Yesterday I realized that for the first time since my sweet Ellis was born, we’ve had a set schedule to our days for three whole weeks straight. This is rather bittersweet since, at least with my babies, regular and predictable sleep times don’t come till they’re leaving the days of infancy behind, but I am fully embracing this new feeling of having structure and rhythm to our days and weeks.
I say it’s my personality but perhaps it’s just that I’m controlling, but I love routine. I love knowing what to do when to do it, and knowing that chances are, I’ll be able to tackle whatever it is I’m supposed to tackle. I’ve learned where my expectations should be in these days of having a three-year-old and fifteen-month-old as my constant companions, so I made myself a very simple chore chart the other day. No more trying to clean the house top to bottom and do laundry and have a fancy dinner on the table all in one day. Now it’s all spread out and I know what my day will look like (sort of).
The husband saw my list hung on the refrigerator one night and commented, “You don’t do chores on Friday?” I just laughed. That’s the day where the boys and I will spend (starting in two weeks!) the morning helping with a local homeschool enrichment program. By the time I get home, I’m doing really well if I can throw a load of laundry in and get dinner on the table and still be smiling as I feed my family. So no, no set chores for that day, babe. Just the general maintenance.
And today, I loved my “free” Friday. Two boys with runny noses and a bit on the tired side, I was so happy to not do much other than sit and really spend my day with them.
Books read, new games taught, castles built — a cozy-up day in comfy clothes with no place to go.
One babe still sleeps (he was tired — we’re past the 3 hour mark) and the little boy plays while coming to lean up against me every two minutes and say, “Mom, what you doin’?” I think we’ll keep doing this Just Hanging Out thing until it’s time to light some candles for the night. And it’s feeling like a Hot Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks & Peppers, and Chips & Salsa sort of night for dinner. Let’s just keep things simple, shall we?
Happy Friday.