Getting into a groove

We're slowly, but surely, getting into a groove around here.

I hate schedules, absolutely detest them, but I don't mind a good flexible routine. Of course there are some things that we must live by the clock for... like if we don't leave our house by 7:15 AM at the LATEST, there is no way to get to the car line at school by 7:30 to have Jayce in his class by 7:40.

Therefore, my kids *do* have to wake up by 6:30 in order to get out the door in time. And a consequence of having to be up that early is to have a set bed time as well.

Traditional school pretty much does that to you. I've always said that if I ever decide to homeschool my kids, it will be for the freedom of not having a schedule. I'd let my kids sleep as late as their bodies allowed, eat when they are hungry, and we'd never have to sit in a car pool line again!


(But I'm not homeschooling because my kids really like going to school and I'm pretty damn lazy when it comes academics. I could see us playing all day instead of actually adopting a set curriculum.)

Anyway, back to schedules...

So, not only do my big kids have to get up at a certain time, leave the house by a certain time, each lunch when their class eats lunch, and have a set bed time, but we also have piano lesson times, basketball practice times, and therapy times.

Can we say "Over-scheduled?"

I make sure my older kids are not following a schedule at any other time. As soon as its 3:00 PM and they are home from school, I could care less when homework, piano practicing, snack time, outside playtime, Wii time, and bath time get done. I just need them to be done by bedtime. My kids are pretty good with getting all their stuff done. I feel like I'm teaching them to be managers of their own time.

I do the same thing with myself: I make a list of everything that needs to get done. Then I do it when I feel like it. I felt like blogging right now, not vacuuming the master bedroom. I'm sure I'll do that before the kids come home eventually, but I'm not worried about it.

Jocelyn is not on a schedule at all. Or, let me rephrase that... she is not on a parent-driven schedule at all. She has her own baby-led schedule that she's on. And it has nothing to do with the clock.

I have to say that its been easier than I thought it would be. Sometimes I have to wake her up before she is ready to be awake to nurse her before I know we'll be stuck in a car for a long period of time, but other than that, I let her dictate when she wants to eat or sleep.

She pretty much nurses for 15-30 minutes every 2 hours or so. Sometimes she cluster feeds in the evening and camps out on my breast for much longer every hour. But the trade off is that she sleeps GREAT at night.

I had been laying down with her between 9-10 PM at night and she was sleeping until 5:30 AM, with only ONE middle of the night feeding. But the past few nights, she's been falling asleep closer to 8 PM at night and then waking up at Midnight and 3:30 AM and sleeping through until 6:30 or 7:00 AM. Since we have to get out the door by 7:15, I do try to wake her up by 6:45 so she can nurse while the kids finish getting ready for school.

She's starting to take longer naps during the day as well and has finally graduated from my arms to napping in the co-sleeper, with no tears shed at all.

And today she reached for a toy for the first time!

We are just so in love. She fits perfectly into our crazy family :)