Our current rhythm

For a while I struggled to maintain any sort of daily routine, mostly because our days were so different when we were home and when we were at my parents and we were always transitioning. But sadly, we haven't had that "problem" for a while now and once I got over the whole morning sickness thing this spring, we did easily find our rhythm.

I wrote it down a few days ago so that Craig could have some idea of what Lucy is used to when he plays "Mr. Mom" post-baby. Some of this he knows because I try to keep meals and nap at the same time on his days off but we're pretty flexible so even that isn't consistent - hmm, perhaps that's why we always struggle with a cranky toddler on Sundays? But I thought it would be a neat thing to record for posterity's sake.

A day in our life

 (*Craig's night shift schedule edits)

~6:30 (Can vary from 6-7:30, Lucy will wake up when I do so I have absolutely no incentive to wake up before her and even though her bedtime is consistent, her mornings aren't).

Breakfast and kitchen clean-up/Daddy to bed

Story time on the couch (~20 minutes or however long it takes to read every single library book we've checked out)

Mommy showers, gets dressed, makes my bed

Lucy gets dressed and makes her bed

Start load laundry

Outside play (In the heat of the summer, we moved this to immediately after breakfast as it was too hot to be outside after 8:30 or so. Once it starts to get cooler, I'll try to move it to a later "free play" time)

~9:00/9:30 Snack (If she is staaaarrrving at a non-snack time, she is allowed fruit)

Activity of the day (M = cleaning day, T = library and story time, W/R = "school time")

Craig is about to start working weekends so this will be all messed up. I thought we would keep the same days just shift (the first day daddy works we clean, the second we go to the library, etc) but now she knows the days of the week so that won't work and like a typical toddler she tends to get really upset when little things like this are "wrong"- wish me luck!

Free play

11:00 Lunch

Bible - We got over our bible memory verses together

Work book - If she requests it...but she always does :-)

Free play

1:00 Naptime 2 books/chapters, goodnight

2:30-3:30 Wake up/Daddy included

Snack

Free play/Family play

Daily tidy up/Make dinner

5:30-6:00 - Daddy's home!/Daddy's already home probably playing with Lucy outside while I cook

6:00 Dinner

Family time/Daddy get's ready for work

7:00 Start bedtime routine: Bath, Jammies, Teeth, 2 books/chapters, goodnight/Daddy leaves for work

8:00-8:30 - Asleep

I was really worried about how Craig's being on night shift would affect us but that ended up being a really easy transition, for Lucy and I at least, so I'm guessing weekend work will be less messy than I'm expecting too. And obviously this whole routine will change when baby arrives but I hope to keep the timed events (nap, meals, etc) consistent. We'll see what little dewey thinks about that :-)

Also, all the "free times" make me laugh because it sounds like Lucy's just playing while I can do things  on my own but that is rarely the case. Free time often means "Mommy, let's read a book," "Mommy, help me do a puzzle" and "Mommy, play a game with me." But that's just life with a not-so-independent 2 year old, right?