The Day

Like I said in my last post, I'm an unorganized person. So the goals stated there are a little intimidating. Just because I'm an unorganized person? No. Because I am an unorganized, slightly undisciplined person who has no idea where to start. The idea of coming up with a working schedule is going to be quite a challenge for all these reasons. Currently, the day just seems to slip away between feedings and diaper changes (and clothing changes...) and putting her down for naps. But I know that it shouldn't; how can it? Naptime lasts (usually) between 1 hr. and 1.5 hrs. And naps happen three (sometimes four) times during the working day (depending on how early the day starts)! That's between three and six hours where I can get stuff done, right? But it never happens. Or at least, most of the "stuff" doesn't happen. The few days where I get everything on my to-do list done has meant Eliza spent most of her awake time in her bouncy chair. That is unacceptable to me. I am a firm believer that she needs to learn to play on her own and I think she needs time in said bouncy seat and having quiet blanket time without me. I love that she loves her bouncy seat! But I also want time to play with her, to talk to her, to have our one-on-one time while we can get, because who knows when a sibling might come down the pike? As much as she needs to play on her own, she also needs my attention, and I want to give it to her. So, where's the balance?

My hope is that it will be in a schedule. If I can work out a schedule where every day some thing, some particular activity or chore will be accomplished, then maybe it will happen! If there's time for it, then the only excuse would be laziness. Something (that slightly undisciplined portion of myself) that I would all too easily give into if I chose to.

Things I have to consider in creating a schedule:

• Eliza's feeding times
• Eliza's nap times

Yes, that's it. Right now, as my daughter is only two months old, I have to consider the fact that she has needs that need to be met on a regular basis. (Diapers, we can try to do on a schedule, but that's a dream until she's a little older.) Everything else revolves (loosely) around those things. So, my solution, to schedule those naptimes to death and hope I don't mind using her awake times as "downtimes." We can both chill out on the blanket for awhile, right?

Partly the schedule's have written as we follow a feeding/naptime schedule already. But what I need to work out is how I will fit in daily tasks I want/need to accomplish. Here's the schedule I've been considering, (mostly to try to get in certain things before lunchtime):

6:00 Breakfast, make Nick's lunch, prep for the day
7:00 First feeding
7:30 Awake time, possibly Eliza's bath and getting dressed
8:30 Naptime for Eliza; devotions, reading, blogging for Mama
10:00 Feeding Eliza
10:30 Awake time, bath if not before; playtime for Eliza
11:30 Naptime for Eliza, workout and lunch for me
1:00 Feeding Eliza
1:30 Awake time/various activities
2:30 Naptime; cleaning and hopefully a shower for me!
4:00 Feeding Eliza
4:30 Awake time/various activities
5:30 Naptime; cooking dinner for me if it isn't started yet
6:30 Dinner, if not before
7:00 Feeding Eliza
7:30 on... evening family time
9:30 Last feeding and bed time

If not all of these activities take up their whole time slot, that will hopefully leave me time to do extra things. Theoretically. The only time where there's really "extra time" is during Eliza's awake time.

So far it hasn't really happened this way. But we're trying.

No matter what, I want my quiet time to be at that first nap. It's the best one she takes (most days) and I can be gauranteed that time, as it should be a priority. I had the idea that I would put things that I'm least likely to accomplish at the first part of the day, but that would mean cleaning and exercise, and leaving my devotions to the mercy of available time. Not cool. But that does leave the question: what should get that second morning time slot, exercise or cleaning? What has more priority? If I don't schedule exercise for a time I know I can do it, I won't do it. Period. (Case in point, I've exercise only once this week and only twice last week. Sad, sad, sad.) But the cleaning has to get done. What to do? That's what we're still working on.