routine + Consistency = Happy Baby

Guys, I am a planner and THRIVE off of a routine, so I am actually thrilled to share my daily routine with you. I know motherhood can seem overwhelming but implementing a routine, of some sort, whatever that may look like for you, will help you stay motivated and focused throughout your day! Without further adieu:

A DAY IN THE LIFE.

• 6:30-8:30 We start our day

This all depends on how late Brooks sleeps. As much as I would love to be “that mom” who sets her alarm and is super productive before their babies wake up, I’m just not that mom. Maybe I will be one day! But for now, I take it as a pure gift when Brooks decides to sleep in and I gladly do the same. 🙂

• 8-9:30 Breakfast time

We usually play in Brooks’ room, read books, and wake up slow. Brooks will end up letting me know he’s ready for breakfast by looking at me and making all the chewing sounds, haha! Our breakfast menu usually consists of oatmeal, cereal, toast, or yogurt. Always paired with fresh fruit ( oranges, berries, banana, whatever we have on hand ). 

• 9:30-11:30 Free play

This is when mama drinks her coffee 😉 and we pull out some blocks, the basketball hoop, or the slide. Whatever Brooks is in the mood for, and we play. I usually turn on some music or a little show. ( I have seriously tried all the age-appropriate shows and have still been unsuccessful in getting Brooks to sit still and watch it. He has little to no interest in TV. LOL, I guess I can’t blame him, when I was little my punishment used to be sitting down to watch a show! Brooks and mama definitely have that in common! )

• 11:30 – ? Nap / Quiet time

As of about a week ago, we have started to enter the “I’m too busy to nap” stage. Brooks has never been a big napper, he gets most of his sleep at night, but lately, it’s been just about every other day that he’ll actually sleep. I keep the routine the same so that he knows what’s coming ( get a drink of water, change his diaper, get his paci and blanket, read a story, and rock / sing a song.) If his nap is successful this is when I’ll straighten up the house, get a workout in, have my bible / quiet time, or do a few chores. If the nap is unsuccessful, I’ll usually let him lay in there and play in bed, for at least 30 minutes so that I can at least load the dishwasher, haha! 

• 12:30-1:30 Lunchtime

For lunch, I usually make Brooks half a sandwich ( either a veggie / cheese sandwich or salami & veggie, with a side of “dip”, Brooks is all about dipping his sandwich in honey mustard, he gets that from his daddy! ) His sandwich is usually paired with carrots, some kind of cracker, and some kind of fruit.

• 1:30-3:30 Errands / free play

I usually like to try to leave the house at least once a day. I think it’s good for both Brooks, and me to have a change in scenery and get some fresh air. This is when I will go to the grocery store ( if Joe is home / available this is one I like to do together ), or any other errand I need to get done. In the warmer months, we like to go on walks or meet friends up at the park. In the cooler months, we like to go on a stroll around target or hobby lobby :), or a Starbucks run. It’s been hard with Covid because a lot of things we would normally do indoors, we can’t do. Some days we don’t leave the house and on those days I will think of a little craft, or we will make “soup” ( soup meaning, get a big bucket of water and some fun / toddler safe, kitchen utensils out), blow bubbles, or dance around the kitchen to fun music ( that is one of Brooks’ FAVORITES ) We also eat a snack around this time ( some raisins, or a granola bar ).

• 3:30-4:30 Wind down / dinner time

Around this time we will usually clean up all of our toys and I will prepare Brooks’ dinner. Because Brooks goes to bed early, I feed him what Joe and I eat the night before. I always set aside a little portion for him when I cook each night. He’ll eat any and everything, and I usually give him something sweet to end the night ( graham crackers dipped in dessert hummus, a cookie, or a piece of fruit. ) 

• 4:30-5:00 Bathtime / Jammies

I give Brooks a bath about every other night, depending on what we did that day. He absolutely loves the bath and I would do it every night, but I don’t want to dry out his skin. Something I actually do every night, without fail, is lather his skin in baby vaseline! I’ve done this since he was just a few weeks old and his skin is SO SOFT. We get our jammies on and brush teeth, and then we go around the whole house and say “night night” to any and everything that we can, haha! This includes Dada, Ricky, the Christmas tree, and his toys. Haha, he’s too funny. Brooks gets to pick out a few books, we dim the lights, turn on his humidifier and sound machine, and then we always end the night with prayers ( Brooks’ favorite person to pray for at the moment is his daddy. ) 

• 5:30-6:00 Bedtime

Brooks has gone to bed early since he was a little baby. I read that an overtired baby usually sleeps worse, so you should really pay attention to your child’s “tired cues” and act fast. 🙂 Brooks gets sleepy around this time in the evening and sleeps a good 13/14 hours, so I’m definitely not complaining. 

Once Brooks is down for the night I usually rest for 15-30 minutes and just sit in silence, haha, before I begin cleaning the kitchen only to cook again, LOL. I do cook every night, and I enjoy doing that for my family. ( Stay tuned for some easy, quick recipes! ) Joe and I try to eat dinner together every night and our dinner isn’t complete without a game! We play a game over dinner every night, no jokes. Usually either Uno, Guess Who, or Sorry. Haha! After I clean dinner it’s my time to finish a load of laundry, do some yoga, blog ;), walk Ricky, and lastly, shower & relax!

My days are full and exhausting, but I love every single minute of it! This year, in particular, has been so nice because Joe has been able to do a lot of his medical school work online. He has been home so much more than I am used to, and he has been able to be included in parts of our daily routine that he wouldn’t normally be a part of. I am soaking all of that up because soon he will be a resident and working 100 hour weeks! HEEEEELLP! haha, kidding. We’ll be fine, it’s fine. 🙂

I hope this helped you, or even gave you some inspiration! Please note, this routine is a peek into our normal / everyday life. This schedule definitely changes based on weekends, Joe’s schedule, or really anything that comes up. I am flexible and I don’t hold myself to an unreasonable standard. I would love to connect with you and learn about how our days look different, or alike! Please feel free to reach out and share any tips / tricks that I may be missing out on!

Xo Soph