I feel like our life is a little bit of chaos right now - wonderful chaos - but chaos nonetheless.
But I know this season will pass (eventually) so I've been wanting to chronicle this time so someday I can look back on it.
So here's a snapshot of how our days go right now.
Arden is 25 months & Turner is 5.5 months.
Taylor has been traveling a lot - we have a slightly different rhythm when he's here, but this is what it's currently like when I'm flying solo with two kiddos!
445am
My alarm goes off.
I'm not much of a snoozer so I usually drag myself out of bed right away.
It's an early wake-up call (I usually get up at 5a when Taylor is in town), but when Taylor is out of town I find that I need those extra 15 minutes since I'm handling everything by myself.
I get semi-dressed & head downstairs.
5am
Quick pilates workout in the living room.
Drink water before/during/after.
Most days 10-15 minutes is all I have time for but it's something and it works, and that's the reason I absolutely LOVE Pilates.
This month I'm making a dedicated effort to fit in a workout at least 5x per week and so far have been successful!
515am
Pump.
Usually around 10 minutes.
I really can't wait until I can drop this pump session, but you produce the most milk in the morning so even the 2-3oz that I pump helps me keep up a good freezer stash.
530am
Make breakfast for me & Arden (and Taylor when he's in town).
Every single day I eat 1 egg with toast for breakfast. It's my favorite. Lately I've been spreading avocado on my toast too.
Coffee (french press) for mom (and dad).
Most days I make an egg for Arden as well.
Sometimes we spice it up and add a piece of turkey bacon or a side of sweet potatoes (if we have them ready) or lentils.
Sometimes Arden gets oatmeal. With "ray rays" (raisins).
She always has milk with breakfast.
Empty dishwasher while making breakfast.
Also pack my lunch & snacks for work.
I try to bring my lunch most days.
Sometimes I have work lunches.
I always, always need snacks though.
#pumpingmomlife
I typically have snack #1 of oatmeal or toast/waffle w/ PB around 9am, and then usually snack #2 of yogurt, nuts or fruit around 11am.
Lunch around noon.
Then snack #3 around 2pm (usually crackers and cheese, fruit and nuts, etc.)
I try really had to have most snacks (and meals for that matter) include a good amount of protein.
And lastly, I prep my pump stuff to take to work (I usually leave most parts at work but there's a handful of stuff I bring every day: ice pack, empty milk bags, etc.)
545am
Put my dirty breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.
Thaw milk from the freezer for Turner's bottles for daycare.
(Right now he gets 3x 4.5 oz bottles while I'm at work: 8a, 11a, and 2p).
Get all bags packed and loaded into the car.
The number of bags we take every day is astounding.
1. My work bag
2. My pump bag (goes inside my work bag)
3. Arden's backpack
4. Turner's diaper bag
On Mondays we also have Arden's nap mat.
It's a lot of stuff.
615am
Wake Arden, cuddle, get her dressed.
Yes, our toddler now demands to cuddle every morning.
We sit on the sofa in her room and chat a little as she wakes up.
It's cute.
Most days she's easygoing about what to wear.
Occasionally it's a battle.
I can usually distract her with promises of breakfast.
630am
I usually set Arden up in her high chair with breakfast and then head upstairs to get Turner.
Dress Turner, then bring him downstairs & feed him while Arden finishes breakfast.
Turner gets a few minutes to play while I clean Arden up and put away the rest of the dirty breakfast dishes.
Then load kiddos into the car.
655am
It's a bit exact, but I've found that 655a is the latest we can comfortably leave the house.
5 mins later and we have to rush.
705am
Get to daycare.
Unload all kiddo stuff.
99% of the time Arden is awesome at drop off. There are a few days here and there where she doesn't want me to leave, but most of the time she waves bye and blows kisses when I walk out.
730am
Arrive at work.
8a & 11a & 2p
Pump times at work.
We are super lucky & have an awesome "mom room" at work.
It's a dedicated room for pumping mommas and has a fridge (where we can store breastmilk during the day), a sink (where we can wash parts) + a drying rack, and then storage so we can leave our pump bags in the room & not have to cart them around with us all day.
Currently I share the room with 4 other girls so we have a schedule and we each have our time slots to use throughout the day.
330pm
Leave work to get the kiddos.
345pm
Get kids from daycare.
Arden has a snack in the car on the way home. I found that this helps tide her off until dinner PLUS it's a fab distraction to get her out of daycare and into her car seat.
I try to vary the snacks and keep them moderately healthy, but I'm also super opposed to messy things in the car so it's often peanut butter sandwich crackers (the ones from Trader Joes are our FAV), goldfish, wheat thins, a bar (loving kids RX bars currently), etc.
4pm
Get home & get Turner down for a nap!
This is a new thing that I've been trying for the past two weeks and it's AWESOME when I can leave work on time and actually get him home and in his crib by 4pm. Sometimes I leave work a little late and then he takes a catnap at school and then I can't always get him down at home and he gets overtired by the time bedtime rolls around. It is SO ideal if I can get him to nap from 3-4pm.
Turner just isn't a great napper at school.
He usually only takes 1-2 twenty minute naps!!!
(That makes me cringe!!)
So in light of that I started this new schedule and for the most part it's great.
While Turner naps from 4-5p, Arden and I play and start to get dinner ready.
Sometimes she's hungry and wants another snack, but since it's so close to dinner, I usually only give her things that I'd consider an extension of dinner (so a cheese stick, or a piece of fruit).
5pm
Get Turner up (Arden usually comes up and "helps"), then feed him.
Have dinner with Arden.
I've been trying to get better about sitting down with her at the table to eat.
When Taylor is in town I usually wait and eat later with him, but when he's gone I try to eat dinner with her.
530pm
Play!
Turner often ends up in his bouncer & Arden plays while I clean up dinner dishes.
When I'm done we all move to the living room and play on the floor, read books, etc.
615pm
Start getting Turner ready for bed.
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