The routine of things

The former teacher in me loves routines. In my educational training, they always emphasized having a routine so children feel secure in their environment. I, personally, like schedules because I don't really care for down time. Having a baby, however, was an entirely different ballgame for me. When Lainey was first born, I had no idea what to do with my time because A) I was not used to not going to work and B) I had no idea when this little being would want to sleep, eat or nap. Believe me, I read every parenting book before she was born, but they did not help. I attempted to implement the E.A.S.Y. routine from the Baby Whisperer from the moment we brought Lainey home. That routine emphasizes first eating then an activity then sleeping and then you time. You time didn't exist for me because Lainey usually fell off the routine at sleep. The child would not sleep. She fought it and fought it. When I finally would get her down, any noise would wake her up (the firetrucks endlessly running behind our house, our neighbors dog, etc). I couldn't figure out what to do in the case she would not sleep. Did I feed her again in a few hours? Did I attempt another activity? Did I jump out a window? I tried all of those (except the last) but they only irritated her. Up until she was about 7 months, I would walk around with her in my sling, which at least kept her calm. Gradually, though, Lainey came around. At about 7 months, we finally started getting our groove. The other day when I was searching for something in "My Documents" I came across a routine I created when she was about 6 months, which inspired this post. I can't really remember what we did for the first 5 months of her life, so I figured I would start keeping track now. I have found that it is best not to be on a strict schedule, though, because that makes life boring. These are just some of the "guidelines" we've gone by to ensure a happy baby and a happy mom : )



6  - 9 months


Weekly Breakdown
Monday
Morning: Run errands

Tuesday
Morning: Hang out with Liam W. and his mommy

Wednesday
Morning: Library story time
Afternoon: Running with Aunt Lindsay

Thursday
Morning: Gymnastics

Friday
Morning: Field trip (Children's Museum, park, etc.)

Daily Breakdown
7:00 a.m. : Mom gets ready
8:00 a.m. : Solid food, milk, get dressed
9:00 a.m. : Mom reads nursery rhymes, play with blocks while mom checks e-mails, pays bills
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. : Morning activity or errands, milk
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. : "Nap" (not very consistent at this point)
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.: Afternoon activity or errands
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.: In sling dance with mom, sometimes nap while mom straightens up the house and makes dinner (sometimes bounce in doorway jumper)
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.: Walk around neighborhood in jogger
6:00 p.m.: Solid food
6:30 p.m.: Eat Os in high chair while mom and dad eat dinner
7:00 p.m.: Bath then milk
8:00 p.m.: Bed


9 - 10 Months


Weekly Breakdown
Monday: 
Morning: go to the gym with mom
Afternoon: gymnastics


Tuesday: 
Afternoon: Gymboree music class, go the gym with mom


Wednesday:
Morning: Wonderful Weekdays at church
Afternoon: Gymboree open gym, go to the gym with mom


Thursday:
Morning: open gym at Gymboree
Afternoon: go to the gym with mom

Friday:
Afternoon: go to the gym with mom, open gym at Gymboree

Daily Breakdown
6:00 a.m.: Milk, solid food breakfast, get dressed
8:00 a.m.: Mom reads a book, independent play while mom checks e-mails, pays bills
9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.: Morning activity, errands (11:00 a.m. solid food lunch, milk)
12:00 - 2:00 p.m.: Take a nap, pretty consistently - yea!
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.: Afternoon activity, errands
5:30 p.m.: eat solid food dinner
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.: "Help" mom cook dinner and clean the house by banging pots and pans in the kitchen
6:30 p.m.: Drink milk in high chair while mom and dad eat dinner
7:00 p.m.: Bath then hang out with family (read books or watch tv on Thursdays)
8:30 - 9:00 p.m.: Bed