Monday, June 04, 2007

A New (Loud) Routine

Grace is a month old. The company is all gone. So today we started back to school. To be honest, I had been dreading this day because I just didn't feel up to spinning all these plates in the air. Anna still takes a good deal of attention in the morning, I want to be consistent with exercise, since I am dying to get rid of the pouch that makes not even my "big" clothes fit yet, and of course there is Grace's nursing. Well, it was a bit of a mixed bag, as far as how it all went.

I would like to credit Grace with doing a fine job. I fed her last night around 10:30, and she slept until 7:00. Go, Grace! I am not naive to think that she will consistently do this at this point, but it was a good way to start the day, being a bit more well-rested! So I was able to feed her and then exercise with her in her swing, and then put her down and shower (giving Anna her bottle in her crib somewhere in the middle of all that). That really would be my ideal schedule, so it was nice that it worked out for once! LOL!

After I showered, I got Anna up and dressed, and we went down and had breakfast with the boys. After eating, Nathan and Luke did their vacuuming while I worked with Caleb. So far so good.

Then it all kind of fell apart. Anna has been pretty crabby lately (she just got in another new tooth), and she really started being a stinker (both in attitude as well as in diaper). Then Grace got up again to nurse, and Anna was climbing all over me. After nursing, Grace didn't really want to be set down anywhere, and Anna didn't really want anything other than what she couldn't have (the trash, stuff in the basket on the counter, the phone, etc.). Much crying by both parties ensued. Luke commented on how loud it was. I managed to get the couch stuff done with the boys that I had planned, but it was a bit rushed and stressful, LOL. We will definitely have to do some schoolwork in the afternoons this year, but . . . not today. I called it a day at lunchtime, although we are getting ready to play "Pie in the Sky", a math game about fractions, after Anna goes down.

Soooo . . . some tweaking is still needed. Anna is really the sticking point right now. It is tons easier to do school with a newborn than with a 1 year old! I need to be more regimented with the boys taking turns entertaining her during the morning, although with the frame of mind she had this morning, there was nothing that would have pleased her! (Well, except for the trash, LOL). Tomorrow is another day. Actually, we're not doing school tomorrow because there's a mom/kids playtime and lunch at church, and we're going. Nothing like easing gently into this new loud routine!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, looks like I'll be following in your footsteps in about a month! You're where I'm worried about being...starting school again with a newborn! God is good...he'll supply each day with GRACE!! Keep up the great work. I like hearing how the gear wheels turn in the family there!

Beverly said...

I too am reading with interest how your schooling will progress! I agree--it isn't too difficult to school with a newborn. It's when Kenna begins getting mobile that I'm a bit worried about! Although--not that we've had much of a routine to speak of around here for the last few months, LOL! Still, we're striving for some normalcy, as I'm sure you are. But then again, "normal" is a completely relative term nowadays...