Here's the thing, though. Babies need routine. So... I bit the bullet and started working on a schedule with Abby. I was really disappointed in how it was going until I realized that it's not going to be cut and dry. *Duh, Sarah. I was thinking about it yesterday and while we don't stick to specific times, we do have a pretty good schedule down. It will get even more solid once I go back to work, (and will probably get messed up a few times with each growth spurt), but here is what we're doing each day so far.
Disclaimers: Abby eats every 2.5-3 hours, so the times below will obviously change on a daily basis depending on when she ate last. Also, I'm pumping every 3 hours but I'm not going to put that on here because that's pretty predictable. ALSO so you people don't think I'm a bad Mom I do change her diaper more than I wrote down below. Obviously that's something you do as needed...
I realize you probably don't care about any of this but it's fun for me to write it down (hello, I make itineraries for fun) so... either read it or don't ;)
3:30AM: My day starts. Yep. I wake up every day, on my own, around this time because I need to pump!! Abby might be sleeping through a feeding or two, but my udders don't get that memo. I sneak out of the bedroom and back in and hope that the creature doesn't stir.
5AM (If we are lucky. Sometimes it's more like 4/4:30): Joey's alarm goes off for work, and Abby is usually sucking on her fists, kicking her legs furiously, and making various noises. I've been getting a bottle ready after I pump so I have one ready to give the starving animal right away! She eats, gets a new diaper, and after some brief awake time, she'll usually go back to sleep.
Morning Nap #1: This is the early morning nap. Takes place either upstairs in the pack n play or downstairs in the swing while Mommy has coffee and watches Jummy and Autria on ABC7...
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| I always put her down horizontally and I always find her like this in the morning. She rotates 90 degrees every night. |
8AMish: Abby wakes up, gets a new diaper and a bottle. I usually get her dressed and then we have some play time since she's awake for a little while. She's not a huge fan of tummy time but it's necessary :( We also listen to Baby Einstein music or just plain classical (we're going through the Tchaikovsky ballets...) and sometimes I even put on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse because I feel guilty when I see her looking at the TV...
9AM: 'Live with Kelly and Michael' comes on. Joey makes fun of me but I think they are hilarious and I watch it every day.
Morning Nap #2 (10/11am): 2nd morning nap. Sometimes stretches into the noon hour depending on feeding times.
12PMish: Mom tries to find something to eat for lunch. Thinks she really needs to get out to the grocery store. Wonders about taking the jogger in the grocery store. (I'm still a little gun shy about taking the stroller places... is that weird?)
1/2PMish: Abby wakes up, diaper, bottle. More awake time, tummy time, etc.
Afternoon Activity: This is usually a walk/jog in the stroller around the neighborhood, but can also be errands or a nap for both Mommy and baby ;)
Afternoon Nap: She skips this one sometimes. Then there are days where she just refuses to sleep at all, or days where the dogs bark too much and she wakes up. Anyway, this one doesn't really have a time range. After noon, our schedule gets a little wonky.
4:30PMish: Joey gets home from work, turns on Castle, and starts planning dinner (yep... he's still cooking. I am a horrible housewife and I can't lie to you guys.)
5PMish: Abby wakes up/diaper/bottle. Awake time with Daddy :)
Evening Nap: This one may or may not happen as well. It can stretch into the 7 o'clock hour which always scares me because then I'm afraid she won't sleep at night.
[Wednesdays and Saturdays (or Sundays) are bath nights. Abby isn't very stinky, so we only bathe her twice per week. She LOVES the bath. I use a space heater to warm up the room, get the water to the perfect temperature, and she will just chill in her little tub. After bath, I put on that magical lavender lotion and she's usually out like a light shortly thereafter.]
8/9PMish: We get changed for bed, diaper, and one last bottle. If she ate earlier in the evening, I will nurse her around 9 to get her to calm down/get some more food in her tummy. All babies have fussy time and Abby's is at 8pm. Walking around with her or nursing her usually does the trick.
She's a pretty smart baby (or at least smarter than I expected!) and sometimes we have to turn off the TV and I have to actually put my phone down and roll over before she goes to sleep. And forget it if I'm not laying down in bed next to her PnP. Moving her to her bedroom should be fun........ I said I would do it in October but I'm not ready yet.
Abby is usually asleep by 10 and then she will sleep through the night. I know. I'm an asshole. I'm just enjoying it while it lasts. I'm not stupid enough to think that it will.
I pump for the last time after she's asleep, get the dishwasher going and finish up whatever else I'm doing and then I'm in bed too.
It doesn't seem like much but it's actually exhausting. I'm able to keep the house clean and laundry/dishes done, but that's about it. On days where we have doctor's appointments or other outings, our schedule gets thrown off but Abby is pretty good at getting back on.
She's what we call a "Trap Baby". Special thanks to my bro and SIL for the term. Basically means that she's so good that we assume that we are either a) awesome parents or b) that all babies are like this. So inevitably we'll decide to have more babies assuming they will all be like her. Except they won't.
OK I gotta go because the creature is stirring. Today is our 4 year wedding anniversary, Abby is turning 2 months old in 3 days, and I go back to work in 4 weeks :( . Hold me!!!
~SG
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| Bonus pic of the baben... in case you read all of that. |
Grandmom reads everything, and loves the pic!!
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