds inside which he meticulously asks me to take a picture of (his turn out blurry, he hasn’t learned how to hold it carefully and aim with a double-tap to sharpen) and labels.

8:24 p.m. — Lots of dishes after his schooling with Daddy. He takes forever with things and gets distracted. I just say: Little Bun, FOCUS.

9:41 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $0

DAY TWO

??:?? — I wake up tired. Maybe I should just put: “EVERY DAY I WAKE UP TIRED.” .. and if I do not wake up tired, I will let you know.

6:00 a.m. — I log in for the day and start working. I make a cup of tea, Little Bun continues petting his little flower bud treasure from the day before.

7:00 a.m. — First meeting of the day. My day starts pretty early which is why I am comfortable quitting early.

10:18 a.m. — We set up our new herb garden. We are going to grow Genovese Basil, Italian Basil, Sage, Rosemary and Chives. I say grow, I mean ATTEMPT to grow because we are in a condo in the part of the hemisphere with less light. At any rate, Little Bun is excited and wants to check on them every hour to see if they grew. I tell him it takes weeks, even months…. his face falls. But he makes a little Herb List of what their needs are.

12:00 p.m. — I am on calls booked solid until noon. I finally log off and take a break to eat lunch. I have rediscovered my love for tuna!!! I am adding it to everything – pasta, quinoa and so on.

1:02 p.m. — Little Bun down for his nap.

1:15 p.m. — I munch on one of my last stuffed cookies.

3:29 p.m. — Little Bun up from a nap! I hand him the iPad because he can go play Tint on there while he waits for me to finish so we can upcycle together.

5:15 p.m. — I get caught in a meeting. *tear dripping down one cheek*… I hate being stuck in these things before the weekend.

5:48 p.m. — I am so annoyed at being in a late meeting that I transfer $1500 to my investing account, draining it down to $1000 as a buffer. I feel like this is only something a money nerd would do because it is like spending…. on my own self, but to build wealth.

6:40 p.m. — For some reason, Little Bun can’t see things right in front of his face, but yet he has laser vision on things that matter to him:

Little Bun: Mommy, come here please.

Me: Yes?

Little Bun: Can you get this little hair out of this tape here, on the corner? It is just going to BOTHER ME SO MUCH IF IT ISN’T DONE!!!!!

Me: Well that escalated quickly. 😳 *picks hair off tape*

(I am laughing inside…) He is really particular. He needs things to be a certain way, he is quite conscientious and careful with reminding me: Oh be careful, we don’t want to put the blanket there as people might slip! — all of these things we have been parroting to him since he was a baby to be careful.

Even when we cross the street, he. checks left, right, then when I didn’t look left again he admonished me: MOMMY! LOOK LEFT AGAIN. You NEVER KNOW.

7:46 p.m. — I book my shot for next month – it was the only spot available.

8:07 p.m. — Little Bun makes a Baby Checklist.

9:20 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $0

DAY THREE

??:?? — I wake up before him, and go to the bathroom – he wakes up as well.

6:00 a.m. — After he has his milk, he runs and checks on the herbs. He remembered me saying we have to check on them every day to water them or not, and move them into the sunlight. I feel like if we were allowed to have pets, he would be a wonderful candidate to love a dog or a cat and care for them diligently.

7:14 a.m. —  He has breakfast.

8:08 a.m. — We head into the bedroom to upcycle in the closet and work on the pieces we made before and started painting.

8:55 a.m. — He wants me to play Tint instead, and likes figuring out the puzzles of how to get colours to get from one place to another.

9:23 a.m. — I make a quick early lunch.

10:15 a.m. — In the closet, we are painting clay. He tells me everything looks “SO GOLD”, I tell him it’s because I love gold.

10:46 a.m. — We check on the plants and move them into the sunlight during the morning.

10:55 a.m. — He creates a Stuffie connect the dots for me:

11:10 a.m. — I end up conking out beside him on the bed and napping. I am just so incredibly tired.

