I love routines. I love to plan. I get frustrated when plans go awry. But baby routines are just hard to fix. May this be the only thing I cannot control in my little life..
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Weekdays:
5 am - 7 am
ZK wakes. Yes, super wide range. I try to make him sleep again if he wakes too early though. Key word is "try". It was easier when I was breastfeeding. If I'm successful, I'll start to prepare for work before he wakes again at around 7 am.
Anyway, he takes some milk in his bassinet while I do three important things: put together bottle parts on the drying rack, brush my teeth, pee. If I have time, I'll prepare his multivitamins, pack his pacifier and even prepare/have my breakfast.
After his breakfast, I'll give him his multivitamins and some water before packing in his water bottle. If he's good, he'll play a bit on his own while I move around doing chores or preparing for work, depending on the time. Else, it's straight to the changing table.
6.50 am - 8 am
That's when we'll leave the house, depending on when he wakes up. Sometimes, I'll play baby tunes to him on the way to school. His wheels have no stereo but music is music :)
7/8 am to 6.45 pm
School time! He usually takes cereals at about 8.30 am, followed by some milk at 9+, then porridge at 11+, then some milk at 1-2 pm, then some fruit for a snack around 3 pm, and some milk at 5 pm. He would nap two or three times as well, usually after milk. But I prefer that he doesn't nap at 5 pm so that he would be tired enough to go down for the night!
6.45 pm
Hello Mama! The other day, he was playing at the wall mirror and I was watching him from the door. Then he saw my reflection, turned and crawled towards me :)
7 pm
Home! I'll let him down if he's willing or carry him to the bathroom with me so that I can wash my feet. Then, if he's still on me, he has to come down so that I can change into home pants - I can't stand coming in contact with our beds in street clothes. But since I don't lie down with ZK later, changing bottoms will do.
Then, I'll play Chinese flashcards on DVD - he's not too interested until the end when a song comes on! But I haven't done this since his fever. Should resume soon..
Next, dinner time for ZK. Cereals or oatmeal or bread, topped with a biscuit or some Gerber puffs so that I can clean up a bit while he gets busy with his hands. But he's quite smart with the puffs. I gave him his usual 10 or so this morning after his cereals, and he was stuffing his mouth like crazy until the last one - he bit on it slowly before releasing the thing into his mouth..
7.40 pm
Milk after a diaper change. Since his fever, he hasn't been drinking as well for breakfast and for bedtime. He keeps throwing the bottle away! I've taken to reducing his morning feed but bedtime, he's already not having much in the first place so I make him drink it by carrying him instead of letting him lie on his bed. But last night, he was good drinking in bed. Let's see how tonight..
8 pm - 9 pm
ZK rolls in bed for one minute or 60 (!) before falling asleep, depending on when he wakes for his last nap. I must sit beside him or he will knock on the door until I go in! But if I think he needs more sleep, I'll carry him to sleep instead. Then I'm freeeeee!
Um, not really. Time for cleaning up the rest of his dinner, washing his bottles and day pacifier, preparing my dinner, putting his toys away and preparing his bag for IFC the next day while my dinner is too hot to eat, having my dinner finally, mopping (thank goodness for MagiClean!) and showering. That's when I really get to rest, unless it's laundry day - I will have started the machine either during his biscuit/puff time or right after I come out of his room. Then some time after my shower, the laundry will be ready for the dryer or for hanging up if it's ZK's clothes - so small they dry pretty fast.
10 pm - 11 pm
If I'm up to it, or if I'm waiting for the dryer, I come online. Else, it's off to bed! ZK could wake at any time! For the first four days last week, he slept through - between nine and 12 hours! After that, he got up just once - but for two to three hours! Last Friday, after two hours, I wanted to sleep so much I let him cry. He was whimpering and whining most of the time, and I could hear him crawling between his bed and the door. I went in after five min, put him in bed, and left. And he started whining again. Another 10 min, repeat. Another 10 min, forget it, I lay down next to him and we both dozed off. Fail *.* Last night, he finally stopped rolling for two hours but he got up two or three times. That was easier to handle though.
Weekends:
5 am - 7 am
He wakes at about the same time - weekend or not! But ytd, he woke at almost 8 am cos he was rolling too much at night. I slept on even when he was up; he was quite happy crawling about in his room which was bright by then.
On Saturdays when I have events, I'll somehow prepare his porridge to pack into his IFC and send him off before I prepare for work. Otherwise, instead of going to the school after milk milk and diaper change, we go to the supermarket for a walk and get ingredients for lunch if nec and some groceries. Then, we play a bit on the floor until...
8.30 am - 9 am
Cereals! He eats a lot so no need for milk like on weekdays. Then, we play a bit more - just now, we were playing catching! :) Now he knows how to
10 am
Nap time! Next to Papa, no less. If I'm lucky, he will sleep for up to two hours, during which I'll make his porridge (Saturdays only; Mum prepares for Sundays) and do housework. Then, when I'm sure he's sound asleep, I cut his nails - sneaky! :p If I'm tired and there's time, I lie down too. Or blog, like now :)
12 pm - 1 pm
Porridge. This could happen outside - restaurant on Saturdays if he doesn't go to IFC or Mum's place on Sundays - since Sito and I need lunch too.
2 pm - 3 pm
Nap time again! He needs only two naps if they are good. I like him to wake by 4 pm so that he could have some milk and we could go out (Saturday) or play at home (Sunday), and so that he would be tired enough for bed later. But ytd, he slept at three plus and woke at almost 5 pm. We still went out but came back late - just nice for him to be tired enough to sleep.
6 pm - 7 pm
Dinner for everyone if we're outside on Saturdays! Usually we'll give ZK something from our plate, unless it's only ramen - too long, too salty. Then, we return to shower him and put him to bed. On Sundays, we'll shower him first before giving him some cereals or oatmeal. The parents will have something (usually sinful) after he has gone to bed. And I do my usual cleaning up..
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I'll probably update his routine next year after he has graduated to pre-nursery - good luck to him man, cos kids there follow a fixed nap time! Um, good luck to us too *.*
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