Buckle Up and Break Into Routine

I’m in a funk peeps. Not with writing....that seems to be going okay (knock on wood).

I’m in a funk with work. I love my job. I love the creative outlet I get and to socialize a little where children aren’t attached to whichever limb they can access first.

I enjoy the self gratification of having employment and let’s face it, my family literally needs the income to get by.

But....I’m missing my boys. Tremendously. Each morning my heart literally wants to scream out that I must stay at home.

I think it’s the hours that I’m gone. It isn’t working.

I spoke last week about how Lil Mister has gotten it in his head that he is the top dog around these parts. But it’s more than just that!

I don’t mind the work. I don’t mind leaving the house at all. But I’m out the door 6:30 am and usually walk in around 5:30 pm. Then we have dinner and baths and by the time that’s done...it’s bed time. I’m exhausted all the time.

LJ still isn’t sleeping through and neither does Lil Mister. Nights like last night, I fell asleep around 9pm. Didn’t even wake up when Hubby went to bed! At 10:30pm I wake up on the couch and LJ is moaning. I pick him up and we head to the bed. At midnight, he is awake again. I stand with him and shush him back to sleep. At 2am....he wakes again for a bottle. At 3am Lil Mister woke up and it took 15 minutes to get him settled and back to sleep. LJ woke up at 5am for the day....Lil Mister at 5:30am.

I mean literally people....I’m exhausted. And I miss them. Each day they’re getting bigger. And I feel like the bigger they get, the less time we have each day. I can’t seem to get it together enough to cook dinner, bath and have play time.

I’ve had too much going on in my mind. So...I came to a decision.

I need time with them as much as they need time with me. Hubby and I also need time together. And this Mamma needs to get her ish together enough to not be passing out at 8pm every single night! LoL

Therefore, my plan for action.

I need to figure out a night time routine which allows me to get things needed done and spend time just playing with the kids. I see it in LJ’s clinginess towards me and Lil Misters’ frustration that they aren’t getting enough play time with Mommy and Daddy. They’re fighting for more. So that is what we’re going to do.

Hubby and I have let the TV rule slip. So NO MORE. After work, the TV stays off. I need to get myself back into packing bags and lunches after the kids sleep as well.

It’s getting warmer out so I want to start letting the kids spend about 30 minutes after work outside with Hubby and me, riding bikes, etc.

And then after dinner and baths, story time and quiet play with us.

And probably most important....walks! We need to get back to taking evening walks as a family!

Here is my hopeful schedule:

5:30pm At the house

Until 6pm Outside play

6pm Bath and prepare dinner

6:30pm eat

After dinner, we play whatever the boys want to as a family.

7:15 head to room with LJ. LJ gets some one on one time. We read a story and say prayer.

7:30 LJ is laid down for the bed

8:15 head to room with Lil Mister. Same story

8:30 Lil Mister bed time

It’s simple. I just need to stick with it and get into routine. I pray for God’s strength....Hubby’s patience....and my commitment because Mommy likes cuddles on the couch lol

If the kids are actually asleep by 8:30 then I still have enough time to make lunches and pack bags with Hubby’s help. By 9:30, we’re in bed for nightly devotion.

I know for a lot of mom’s this seems silly, but I was never a big one for routines. Growing up, my dad worked over the road and my mom worked shifts. Tonight I was at home, tomorrow night I was at my grandmas and the next night at my aunts. I acclimated fine because it was what I’d always known.

When Lil Mister was born...I also worked shifts and Hubby was on 24/7 call outs. Routine didn’t make sense in our lives. But now, my rambunctious 3 year olds tantrums show me he needs it and my almost 1 year olds constant clinginess shows me he demands it!

Another thing that has prevented routines until now was the lack of a car. Why you ask? Because so much in my life depended on other peoples availability. If I needed to go to the grocery store and the only time someone was available was at 6pm....then that is when we went. Also, if I had to make doctors appointments they were normally around 5pm. With the walking we did to get there and back....sometimes we weren’t home until 7pm.

Now, we’ve been blessed and can finally set up a routine. Please pray for us! ;-) I’m actually looking forward to this because I think it will solve tantrums and allow all of us to feel more whole in the time we are getting with each other!

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XOXxx

Shana Danae..