12:57 p.m. — He keeps trying to wake me up because he knows if I sleep too long I will not sleep at night. I am trying to go back to sleep but then he says: Okay Mommy… but Mommy, if you sleep too long, you won’t be able to sleep at night, remember?  He’s right.  I thank him for looking out for me and I wake myself up.

1:36 p.m. — He’s “napping” but it sounds like he is playing and arguing with his father in the bedroom. His father likely also wants to nap in peace as well, so….

1:40 p.m. — I debate making a cup of tea because it might wake me up some more. I decide to have one. I also am going to start letting teas go to friends, like in a tea swap. Life is too short to drink tea I do not enjoy and to force myself to do it because I spent so much money. I have realized I only like premium Marco Polo or Earl Grey. The rest don’t do it for me.

2:56 p.m. — Up from his nap!

3:20 p.m. — He presents me with a love note he made for me:

4:32 p.m. — I pick up some more of my favourite deodorant. It isn’t plastic-free, and I asked them for a recyclable option but they told me they will do recycled plastic, which I told them, I consider to be plastic… so it isn’t good enough for me.

 

4:40 p.m. — I head into the bedroom to hang with Little Bun and play Tint.

8:11 p.m. — We have dinner, I clean up, do dishes for tomorrow, set up the kitchen to be clean, and then we head to bed. Little Bun even goes the extra mile and helps wipe down the bowls and plates, after he does the cutlery and pots because earlier today when we were doing cutlery, he asked me: Why don’t you help ME do all the cutlery too?

Me: No, I have to do other things (like set up his new Work Book plan for next month)

Little Bun: *murmuring* Lazy Mommy. Lazy lazy Mommy. Lazy Mommy. LAZY LAZY LAZY MOMMY.

Me: EXCUSE ME? *death stare*

( you never ever want to disrespect a parent in this household..)

Little Bun: *squeals knowing I am about to lecture him*

Me: I am most certainly NOT lazy. If you think everything I do with dishes and plates, and laundry, is LAZY, I have another thing coming to you. That is rude and hurtful, not to mention disrespectful.

9:11 p.m. — HARRUMPH. Time for bed.

Spent: $48.30

DAY FOUR

??:?? — I wake up tired. I always feel like I need more sleep and I have the most bizarre dreams I can never remember once I am awake.

6:25 a.m. — I have to call the government, so I make a call nervous (it freaked me out all weekend thinking I made a mistake and how much work I’d have to do to fix it all), and it turns out to be nothing at all. Just a courtesy call. I stressed all weekend for nothing.

6:38 a.m. — Knots in my stomach relaxing, I make a cup of tea and log in to work. I am frustrated with a guy at work who keeps bumbling. Honestly. It is not that he doesn’t know his job, but he’s just so…lackadasical and cannot take responsibility for anything to follow up with people to do meetings, cross his own damn Ts, dot his Is …and he thinks he is working on a team here?

7:26 a.m. — I tell Little Bun based on my hectic schedule this week, I cannot make it to his soccer outing with his father in the morning. He tells me: That’s okay Mommy. You have to do work. Next time!

8:00 a.m. — First meeting of the day. People took today off for some reason so I am cancelling these insane morning meetings.

9:25 a.m. — After the meeting, I take a book break. I am reading Call Sign Chaos, not normally a book I’d pick up on a military leader on how to lead in chaotic times, but it was recommended to me.

10:50 a.m. — I break for lunch because I have a lunch meeting, so I need to eat my lunch ahead of time.

1:07 p.m. — Little Bun goes down for his nap.

3:41 p.m. — Up from his nap, he really slept in today!!!! Must be all the 6 a.m. wake ups.

3:20 p.m. — I log off for the day. My brain is drained. It’s raining, I feel cold.. lots of things happening at once.

4:50 p.m. — Dinner time, then dishes, and laundry again. I feel like life is one big Groundhog day when you’re a parent. Wake up, (maybe) Work, Do dishes, Laundry. Eat in between. Sleep after it gets dark.

