It's March, and I can hardly believe it. My babies are 10 weeks old today. The last couple of nights they have gone 5.5 hours between feedings. That translates into me getting about 4.5 hours of sleep at once. I have more of a routine these days. If I didn't have a schedule, nothing would happen around here. I'll share it with you though it may bore you to tears.
6:30-7 Wake up and feed the babies (usually).
7-8 Nursing, Burping, Diaper Changing
8 Lay the babies down for naps
8-8:30 Get ready for the day and eat breakfast
8:30-9 Clean up the kitchen and dining room, empty and load the dishwasher, start a load of laundry
9-10 Homeschool
10-11 Nursing, Burping, Diaper Changing
11 Lay the babies down for naps
11-12 Move laundry to dryer, do meal prep for dinner, prepare lunch
12-12:30 Lunch
12:30 Clean up after lunch and get Lucy ready for nap
1--Lay Lucy down for a nap and put her back in bed numerous times
1-2 Nursing, Burping, Diaper Changing
2-4 Somedays I nap, others I crochet or get online, or I watch BBC movies on Netflix (closest thing to "me" time I have)
3--Give kids snacks
4-5 Nursing, Burping, Diaper Changing
5-6 Do whatever needs to be done to ensure dinner is ready by 6.
6-6:30 Dinner
6:30-7 Clean up after dinner
7 Nursing, Burping, Diaper Changing
7-8 Occasional baths, Dave gets the big kids ready for bed and plays.
8-8:30 Showers for me and Dave
8:30-10 We watch TV or Arrested Development on Netflix (or whatever movie we're watching for our project)
10 Nursing, Burping Diaper Changing
3-4 Nursing, Burping Diaper Changing
And it goes on and on. This is my life. Thankfully, I don't mind it; it keeps me sane. It's not easy caring for three kids and newborn twins, but it CAN be done!
So, if you wonder how I do it all, there's my schedule. I don't clean my house (I hired a VERY reasonably priced housekeeper who comes every other week, and I recently had a friend who is helping on the off week so that it doesn't get too out of hand). I'm so thankful I am able to do this. If I wasn't able, I am sure Dave and I would just bust our tails on the weekends.
Life goes on. People say, "I don't know how you do it." It's just like any other difficult thing in life--you just DO IT. We do it because we love these kids--if you don't do it, that's called neglect!!! You just do what you have to do. It could be a lot harder, and I am thankful for how smooth it has been so far. And so you know, you don't have to do it like somebody else--you have got to find your own rhythm. This is what works for us right now.
Ask me in a couple of months, and I'm sure even this will have changed.
We're surviving. And perhaps it is premature, but I think thriving is around the corner.
"if you don't do it, that's called neglect!!!" Ha!
ReplyDeleteThat's what I keep telling myself when S has a dirty diaper and I gag the whole time I have to change it. =) I have no doubt thriving is right around the corner for y'all.
I think that may have just worn me out a little...can I take a nap now?!? I'm proud of you and I'm thankful the Lord has given you the grace to do it...you do it very well! :-)
ReplyDeleteEh, that sounds like a breeze, no biggie! :) Is that a better response than, "I don't know how you do it?" I've had folks say that just about my two. Come to think of it, I've had people respond that way to simply being married...granted that is more difficult than people think! I'm glad you've found a good routine, and I'm almost certain that's just how it worked out best rather than a concentrated effort of an excel spreadsheet on when you would do what. We learn what works and do that!
ReplyDeleteProud of you! Wish I could help in some way, but to tell you the truth, my days are about as scheduled as yours - maybe not quite so intense, but VERY scheduled. Love you! You're doing this crazy thing beautifully!
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