Taking Over

 I'm very lucky to have my mom come and help me while I have the baby at home and while we all adjust to this new change. So I have thought a lot about what she would need to know to survive.  Also, we are taking a Love and Logic class which has made me think about all the things I do for the kids that they really could do by or for themselves.  We've talked a lot about setting up chores for the kids, which I have a hard time doing.  Since the best way for me to think is to write, I wrote down what happens on a typical week day.

Girls generally wake up first between 6:30 and 7:00. Robert wakes up between 7:00-7:30. Hannah is my alarm clock.

I first get milk for everyone and put them at the table. Hannah gets ¼ tsp of calcium with her milk in a sippy cup. Robert picks between Rice milk and regular milk. Breakfast has been cereal (they pick what they want and generally have two or three different kinds). I think they are getting bored of cereal, so I have waffles now. There is also fruit and toast. Sometimes Robert will ask for fruit snacks but I try to save those for snack time. Breakfast generally stays on the table until morning snack and sometimes even lunch time because mornings are busy and it gives them something to snack on. While Hannah’s still at the table and has eaten something, we give her 0.5 ml Keppra.

I shower while they eat breakfast and during that time Nate gets out of bed to manage kids at the table.

Hailey gets dressed all by herself (even socks and shoes but can’t tie her tennis shoes yet).  Robert picks out his own clothes and generally gets dressed by myself. (He needs help with socks if he chooses to wear socks) He can put on his own shoes but generally doesn’t.

Hannah of course needs help with everything but is pretty easy to change.

Those who are ready can go with Hailey to school. We’ve been taking the car recently and need to leave by 7:55am.  I drop Hailey off at the front doors.

Nathan generally leaves between 8:30-9:00am most days though he wants to leave earlier.

After I drop off Hailey, then I’m able to have/finish my breakfast.  Robert and Hannah just hang around upstairs since they don’t like being downstairs without me.  Sometimes I try to have reading time with them (I would like to do morning devotional during this time but hasn’t worked out much).

Also if I need kid free space, I’ll turn on Dragon Tales on the computer and they watch ONE show while I fix my hair, start laundry, straighten up the rooms, or work on the kitchen.

Monday and Wednesday, Robert has preschool at 9:30-10:30. Everyone is just 5 minutes away. During the hour, Hannah and I usually run errands.

Tuesday is dance and Thursday is story time. Both start at 10:00am and are generally ½ hour long.  I try to leave the house at 9:30am to give Robert the opportunity to go potty at these places. However, lately he doesn’t like my suggestion and fights this so going early isn’t too helpful.  Both events are just for Robert and Hannah stays outside in the lobby area. I bring toys and books for her but she just likes running around and playing on the stairs.  There are lots of toys to play with at the library and we generally hang out until the kids start fighting with others. Robert likes to pick out books before we go. 

CAUTION!!! Robert runs away to the car after both library and dance, while I am waddling behind with Hannah.  There is no solution to this but I have always found him again at the car or in the grass close to the car. It’s frustrating but he is generally safe and easy to find.

We just waste time after our activities until it’s time to pick up Hailey again (11:50).  It we are walking, Hannah’s in the stroller and Robert is pretty good about staying close by unless he is mad.  It takes us 10 minutes to walk so we leave at 11:35-11:40.  Taking the car is easier but parking fills quick (leave around 11:40-11:45). We pick up Hailey at the side of the building this time. Do not park at the yellow railing because that is left for the ELC bus. You can leave the kids in the car but keep the keys with you especially if Robert is in the booster seat and can unbuckle himself. If you happen to be late, they take her to the office.

For lunch I start by putting small snack items at the table (fruit snacks, fishies, pretzels, or raisins) while I heat up the main dish for them (mini corn dogs, pizza rolls, chicken nuggets, taquitos, or sandwiches). It is water time at lunch for everyone. Hannah can have plastic cups with water but does sippy cups with milk. Sometimes we have fruit and cucumbers with lunch but lately I’ve been forgetting.  After the kids have everything, then I eat whatever I feel like.

