TYPICAL DAY

I am happy to report that I was able to complete my errands today without any embarrassment or explosions.

I have had a lot of people ask me what a "typical" day looks like for us.  While our day to day activities vary, we definitely have a routine that works for us.  I stress the works for us part because  what works for Addison & I might not work for others. Because I have had so many parenting ideas/philosophies shoved down my throat & been criticized if I deviate away from them, I am often torn in blogging about these things because I don't want anybody to think that I feel like my parenting strategies are superior to another mothers. I am learning that parenthood is a judgment zone. There is a constant comparison between how fast children are developing, the clothes they wear, whether they are breastfed or bottle fed...you get my jist. Mom bloggers are even being attacked now for painting "unrealistic pictures of parenting".  The bottom line is that when I write I am simply writing about what is working for us. Okay, back to a typical day. I also think it's important to stress that Addison is on a self-directed routine.  What I mean by that is she takes naps when she is tired, she eats when she is hungry & plays when she wants to play.  Because I followed her lead early on we now have an established routine that just so happens to fall around the same time of day. I absolutely deviate from it when necessary but this is what a typical day looks like for us:

• 7:00-7:30: Addison wakes up.  She greets me with a GIANT smile (probably because she knows she is about to have her diaper changed & eat). We take our time upstairs, open the curtains & say hello to the day then head downstairs.
• 7:30-8:00:  I make coffee & feed Addison.  Philip usually comes down stairs around this time & he plays with Addison. If it's a day I feel like running this is usually when I head out for my run.
• 8:00-9:00/9:30ish: I put her in her walker in the kitchen by me, turn on some music & make myself breakfast. After that we play.  Some people have specific things they do during morning play time but I just do whatever keeps her attention. Sometimes we read books, have tummy time, play in her play gym, sit on the couch...whatever keeps her content.
• 9:00/9:30ish: She usually starts to rub her eyes & get restless with whatever we are doing so we head upstairs.  I turn on her noise machine & she knows it's nap time. I make sure she has on a fresh diaper, swaddle her & put her in her crib awake.  Sometimes she gets mad & cries but most times she lays on her back for a few minutes starring at her owl mobile or plays with her hungry caterpillar on the inside of her crib, then she rolls over onto her tummy & goes to sleep. I usually work out during this time.
• 10:15-10:30ish: She wakes up.  Thankfully she wakes up happy so I can take my time going up to get her.  She lays contently in her crib & I usually pick out what she is going to wear for the day.
• 10:30: She ALMOST always eats around this time. 
• 10:30-1:30: I change her diaper & we either play or this is when we head out. Sometimes she dozes off for a 15-20 minute cat nap in this time frame but not always.
• 1:30/2:00-4:00: She eats then goes down for about a 2 hour nap.  I clean, get things ready for dinner, craft, blog & sometimes just relax on the couch & read a magazine or watch some tv.
• 4:00-4:45: She usually wakes up. Plays & then eats.
• 4:45-7:00: We play some more. We eat dinner & she usually watches a little baby Einstein during this time. This is when she gets quality daddy time.  If it's a night I take a class at the gym Philip stays with her & I go to the gym.
• 7:00-7:45:  We say good night to the house (it may sound silly but we do) If it's a bath night we go into her room, shut her curtains & say goodnight moon, turn on her sound machine then she takes a long bath...SHE LOVES her bath. She usually plays in her crib while we listen to music for a little bit, she eats then goes to sleep. If it's a night she doesn't typically take a bath we close the curtains & say goodnight moon put her in her pajamas, read, she eats & goes to sleep. Sometimes she is awake when I put her in her crib but she mostly falls asleep while she is eating. 
• 7:45-11:00ish- This is when I usually blog. I straighten up the downstairs & Philip & I spend quality time together.

It works for us.  There are obviously days where things come up unexpectantly, she has a Dr.'s appointment or we are out & about past her nap time.  She is pretty good about still napping during her normal times even if we aren't at home because she is tired.  Same thing with bedtime.  The few times we have had her out past 8:00 pm she was a little fussy & then fell asleep.

I have had a lot of criticism for having Addison in a routine & been told she won't be well adjusted. I obviously feel differently about that.  I personally thrive off of routine, as most people do so why wouldn't a baby?  Like I said in the beginning, she established her routine.  Philip & I listened to her cues very early on & it has made life much easier for us.  A happy well rested baby makes a happy well rested mommy.