Cleaning with Two Kids

Working full time, we have a pretty crazy schedule. By the time we have dinner, play a little, clean up dinner dishes, get kids in bed, wash bottles and lay out clothes and dinner ingredients for tomorrow... it's generally about 10 or 10:30 and we're done. There's just not much time, or perhaps more specifically, energy, to get other cleaning and organizing done. Fifteen minutes here and there...

This week was particularly bad, as Ray was tied up with horrible neck pain for most of the week and found it difficult to hold and/or play with the kids, or do things around the house that he's so good at doing. And with an infant, I rarely get uninterrupted time to complete a task (at least not until Parker is sufficiently asleep for the night.

So here is what cleaning is like on the weekend. Ray is cleaning downstairs, Maia and I are cleaning upstairs. (And before Ray cries foul and says this isn't exactly how it happened, he's right. Who on earth would remember the order of all of this? )

Feeding Parker. Instruct Maia to pick up toys.
Maia picks up 2 toys, pulls out another in it's place. Redirect and remind: putting away!
Parker spits up, have to find a wipe.
Maia still playing with toy I told her to put away.
Ask for listening ears and try again.
Put Parker down for some tummy time.
Help Maia clean. I get through books, she manages to put 2 more toys away, but pulls out 3 books.
Get frustrated (she can do really well, but today, not so much with the staying on task).
Parker is done with tummy time and is whining loudly.
Flip him over, play with him to get him happy.
Ask Maia if she's hungry or thirsty (often, for her, contributes to her ability to listen and stay on task). Nope.
Try again. Some progress. Reward progress by taking a break and reading 2 books. Parker needs a diaper.
I move on to kitchen (determined that I will have to clean up remaining toys when Maia takes a nap, but will continue to encourage her). Countertops are full of papers and bottles and dishes.
Organize bottles to wash.
Wash 2 pieces.
Parker's fussing and Maia just peed a little in her underwear.
Put Parker's paci back in.
Bring Maia to potty.
Put new undies and clean dress on Maia.
Suggest coloring.
Get coloring station set up.
Play with fussy Parker.
Clean up pee on carpet.
Wash another bottle.
Realize that Maia is chewing, but has no food.
Remove crayon from mouth.
Remove crayon from hand, remind that crayons are not for eating, are not food.
Give Maia towel with non-toxic cleaner to clean off the crayon all over the table. Pick up colored paper from the floor.
Time for lunch. Make PB&J. Pour milk. Clean up.
Cuddle Parker to sleep.
Put Parker in pack n play.
Clean Maia's sticky hands and face.
Try potty (success!).
Put diaper on for nap time. Convince 2 year old of necessity of diaper during nap time as this is her first day of underwear.
Wind down with cuddle and singing.
Put child to bed.
Return to bottle washing. Water is now tepid.
Hot water. 4 more parts.
Music coming from bedroom: Maia is playing with doll house.
Escort child back to bed.
2 more parts.
Parker is awake.
Put 2 year old back to bed. Again.
Change Parker.
Daddy puts 2 year old back to bed. Again again.
Put Parker in swing.
Finish washing bottles.
Start unloading dishwasher.
Maia still up. Daddy gives up, lets her out of room.
Maia tries to "help" unload the dishwasher.
Trip over Maia at least twice.
Give Maia specific tasks that involve not being in the kitchen. She complies.
Finish emptying dishwasher.
Feed Parker.
Watch Maia take out books that were put back.
Require 5 more toys away before they can be read.
Read book (yay!)
Tummy time for Parker.
Go to bathroom. Get cheered for my success. "Yaaaaay! You diddit! Kin I flush now?"
Retrieve whining Parker.
Snack time for Maia. Cut apple.
Reload dishwasher.
Apple finished, clean sticky child.
Work on paper piles while I eat a quarter of the apple.
Maia arrived with the remaining apple quarter which she has obtained by putting her tiptoes into the groove above the mechanical panel on our dishwasher and reaching over the edge of the countertop.
Re-clean sticky child.
Give up on cleaning and play with kids. Whew!