5:21 p.m. — I absolutely 100% want this ridiculous trash panda (racoon) lamp because it’s SO CUTE. And perfectly whimsical yet without being too stupid for a room. But it doesn’t ship to Canada, so I guess there’s that in terms of me curbing my spending… *sad face*

6:22 p.m. — Dinner done, laundry done, I go through my checklist of other things to finish.

7:19 p.m. — Little Bun does his schooling and then starts a new book that is called: Daddy’s Advice.

9:03 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $0

DAY FIVE

??:?? — I wake up tired. It’s cloudy and rainy, and I don’t feel great. I need to see my ear doctor today however because there is a strange cracking in my ears and jaw.

6:01 a.m. — I log in to work early with my cup of tea. I have a bunch of things to do this week, and it feels like a never ending treadmill of tasks.

7:15 a.m. — First meeting of the day. People see me online and just call me. I hate calls for this reason. Please message – I type a lot faster.

9:05 a.m. — I remind my team I am gone for the morning.

10:01 a.m. — I head out for my appointment.

12:15 p.m. — Back home, I log in to work after lunch.

2:50 p.m. — Someone please explain why we are wearing sunglasses indoors… this is a new trend I am seeing pop up everywhere.

4:55 p.m. — Done for the day!

5:20 p.m. — We check on our herb plants and are pleasantly surprised! We JUST planted the basil less than a week ago and now they’re growing? WOW. Little Bun has circled where the plants are for your convenience (he loves editing photos):

Is this what being a new plant mother feels like? BECAUSE I LOVE IT. I can see them grow, and I can anticipate eating their leaves (I’m cruel…)

7:30 p.m. — Little Bun schooling, while I read my book.

9:22 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $0

DAY SIX

??:?? — You know how I woke up. It was cute today because he cuddled into my side and said baby words like: “MOMMY MAA MAA.. MAA MAA.. I love you!” It makes these ungodly hours worth it.

6:05 a.m. — I log in to work after making a tea.

7:21 a.m. — Little Bun like clockwork, goes to hassle his father about when he is waking up. I am answering emails. I have a lot to get done this week.

8:10 a.m. — First meeting of the day. I hate useless meetings and I have 5 a week with various groups and their managers.

8:47 a.m. — A mini break before my next meeting. I have to start doing more blog posts, I have pretty much run through my cache. I make a note to start one a night after I log off for the day.

9:10 a.m. — I take a break and do some 10-minute yoga.

12:08 p.m. — Lunch!

1:06 p.m. — I log back in for more meetings.

2:18 p.m. — More meetings.

4:55 p.m. — Done for the day!

5:30 p.m. — Dinner time, laundry for the kitchen towels, Little Bun wipes down the cutlery.

6:34 p.m. — I try to use a voucher for $10 to buy more shampoo bars, but it doesn’t work. I email them.

7:22 p.m. — Little Bun schooling time.

9:20 p.m. — Time for bed. Little Bun asked for 30 minutes in the closet to upcycle and that’s what we did after his schooling.

Spent: $0

DAY SEVEN

??:?? — I wake up….. you guessed it, tired.

6:00 a.m. — I make a cup of tea and log in to do business cleanup.

9:32 a.m. — I feel peckish. I decide to have a brunch where I eat my lunch but really early.

9:50 a.m. — Plans thwarted. I got caught up in work and meetings.

10:25 a.m. — Homeschooling woes:

Who knew? Anyway. Apparently a polygon with any base and a point is a pyramid. GOOD TO KNOW.

11:50 a.m. — I finally break for lunch and scarf down cauliflower and quinoa. I love cauliflower so much I think I could just eat it with salt as-is, like a fresh snack.

12:05 p.m. — I make a cup of Earl Grey tea.

1:01 p.m. — Little Bun goes down for his nap.

3:05 p.m. — Up from his nap.

4:17 p.m. — I log off for the day. I am dragging.

5:20 p.m. — Absolutely not. Strangers sending me videos and pictures? I am not likely to see or click on any of it. Gets deleted ASAP.

6:11 p.m. — Time for dinner. Then dishes.

9:47 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $0

———-

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