The other day Nick and I were totally stumped trying to think back to our routine with Z when he was about Lu’s age. Did we feed him before school? Who got him out of bed? Who knows? So I thought I’d summarize a typical day in our house in case we ever need to reference it again (why would we? I don’t know).
We usually get up and get mostly ready before we get them. I try to have Lu’s bottles and food ready to go the night before or at least by this point.
Nick gets Z and I get Lu. He gets him ready and brings him downstairs where he heads straight for the table for his waffle and iPad. I change and dress Lu then feed her try to find time to make lunch, pack up my pump supplies, eat breakfast and fill up my to go coffee cup, then a little before 8, we load them up and Nick drops them off, and we both head to work.
After work, I drive down to the school (which sometimes can take half and hour or more) to pick them up (I usually get Lu first then Z), then we load up again and head home. Sometimes, I have groceries in the car from a lunchtime Wal-Mart run, which Z likes to dip into. Sometimes, I also have a coke zero or something, which he will help himself to as well. I kinda like that tradition, because I feel like it’s something he will remember. You know, Mom used to pick me up and sometimes I’d get a special snack and drink in the car.
We get home, and he immediately goes back to the table with a snack (or dinner if I’m on top of things) and the iPad (again), while I bathe, change, and feed Lu. She’s almost always down by 6:30 or 7, then I can start tending to him with dinner or drinks or whatever, and Nick is usually home by this point. Also, on any given day, my dad or brother or nephew or entire family could be part of this afternoon routine, which is usually quite helpful, because then I can at least have a second to sit down without holding or serving or feeding one of my children!
Then we sit down and try to eat together, Nick, me, and Z, plus or minus 1 to 8 additional people.
Then, we have to coax Z upstairs (especially difficult when there is family at the house) upstairs to bathe (most nights), brush teeth, put on PJ’s, read, sing, go to sleep, a routine that can take anywhere between 7 and 1/2 minutes and 1 or more hours.
Then I crash from exhaustion and watch some kindof wonderful meaningless television with Nick, oh and a bowl of ice cream.
There you have it. I got tired just reading it…
I love Z's bedtime routine: "can take 7.5 min or 1 or more hours!" :) Sounds like our house, except that it's almost never 7.5 min and almost always closer to an hour. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how much you forget between kiddos. I hardly remember C's routine at all when she was SC's age.