After lunch is potty time for Robert, just remind him and encourage him but it doesn’t happen all the time anymore.  Hannah then takes a nap.  After you change her diaper, put the basket on top of the changing table or she’ll play with it in her bed.  Hannah picks out her song, I give tons of kisses, makes sure she has her special sucking blanket and bear.  Nigh-night time is her key phrase to know to sleep and I put up the gate leaving her door a little open.  She shouldn’t fight this much. If she whines a little just ignore it. She generally sleeps from 1-3pm.

Hailey and Robert have to play downstairs because it’s quiet time upstairs.  They generally watch Netflix shows through the Wii while they play.  Robert picks his show first (usually Blue’s Clues) then Hailey picks (usually Dora).  Hailey can change between shows after it is set up.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You have been it through the busiest part of the day and have TWO HOURS to yourself.  I generally nap, craft, clean, or waste time on computer.

Around 3:00pm, Hannah wakes up and it’s nap time.  If Robert hasn’t had an accident yet, consider yourself lucky. Most likely, he has pooped his pants while down stairs and needs a cool bath. Encourage him to do most of the cleaning of himself and of his clothes by himself. I’ve never been able to find the wet spot of the floor so I have stopped looking for it. Now it’s snack time. They can pick out 2 snacks from the clear bucket (which has fruit snacks) or the blue bucket (which has fishies, raisins, misc snacks.)

I start cooking dinner around 4:00-4:30 to have things ready by 5:15pm when Nate comes home.

I try to get the kids to help me set the table some days. Hannah is my biggest helper with this. After dinner everyone clears up their own plates. (Hannah even tries to help). Hannah gets calcium sprinkled on her food and gets Keppra also. After dinner, the kids pick on PJs while I do dishes (POTTY TIME REMINDER FOR ROBERT). Then we go downstairs to clean up. If they are done early (by 6:15) then they can watch one show.  We have stories around 6:30pm, then scriptures, prayer, last time drinks of WATER, and potty time. Songs are done in individual rooms. Turn on sound makers, give lots of love, and leave the room.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are done for the day and it’s only 7:00pm.

Little Tricks and Pointers

Night time songs-Robert likes praise to the man (with actions) or wise man and foolish man

if Hannah points in the air with both hands she wants Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

if Hannah points to her ear with one hand she wants Wise Man and Foolish Man

General seat arrangement is Robert in back, Hailey in booster seat, and Hannah in front.

If Robert wants the booster seat, then Hannah goes in back, and Hailey gets front with the lap belt instead of the 5 point harness but still with the built-in booster seat down.

ALWAYS keep your keys with you because Robert will lock the side doors.

Discipline-for tiny incidents like annoying siblings (or mommy) we count them and say that’s one. When they get to three it is bedroom time.  Once they stopped screaming in their room, then the stay in one minute for each year that they are. (Robert 3, Hailey 5) Hannah does go in her room when she’s crying uncontrollable but generally gets right back out and is just fine. She’ll go to her room if you tell her to.  For big incidents like hitting, we sing Uh-oh! And they go to their rooms immediately.

However, since this post is about completely taking over what I do, I need to mention that on top of taking care of kids, I still have the dumb house to deal with.  I like FLY-lady's approach to getting it all done but still have a hard time actually doing it.  Besides daily dishes, I am trying to focus on one room a day.

Mondays -Robert's Room, Bath Night, and Groceries/Errands

Tuesdays- Girls' Room and Laundry

Wednesdays-Parent's Room and Bath Night

Thursdays- Living Room and Laundry

Fridays-Kitchen and Bath Night

Saturdays- Bathroom, Downstairs, and yet again MORE LAUNDRY!!!

Every other week, I do the linens and towels.  I feel like all I ever do is laundry.

This system though simple and should only take 30 minutes each day to do is still very difficult for me to do consistently.  I usually combine a couple of days together but I'm working on it and that's a good sign.  I somehow need to fit cleaning the car and taking care of outside in there somewhere too.  I try to remember to throw out all the trash from the car away when filling up gas. 

So this is what this very busy stay-at-home mom does all day, every day and sometimes I think Nathan has it easier. BUT I would choose this over anything else.  I know having small kids at home won't last very long at all.