He asked me to do this . . .

Comment from Charlotte of Stellatrix, referencing Memento: "Your name is Tom. Your daughter is Alice. Don't let her poop in the tub."

Dear,

You are going to do great! So is Alice. The biggest thing for you will be going to bed early enough so you aren't completely wrecked the next day. I love you, and thank you for supporting me and my career!!!

Love,
#9

Friday

8am - noon

tm drives cm and Alice to train
cm put ALA suitcase in locker at gym
cm takes Alice to daycare
cm stops by work for Powercord for laptop

cm goes to gym
cm goes to airport

5pm - 9pm

5pm tm picks Alice up from daycare
6pm home and dinner

Turn on music and if possible, see if Alice will play by herself in the living room
She hasn't been in the toy box in a while, so for her it is full of new toys. Just be careful as the lid isn't babyproofed and could shut on her hands/head. Take a bunch of 'new' toys out for her everyday.
Alice can play on the floor of the kitchen while you get dinner together (I installed the baby gate so she can be contained with you)

Keep directing her to different cabinets or leave the fridge door open
Dinner options: pasta, refried beans and tortillas, okra stew and polenta . . . Alice would eat any of this too

As soon as you have food ready, put her in her highchair with food already on the tray so she can see it.
Eat.
Take Alice upstairs for a bath. (READ the daycare paper. If she only pooped once, be super vigilant cause she might poop in the bath)
Take Alice upstairs for pjs (4 sets are on the bench)

Bring Alice to 2nd floor study to play with toys.
You can check email etc during times she is playing independently
Engage her in a toy by sitting on the floor with her

Start bedtime routine by 8:30 (READ the daycare paper. If she napped till 3pm, it will be hard to get her down before 9pm, but if she woke up by 2pm, you may try and start bedtime sooner)
Read a couple of books in the rocking chair on the third floor
turn on the music
turn off the lights
give her a choice between the rocking chair and the crib
constantly switch betwen the 2 as needed
if she asks for water, give it to her
she'll freak, but just hold and and then switch from crib to rocker or vice versa and she will calm down
she should be asleep by 9:30 at the latest
clean up kitchen
relax
get to bed yourself!

Saturday

She will probably wake up between 7 and 8am.
Go downstairs to breakfast in pjs. Turn on the Chili lights.
She may want to play in the living room for a little while first.
Music.
put her in chair with cereal squares
get yourself breakfast
sit with her and eat and feed her a little yogurt and fruit (open J+ capsule over a spoon of yogurt and dump 1/3 from the cap top onto yogurt)

let her play on floor in kitchen while you clean up
amble upstairs to get dressed, she should be able to play on the floor while you get dressed (albeit likely with multiple interruptions) (outfits for her are also on the bench)

if you want to shower in the morning : ) then the best thing (read: safest) will be to shower on the 2nd floor and bring her in with you. She will happily crawl around the bottom of the shower with her toys while you get clean. She'll be safe and contained and happy!
After getting dressed, she'll want to go outside.
This is also a good time to get in the car and go somewhere.
The weather looks good right now for Saturday, so maybe take her to the park on a walk.
Bring the backpack (add milk and snacks) and the ergo
Maybe bring the stroller

Let her walk as much as possible
eat snacks, if she is still awake, eat lunch

If it is anywhere near noon by now, you can probably put her in the stroller or ergo and take a nice long walk and get her to sleep. Or put her in the car and she will sleep.
If you want to be at Shira's after the nap, try and get her to fall asleep on the walk home from the park then transfer her to the big bed and YOU NAP TOO: you'll be glad you did and she will sleep longer. Or after lunch at home, pop her in the ergo and just walk around the block. She likes to nap from 1-3 ish, though I almost never get her down for 2 hours on the weekend.
Make sure the backpack still has enough snacks and milk and diapers.
Drive to Shira's.
Play like crazy.
Kiss Toby for me.
Come home, turn on music.
Repeat lunch routine for dinner.
Long bath. Right now she is OBSESSED with me pouring water into the holey green cup so it makes a shower that she tries to grab.
PJ's.
Play on 2nd floor.
Head up to third floor.
Book, music, Nite nite.
The longer you keep her up does not necessarily mean the longer she will sleep in. Try and keep her on schedule getting to sleep between 8-9pm
Clean up kitchen
REST
Sleep

Sunday

RInse. Repeat.
Insert a trip to Pam's. T or Car. Do whatever will be easiest on you, because you have just been sick and I want us all to stay well.
Get outside as much as possible, she loves it. You can take her to a park with a swing/slide in the morning or afternoon either day, depending on when you see Pam and Shira.

Monday
Take Alice to daycare.
Provided my plane gets in on time, I will pick her up. (I'll call you to confirm)
If you could meet us at the train, cause I'll leave my stuff at the gym while I go get her.

You are entering the Baby Zone. Distraction is key to your success. Move between floors as much as needed when boredom sets in. Each room has different types of toys for engaging toddler interests.

Outside time goes a loooong way.

If you truly get bored, antsy, go people-watch with her at Target.

Always, always, always bring diapers and snacks and milk.

Do not expect to accomplish anything--low expectations make for pleasant surprises when you do get something done.

You can always throw in a load of laundry--she loves to do laundry.

Know that I love and miss you. Thank you so much for being an amazing father and husband, for supporting me and my career. You are so awesome with her, you are going to do great!