A Busy Routine

We've had a number of people drop by lately, or stop us on the street if we're out for a walk...(rare, but it happens). