Hi, I'm Erin! A little about us. My husband and I technically met as kids in Jr. High, but started dating in High School. Yes, I'm married to my High School sweetheart!
We were married at the ripe old ages of 24 and 26 in 2009, after being together almost 9 years. We decided we wanted to be just us, enjoying married life, for at least 3 years. Then kids.
So shortly after our third anniversary we got pregnant and at our first doctor's appointment, at 9 weeks, boy did we get a surprise. Twins!!
Fast forward to now and we are about to celebrate their 2nd birthday in September! Where has the time gone?!
I am VERY schedule oriented. It must be the elementary school teacher in me. I still work up to 2 days a week as a substitute teacher and my wonderful mother in law comes to our house to watch the boys. We took the advice to get the boys on a schedule in the very beginning, and I try to move heaven and earth to keep to our schedule. Wake up, nap, bedtime, and meals are all at the same time everyday. We just prefer to be very scheduled and know what we are doing and when everyday. Plus it is very helpful on the days when Gramma is here.
So here is our day!!
5:30- Our alarm goes off, and I actually get up and sneak downstairs. Everyone is still sleeping and I have a quiet house to myself. I start the coffee (why do I never remember to do it the night before and set the timer so I can wake up to fresh, hot coffee?) and take some "me time" browsing Facebook, Instagram, and reading my favorite blog posts.
6:24- I hear someone cough and begin to stir. It doesn't look serious, but I know I'm on borrowed time from here on out. The boys usually wake up between 6:00-6:30, but I try to leave them in their room until 7:00 as long as everyone is still in their beds and happy. Maybe someday they will actually sleep until 7:00.
6:36- More coughing, and now sweet little voices chatting. Everyone is awake, but happy for the most part, so I continue guzzling my still hot coffee. They LOVE books, so we place a large stack next to each bed, and at night and in the morning they pull book after book up into bed to "read" while falling asleep or waiting for us to come free them.
7:00- My husband comes downstairs to take our dog on her morning walk. It is still quiet and happy in the boys' room even though they've been awake 20+ minutes. I snap a couple "before" pictures, to prove our house does actually get picked up and looks nice most mornings to start the day.
7:05- I head upstairs, and sneak past their door, to our room. I make our bed and tidy just a bit, and then it's off to collect the troops and start our day!
My husband turned their door into a dutch door months ago and it has turned out to be the best decision ever! We can crack the top half, or close it all the way, and leave the bottom half closed so they can't escape! The door knob has also been turned around, so as soon as they figure out how to turn knobs, we can lock it from the outside. For their safety. We have stairs and a large dog who sleeps upstairs in our room. I don't need anyone getting stepped on or surprised at 2:00 in the morning.
7:10- Open their door and am actually greeted with smiles! Get everyone up and start changing diapers. Discover wet shorts, so we just go ahead and get dressed. Usually I save getting dressed for after breakfast so they stay cleaner, but I'm not going to change their clothes twice. Mental note to change sheets later before nap. They have pool noodles under their sheet to keep them in their toddler beds, and I don't want to ruin the "magic" by letting them see what the bump is under their sheet haha!
Diapers, get dressed, straighten book piles, change diaper trash can, break up fights over books, hear Daddy and Mia get home from their walk. We head downstairs to greet Daddy!
7:36- Put on Curious George. I hate putting on the tv, but for their safety I must. We had my whole family over last night to celebrate early Father's Day for my husband and my Dad, so all the chairs are still set up, and are obviously intended to climb on. Unsafely. After playing referee I turn on a George so I can actually make their breakfast.
Today, scrambled eggs with cheese and spinach, toast, and milk.
While the eggs are cooling I take this opportunity to race upstairs and get dressed for an after breakfast run, and throw in a load of towels after realizing all my kitchen towels are in the laundry.
8:00- George is over and it's time for Breakfast! I pour myself another coffee and eat a bowl of cereal while emptying the dishwasher while they eat. Then I wash the kitchen prep mess, put away the folding chairs and pick up a little while they finish. When they start throwing their food to the dog I know we are almost done.
*8:19- I turn around just in time to see all the silverware hit the floor and 2 plates get turned over their heads. Sigh. Breakfast is done. One did well, one ate 3 bites. And I will always worry about their food intake. My tiny guy seems content with 2 bites and has ENDLESS energy, so I TRY not to worry too much.
8:25-They play with Daddy as he tries to get out the door for work and I eat a second breakfast of cold eggs. Too much to waste! I clean up high chairs and plates and watch them race around on their bikes and with their toys.
8:30- Daddy leaves and the play turns to fighting FAST
8:35- I abandon my attempts to finish the kitchen and break up a fight over 1 of 2 identical bikes. One of the boys is having a really hard time with his frustrations, lack of language, sharing, and hitting as a result. I end up sitting with him on the couch to calm down and read a story. The dishes aren't happening, but he needs Momma attention more right now. This is one of my biggest struggles with my day. Balancing keeping up with the house, giving each my attention, and taking time for play and fun stuff.
8:45- The bike fight continues. Time to switch gears. The vacuum! They love it! So, we vacuum.
8:55- Swiffers! We love to swiffer the house.
