Life in 2.5 hour increments

That’s what happens when you have kids. If someone wanted to know how life changes once you have kids, this is it. You start planning your days in 2.5 hour increments…if you are lucky that is.

Over the past 8 weeks, I’ve learned a thing or two about our days and about myself. Our days FLY by. Seriously. Once things start spreading out a bit I know there may be times I long for these days…but right now, the day is gone before I know it. Between 8 am and 8 pm, there’s only 5 2.5 hour blocks.

   {8-10:30, 10:30-1, 1-3:30, 3:30-6, 6-8:30}

That’s our day in a line of numbers.

Within every one of those blocks 45-90 minutes is spent feeding Elizabeth and either playing with her or making sure she’s somewhat content before naptime. That is if she decides sleeping is a good thing. Most days, thankfully, it is.

For myself, I’ve learned that I’m far more proficient with this kind of set-up. Maybe I should live every day in 2.5 hour increments! I’ve learned how long it takes to get ready (30 min. max), to clean the bathrooms (20 min.), do laundry (10-15 min., 2x/day), make a meal and eat (15 min.), feed and entertain the baby (45-60 min.) and before I know it our 2.5 hour increment is up. That’s if everything goes to plan. Most often it doesn’t.

If there are errands to run, I leave either after she’s had awake time or right after she eats if I’m out for awhile. I can usually get quite a few things done.
But they all must be lumped together. And go as quickly as possible. I feel like I move a mile a minute around here to get as much done as I can, when I can.

I feel pretty blessed that Elizabeth for the most part is a good baby. She has her days, I have my days…but for the past 2 weeks she’s been on a pretty steady schedule which has helped. So what have I learned about myself…8 weeks in and I’ve learned I do better in blocks of time and I MUST get up before she does.

The past 2 weeks she’s been sleeping from 8/8:30 pm to 3:45/4:30 am and then back to bed until 7:30/8. I am a morning person and I love my time alone. Getting up before she does ensures I will eat breakfast, drink coffee, read my Bible, and get dressed so we can go for a walk. Showering comes later. Our day goes so much better if this happens. On days I sleep in I feel so behind. So usually I’m up around 6:30 and in bed by 10:30. That means on an average night I get around 7 hours of broken up sleep. Not bad.

Today is obviously a good day, since I had time to write this. But now all the clean clothing from our trip out of town is still in the basket. I’m sure there’s 20 minutes somewhere in one of those blocks in which it can get put away and if not, it can wait. Tomorrow has 5 blocks of its own. And there’s my whistle letting me know the next round has started…she’s awake!

Can anyone relate?