I thought you might like to know what a typical day is like for our family, so here's how the schedule looks these days:
3am, Mom stumbles out of bed to pump, and Dad gives his nightly report; hopefully Gabe and Maddy are sleeping in their room, with the cats standing guard.
4am, Dad stumbles off to bed, while Mom feeds Maddy and Gabe and gingerly puts them back to bed in their room, fingers crossed that they'll stay asleep so she can do what she's doing right now.
6am, Mom pumps and has breakfast and ONE CUP of delicious coffee that she missed dearly when she was preggers; everyone else is sleeping and all is right with the world.
8am, Mom turns on lights and opens curtains; feeds Maddy and Gabe and lets them have some time to hang out before their morning nap in the living room; Dad is snoring.
9am, Mom pumps and Dad gets up and cheerfully (ha) goes off to work; Mom takes a fast and furious shower, her ears keenly attuned so as to hear any sort of cry.
12pm, Maddy and Gabe eat lunch and then take an afternoon nap in their swings; Mom pumps and has some lunch of her own, then watches her stories/soaps (ah, the joys of maternity leave); Dad is grinding away at his rigorous job, all the while wishing he was home with Mom and babies watching One Life to Live.
3pm, Mom pumps and gets a box of Kleenex out for Oprah; babies are sleeping and Dad calls to check in.
4pm, Maddy and Gabe have a snack and then take an evening nap in their bouncers; Mom checks her work email; misses her job and realizes how lucky she is that she feels that way. Dad is being the best Production Assistant he can be.
6pm, Mom pumps and Dad comes home from work, which is good because this is when babies start getting really active.
8pm, Maddy and Gabe have a bath, eat dinner, and enjoy some QT with Dad before their nighttime nap; Mom and Dad have dinner too, though not usually at the same time. Mom enjoys ONE GLASS of red wine that she missed dearly when she was preggers.
10pm, Mom pumps and stumbles off to bed, and it's time for Dad to fire up the coffee maker. 10 to 11 is what Dad calls, "the witching hour." Babies are very fussy now. Mom puts in earplugs.
12am, Maddy and Gabe wake up for one last bite before going to bed in their room; Mom is drooling on her pillow, and Dad gets ready to watch something on the History Channel.
*This schedule is subject to change depending on babies' digestion, Mom's mood, and Dad's "sleep bank." Please allow time for washing all those bottles, doing all that laundry, and changing all those diapers.
So...right about now the Crown Prince and Her Majesty are snoozin'...Dad's at work...and mom's watchin the soaps, yeah?
ReplyDeleteWatch out...here come the masses to disrupt your "peaceful" schedule!!! :) Only 4 days to go!!!