How about I let you finish that sentence!!
I am head over heels in love with having a little girl. I try to really value and appreciate each milestone, moment, or event that we are given. I try not to "wish" time away, but man oh man, there are days that are long, and just beyond my ability to reason with a 19 month old. I had a nice reprieve this weekend and was super excited to pick up Brooke on Sunday.
However, we weren't in the car for more than 15 minutes and she started this ear piercing screaming; I'm talking top of the lungs, Maria Carey decimal--screaming. I tried ignoring it, but she continued to do it and we had a good 40 minutes left.
I turned around and told her, "NO!" sternly, and already felt that sense failure as a parent. I didn't get it. I hear how well she was at my Dad's and now she's miserable…
That was just the tip of the iceberg--we get home and it was literally one tantrum, after tantrum, flailing, thrashing, banging head on the cupboard.
It was 5:00 pm, so I figured she was hungry and boy, I could NOT make dinner for her fast enough. Joe wasn't home yet, so I gave her a banana while I made her the organic Annie's mac and cheese--- I was hoping we were grabbing cheeseburger (like the plan was) but Joe wanted Italian and I didn't, so now I was faced with having to make her and us a meal--while I had her and myself in tears.
Now, I know I was over-reacting; it was a damn cheeseburger, but I really wanted one!! I would have grabbed it for lunch. Oh well, I'm over it now, but I'm telling you, Sunday night I went from calm, cool, and collected, to--what in the world?!?
I quickly gave her a bath after her dinner and then Joe stepped in for a bit. He worked on "potty time" with her…and then she peed on our bathroom floor. She calmed down a bit, played, had some dessert and she was pretty tired, so by 7:30 she was in bed. She slept until 7:30 this morning, so I'd say she needed some sleep.
Monday? So far so good. I hate to be on a schedule, but I think that a "routine" works well for us. This is what we were doing last week and what seems to be helpful…some days we have plans or appointments so things get shifted and we just bob and weave, and go with the flow.
I may want to refer to this later for baby 2 when he/she is older, so here is what we are up to at 19 months:
7-8am wakeup
She gets her milk, plays a bit and usually wants all the berries while I prep breakfast.
8:30 breakfast
9:00 morning walk-LOVE this lately, she is calm but stimulated, I get to move a bit and all is well.
9:30 I drink my pink lemonade Spark and I give her a little TV time. I need this time to set myself up for the day; look at my email, and write my to do list.
10:00-10:30ish "School" I'm calling it. We do one-on-one activities, that I am hoping to do more posts on. Basically I pull out anything that I don't like her using without my supervision. This makes it special, because she can't just get at these things without me.
10:30 snack
11:00 I shower and sometimes she'll nap, sometimes she'll watch a little MMC while I get ready.
12:00/12:30 is lunch
1:00 We may run a few errands, or she may need her nap now. I really kind of go by what she's feeling.
2:00/3:00 Outside play. She just adores playing outside, so we either hang around outside the house or maybe go to a park. Bubbles, chalk, slides, swings, playing in the dirt. Whatever. Just get that child outdoors!
4:00 snack time
4:30 Quiet play, books, play dough, coloring
5:00/5:30 dinner
followed by bath
If Joe is home we may go for a family walk or just play. She winds down with a cup of milk and a little more reading.
8:00 bed time (earlier/later)
Like I said, we are not really into schedules, but this is a good idea of what our daily routine is like. Today we left the house at 9:15 for her Dr's appointment and didn't return until 12:30, as we hit up Trader Joe's and the Dairy. She fell asleep for about 15 minutes in the car, so around 2:45 I put her down, but watching the monitor, she's still not sleeping another 15 minutes later. She's reading, singing, talking, and playing with her lovies. If she starts to cry, I'll go get her, but other than that, I think that a little "Down time" for both mama and baby is good.
I am able to sit with a cup of mint tea, a croissant, the candle is lit, jazz music playing…and I feel baby #2 kicking away. I try to allow myself a little more rest time, knowing that my body is so busy growing a bean! I have been super productive and getting so much done, I deserve a seat every once in awhile!
A small respite in a crazy day.
What tricks do you use while entertaining your toddler during the day? I am all ears!
I am head over heels in love with having a little girl. I try to really value and appreciate each milestone, moment, or event that we are given. I try not to "wish" time away, but man oh man, there are days that are long, and just beyond my ability to reason with a 19 month old. I had a nice reprieve this weekend and was super excited to pick up Brooke on Sunday.
