Making Time

Since the introduction of agenda books in middle school, I've known that organizing your time and routine are important things.  I've just never been very good or consistent in this regard.  I always thought that I would just pick it up when I really needed to.  It never occurred to me that I would have to practice organizing my time like any other skill, or that routine wouldn't just come naturally for each part of my life.

This is especially true for motherhood.  Now more than ever, I'm finding that I really need routine and schedules.  Logan has a rough routine; he's generally up around 7 or 8 in the morning, usually naps around noon or 1 in the afternoon (for anything from half an hour to three hours on a really good day!), and then we bath around 8.  Beyond that, we don't have much of a routine.  

Meals have been a "wing it" situation, which has probably contributed to his off-and-on relationship with solid food.  Logan is a big fruit eater, and he loves yogurt and cheese, but there's not much else that passes his lips without a fuss.  I know that children can be picky eaters.  It feels like I just haven't been consistent enough with food, though.  That's something I really need to work on.  I would like to sit down with one of my mommy-friends (probably my sister), and work on a meal plan for Logan.  A two-week variety of meals, so I know what to buy, and can prepare most of it ahead of time.  Freeze-and-reheat foods are great!  I definitely want more veggies in Logan's diet, and protein. 

Playtime is his time to roam around the living room with a movie in the background.  Up until the last few days, Logan has been big on playing on his own.  Now, he wants more of my attention.  I need to get used to this in a hurry; I've always used his playtime to either do things around the house, or work on knitting and crochet projects.  I think it's time to create a bit of structured playtime, though.  Sensory activities, quick games to work on fine motor skills and things like colors and shapes.  He's started pointing to things, saying "Dish" (which I interpret as "this"), so I will give him the word for what he's pointing at.  When we play, I always try to mention the color and shape of objects (red square, yellow circle, etc...).  Most of the time it feels like enough, but now that Logan is more curious about objects, I think we can do more learning games.

Reading is another area we could work on.  I've been reading Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone to Logan whenever I can at bedtime (which is another routine without routine...), but he often grabs at the book and becomes more alert at the sound of my voice.  I have also tried to read to him while he's playing, but again, he grabs at the book and makes it hard to get through a single page.  He loves to flip through and play with the durable cardboard baby books, though.  I think we'll be snagging some more of those for him, and I will make a point to read a few with his every day.  And, I will continue Harry Potter!

Outings have started to become more regular.  Since I started going to the gym, I get out three times a week for that, in the mornings.  After the gym we do any quick errands that need doing, then come home for a quiet afternoon.  Gym days are often the days he naps the best, since he is usually in the childcare, playing with the other kids and getting his energy out.  Non-gym days have been a little different.  Last week I was very good about getting out of the house, since the weather was so nice.  We took Ria for walks, and went to the park to play for a little while.  Again, he napped better after these outings.  This week, though, has been cold and windy, and since Logan doesn't have a proper winter coat yet (I'm working on it!  It's very hard to find a good used one...), I am wary of taking him out for too long in the cold and wind and rain.  He also needs a hat and mittens.  I made him a pair of mittens that were supposed to fit a 2 year old, but either the pattern was full of BS, or my kid has huge hands, because I couldn't get his little digits in those things for all the bacon in the world!  Getting some outer wear for Logan will really help get us out of the house more, and in turn, make his napping better.

(This is getting really long, but I have one more thing to cover!)

And now we're on to bath and bedtime.  Baths are pretty routine now that we have a tub.  Logan lights up with a grin when you say it's bath time.  He's got lots of bath toys, including a little basketball game for the tub, complete with a net that sticks to the wall.  Last week, he even started putting the balls in the basket!  After the bath, we go to his room, lights dim, his night-sounds playing, and rub lavender lotion all over him until he looks sleepy.  Then it's off to the living room for a bottle.  Nice and routine-ish.  Bed time, on the other hand, is crazy.  Some nights he will have a bath, take a bottle, and fall asleep.  Most nights, though, he will want to play for an hour.  Or more.  And then he's nibbling on the bottles and gets super cranky, which doesn't help with getting him calm.  Some nights he doesn't go to sleep until 11.  It is very frustrating, and the area where I feel like I have the least control over the routine.  What can I do if he's not ready for sleep?

There are many areas where I know I need to work on creating a routine, and be more consistent.  And I will.  Things will get easier and more regular around here.  It will just take some time.