Routine is the key!

I think we’re starting to make progress!  We are now 10 weeks into our new life with Beanie Boy and things are starting to settle down a bit.  Last week he actually slept through 4 nights in a row, it would have been 5 night including last night if Little Bean hadn’t shouted out in the night and woken him up.  I think he then decided, “whilst I’m awake I might as well have some milk!”.

I have always been very much a creature of habit, I like things done in a certain way, I like to have order in my life but when you add children to the equation, it can become a little chaotic to say the least!!  When it was just me and Little Bean at home we had a really good routine going, up for breakfast around 8am, showered, dressed and ready for the day by around 9.30am.  Most days Little Bean would have two, two hour naps a day (I know lucky me!) so she would go down for the first one at around 10am and then wake up for lunch at noon, back to bed around 2pm, up at 4pm, playtime until tea at 6pm and then back into bed by 7.30pm.  If we wanted to go out for the day, she would be fine with only one nap and so we were free to do as we pleased.  Just before Beanie Boy joined the family, Little Bean dropped one of her naps and now only sleeps in the afternoon so we get extra play time in the mornings.

As with all newborns our routine disappeared the minute we came home from hospital.  We have eaten when we can, got out when we can and slept when we can but somewhere in the last week or so, a routine has crept in of its own accord and now the three of us are having a more organised way of life.  We seem to be busy most days, visiting friends, playgroups or just out walking.  On the days that we are home, Beanie Boy is sleeping nicely in his bedroom which means I’m starting to claw a little bit of time back for myself and an extra special bit of quality time with Little Bean when Beanie Boy has his morning nap.  She loves her baby brother to bits (as she does her big brother) but I think she has started to notice that she doesn’t get Mummy’s attention the way that she used to so she laps up the attention when we are alone and gets in as many cuddles as she can.

This week I’m hoping to get Beanie Boy sleeping in his bedroom during the evenings instead of napping in his bouncer or his moses basket in the lounge.  We are going to try him with some new bottles to see if we can get him back on a bottle in the evening so Daddy can join in the fun and then my next aim is to move him into his own bedroom by Christmas.  He’s growing long and starting to look cramped in his moses basket so I think he’s ready to move into his cot.  He has done well really, Little Bean went into her cot on her first night home from hospital but after telling Hubby he would only stay in our room for a week I’ve managed to drag it out to 10 weeks!!

I still have my down times but I think that’s just the hormones and they strike when I least expect it.  Today, despite my babies sleeping at different times to each other, I’ve had a really nice day.  We caught up with our best friends and then at home I’ve been able to spend quality time with each baby separately AND even managed to catch up a little on my blog!!  Life is good, my children are happy, Hubby is happy and as for me, I’m happy!