Logistics logistics logistics!

I find myself pretty uninterested in reading about baby sleep and feed etc. Perhaps I think that I can handle it since this won't be my first time.

Instead, I'm more interested in how to handle a toddler and a newborn - how to nap, how to sleep, how to go out, how to engage both etc. But it's hard to find relevant information - often, articles are more relevant for stay-at-home mums. My concern is more of what happens when I return to work.

Nowadays, ZK gets out of bed at about 6.30 am to have his morning milk. I may lie down on the sofa with him and wash up when he's up playing, or go wash up while he drinks. If he wakes before that, I'll stall for time in bed. If he wakes later, I'll get ready for work first. We usually leave the house between 7.15 am and 7.30 am to get him to playgroup.

ZK usually wants to walk out of the house. I would let him walk the whole way to school but (a) he likes to wander and it's not safe cos of the cars and the huge drains, and (b) he usually wants me to carry at some point and it's damn siong for me now. So I like to coax him into the stroller just past the junction. Usually, we managed to reach school with him in the stroller. A hug and a kiss later, he forgets about me amid breakfast while I leave straight for work. If it's late, I'll say byebye to him at the junction and let Y push him to school.

In the evening, I'll leave office at 6 pm and reach home by 6.45 pm. That gives me just enough time to put his dinner together - everything is cooked but I'll chop up the fried egg, cut up the vegetables and pull apart some meat to mix into his rice. Then he comes home with Y, washes his hands and feet - or rather, has his hands and feet washed! - and gets settled into his high chair.

But with 小马哥, I'll have to nurse and pump in the morning. Either I spend less time with ZK to do that or I spend more time on that and risk an increasingly impatient ZK. Also, it was difficult to prepare for work when ZK was an infant so I usually sent him to school first and returned to prepare. I don't know how it would be like with 小马哥 but it's ok - at most I go to work without makeup or leave my makeup in office.

With 小马哥, ZK can still have the stroller - better to strap down the mobile one! - while I sling his brother. But I have my doubts he will guai guai sit in the stroller - he'll probably want me to carry him instead/too! So the other option is to put 小马哥 into the stroller and walk ZK - he'll be old enough to walk all the way! I only hope he won't be jealous over the stroller! Else I have the umbrella stroller but that will be for ZK only as 小马哥 will still be too fragile for that rocky frame.

And in the evening, I can't have Y pick up two kids on her own, which means that I'll have to reach the school before 7 pm - it can be a rush if I leave work at 6 pm. My hours are 8.30 am to 6 pm, which are already not enough hours to finish up work. I can't usually reach office by 8 am so if I leave work before 6 pm, I'll have to bring laptop home every day! I'm already contemplating digging out the old Samsonite laptop bag for this purpose - it can also hold my pumping essentials. But I remember I was usually quite tired after settling ZK.. And this time, I'll have to settle two kids!

And settling two kids after work! Another challenge! Now I have dinner with ZK, which is really nice. I may have to nurse 小马哥 while ZK eats. Maybe I can feed myself too before he starts solids - see how; if not, dinner will be closer to 9 pm. I can probably send 小马哥 to bed right after nursing. Maybe I'll leave Y to shower ZK while I do that. 小马哥 will get a bath in school in mid afternoon so I won't bother bathing him in the evening for quite a while - I mean, even ZK is not getting an evening shower on weekdays yet, unless he's terribly dirty, like today. But I think he will need a pre-bed shower every day when he turns two and gets even dirtier and sweatier with the hot July weather!

All done, I can finally shower and get down to some work. Will probably need to pump before I turn in. What a long day! Just thinking about the routine and logistical challenges makes my head swell *.*

And I haven't go to the weekends when I'll have both on my hands! On weekends, ZK naps once at about 1 pm or sometimes twice at about 10 am and 4 pm. At the beginning, 小马哥 will just nap whenever but soon, I'll train him to nap twice a day at 10 am and 2 pm. It's best if ZK can nap once at 1 pm so that we can go out after 小马哥 wakes. But it may be difficult keeping him awake when I'm putting his brother down for his morning nap.. Maybe we won't be going out much *.*

And when we go out, we'll probably use public transport - one parent to each kid. We thought of bringing Y out with us. But I just heard from TO that she and her husband never brought her helper out on weekends so that they could spend family time with their FOUR kids, or even when they had only two. Surely we can rise to the challenge? Just messy at meal time. Mum's car won't be able to take Y along anyway. In fact, with 小马哥, I'll probably sling him and strap myself down cos there probably isn't space for a second car seat!

Now unless we get a car ourselves.. But (a) it's so expensive, and (b) Sito doesn't like to drive and I'm a road hazard *.* It's a very tempting thought though, especially if we decide to go for another kid. I always see this father at school, handling three kids on his own. He let the older two out first to wait for him beside the car or at the gate while he picks up the infant - fuss free. But wait, his older two are GIRLS, not boys, not ZK *.*

Finally, night sleep! ZK slept alone at five weeks. But I don't think I can put 小马哥 in his bed in the same room as ZK at five weeks. First of all, they will probably wake each other up in the middle of the night. Second, ZK does like to sayang young babies but he may not be aware of his relative strength, which could be dangerous for my littler one! So we'll probably keep 小马哥 in the bassinet a little longer. I just hope that wouldn't pose a problem when we eventually transit him to the other room..

So, yes, all my logistical challenges in one long post! Hope to get things settled out and rehearsed during my maternity leave... And then, after a while, we can decide if a third kid will complete or kill us!