However, we weren't in the car for more than 15 minutes and she started this ear piercing screaming; I'm talking top of the lungs, Maria Carey decimal--screaming. I tried ignoring it, but she continued to do it and we had a good 40 minutes left.
I turned around and told her, "NO!" sternly, and already felt that sense failure as a parent. I didn't get it. I hear how well she was at my Dad's and now she's miserable…
That was just the tip of the iceberg--we get home and it was literally one tantrum, after tantrum, flailing, thrashing, banging head on the cupboard.
It was 5:00 pm, so I figured she was hungry and boy, I could NOT make dinner for her fast enough. Joe wasn't home yet, so I gave her a banana while I made her the organic Annie's mac and cheese--- I was hoping we were grabbing cheeseburger (like the plan was) but Joe wanted Italian and I didn't, so now I was faced with having to make her and us a meal--while I had her and myself in tears.
Now, I know I was over-reacting; it was a damn cheeseburger, but I really wanted one!! I would have grabbed it for lunch. Oh well, I'm over it now, but I'm telling you, Sunday night I went from calm, cool, and collected, to--what in the world?!?
I quickly gave her a bath after her dinner and then Joe stepped in for a bit. He worked on "potty time" with her…and then she peed on our bathroom floor. She calmed down a bit, played, had some dessert and she was pretty tired, so by 7:30 she was in bed. She slept until 7:30 this morning, so I'd say she needed some sleep.
Monday? So far so good. I hate to be on a schedule, but I think that a "routine" works well for us. This is what we were doing last week and what seems to be helpful…some days we have plans or appointments so things get shifted and we just bob and weave, and go with the flow.
I may want to refer to this later for baby 2 when he/she is older, so here is what we are up to at 19 months:
7-8am wakeup
She gets her milk, plays a bit and usually wants all the berries while I prep breakfast.
8:30 breakfast
9:00 morning walk-LOVE this lately, she is calm but stimulated, I get to move a bit and all is well.
9:30 I drink my pink lemonade Spark and I give her a little TV time. I need this time to set myself up for the day; look at my email, and write my to do list.
10:00-10:30ish "School" I'm calling it. We do one-on-one activities, that I am hoping to do more posts on. Basically I pull out anything that I don't like her using without my supervision. This makes it special, because she can't just get at these things without me.
10:30 snack
11:00 I shower and sometimes she'll nap, sometimes she'll watch a little MMC while I get ready.
12:00/12:30 is lunch
1:00 We may run a few errands, or she may need her nap now. I really kind of go by what she's feeling.
2:00/3:00 Outside play. She just adores playing outside, so we either hang around outside the house or maybe go to a park. Bubbles, chalk, slides, swings, playing in the dirt. Whatever. Just get that child outdoors!
4:00 snack time
4:30 Quiet play, books, play dough, coloring
5:00/5:30 dinner
followed by bath
If Joe is home we may go for a family walk or just play. She winds down with a cup of milk and a little more reading.
8:00 bed time (earlier/later)
Like I said, we are not really into schedules, but this is a good idea of what our daily routine is like. Today we left the house at 9:15 for her Dr's appointment and didn't return until 12:30, as we hit up Trader Joe's and the Dairy. She fell asleep for about 15 minutes in the car, so around 2:45 I put her down, but watching the monitor, she's still not sleeping another 15 minutes later. She's reading, singing, talking, and playing with her lovies. If she starts to cry, I'll go get her, but other than that, I think that a little "Down time" for both mama and baby is good.
I am able to sit with a cup of mint tea, a croissant, the candle is lit, jazz music playing…and I feel baby #2 kicking away. I try to allow myself a little more rest time, knowing that my body is so busy growing a bean! I have been super productive and getting so much done, I deserve a seat every once in awhile!
A small respite in a crazy day.
What tricks do you use while entertaining your toddler during the day? I am all ears!
girl Julian started preschool and i was never on a schedule but now it is easier and Julian seems more rested . he is in bed by 8. but it is hard sometimes i just does not want to fall asleep. but now that he is in bed i seem to get more rest. i have been buying more coloring books, crafts and he loves play dough, glad you are doing while. so cute baby bean is growing. so happy for you
ReplyDeleteour "schedule" is pretty much exact as yours mama! We also pretty much live off how she wakes up that morning lol naptimes everything.. i find that getting her to lotsa playdates or the water table in the back yard keeps her entertained and happy the most.. and i know it's so hard some days i just wish like "oh god soon she'll be over this, right?!" and then am sad cuz i don't want her to grow up lol
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