9:00- head upstairs to brush teeth and get on socks and shoes so we can head to the park.
9:15- Finally out in the garage getting in the stroller. We load up, with our racecars, and I switch the laundry to the dryer. We walk to the neighborhood park so Mommy can get in her run and then the boys can play.
I planned on a 3 mile run, but they were quiet and seemed content so I pushed it to 4 miles.
10:00- I'm finished. Time to play! Then I realize why it was so quiet. For the first time in months someone fell asleep during the run. Oops.
Out of the stroller and we spend the next hour chasing soccer balls, collecting sticks, digging in the dirt, falling in the dirt, looking for squirrels, waving to cars, and generally getting filthy and having fun.
11:00- home from the park and FILTHY. We strip down, clean up, and I put on another George. I give them still frozen peas as a "cold snack" while I make them a sandwich. Yesterday I had amazing luck getting them to eat a big, complete lunch by letting them eat in front of a George. I try my luck again. Picking my battles here. More tv time than I'd like, but they ate a great lunch! I let them watch 2 episodes and they eat peas, a turkey sandwich, and fruit for dessert.
I eat a few snacks in the kitchen while they have their lunch.
11:45-head upstairs for diapers and nap. Read stories, turn on sound machine, say goodnight.
11:55-heading out of their room and into the shower. I left 30 seconds of protest whining/crying as I closed the door behind me, then they chatted and pulled books into their beds to read
12:10- Im heading back downstairs and they are asleep :)
During naptime I usually do whatever needs to be done that is just more difficult when they are awake. Since I just cleaned up big time for our party, there isn't much cleaning to be done, so I'm going to make 2 dinners instead. I work tomorrow, so tonight's and tomorrow's dinner will already be done!
1:24-Dinners are done and laundry is folded. Time for a snack and relax with whatever time I have left.
1:45-One is awake, but fairly quiet. The other is trying to continue sleeping. If I go in it will definitely be over. I try to hold out as long as possible to allow the napper more time.
2:00- Both awake and UNhappy. I go in, snuggle, play, change diapers, then head downstairs.
2:20- yogurt and blueberry snack
2:45- walk out the door and walk around the corner to the car. 99.9% of the time my van is in the garage, but we moved it yesterday for company. This was the longest and most stressful 12 minutes of my day!! Walking with no stroller and 2 toddlers to the car. I forgot it was dismissal time for the Jr, High in our neighborhood and the streets were so busy with racing cars! Not to mention the hundreds of teenagers milling around outside the campus. Needless to say by the time we were all safely buckled in I was a sweaty mess!
3:00- drive to target for 1 item...diapers! Gas light comes on along the way so we swing thru Costco gas then go across the street to Target.
I ALWAYS shop in any store (except Costco. Bless those double carts!!!) pushing my City Select with the boys safely strapped in and contained while I pull the shopping cart. I am a big 'ole train, but I have totally gotten it down and can shop stress and worry free this way. I'm using this stroller until college!
Fortunately I didn't need a cart since I was only there for diapers, but you better believe I took all that time assembling and un assembling the stroller and buckling them in, even only going in for 1 item.
4:15- Finally made it back home and now we just play until dinner. I filled the water table and they played in the backyard until I brought them in at 5:00. Water table, trucks, bikes, chalk, you name it! I love just sitting back and watching them play.
The kitchen faces the backyard, so I stole a few minutes here and there to make corn muffins to go with tonight's chili, and started to reheat the chili.
5:00- I decide it's actually feeling a bit cool outside to be soaking wet, so I strip them down to diapers and we play inside until Daddy comes home. More bikes, shopping carts, using blankets to make forts.
5:35- I start getting them in their highchairs for dinner. It's such a treat to sit down as a family again for dinner! Daddy's schedule has sadly been unpredictable lately, so almost every night I feed the boys around 5:45, and then we eat our dinner quietly and alone after bedtime. I miss eating as a family, but really cherish quiet meals with my husband where no one is screaming, throwing food, or demanding to be done.
5:45- Daddy's home!! Let's eat! The chili didn't go over well. Last time they loved it. Toddlers. They mostly had corn muffins and milk. I will not become a short order cook and start pulling 12 different things out of the fridge until I find a combo pleasing to them. This is dinner.
6:30- head up for bath, pjs, teeth, stories, and bed. Bedtime is supposed to be 7:00, but we were having so much fun in the tub everything got pushed a little long.
7:15- all ready for bed! We read 2 stories on the floor with them in our laps, then tell them to get into bed for 2 more stories. This has been working well since the crib to toddler bed transition 3 weeks ago. The funniest part to me is, since the switch, they have chosen to switch beds! They now sleep in each other's old cribs!
7:20- after hugs and kisses we are walking out and closing the door. 1, 4 second protest whine then quiet. Since we already ate dinner and cleaned up, I only have to wipe down high chairs and sweep the floor and then I'm off the clock!
7:40- check the monitor, both asleep! My husband suggests lighting the tiki torches, making some mai tais, and sitting outside to enjoy the evening, sounds like a perfect way to start our Monday night!
I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into our "average day."
No comments:
Post a Comment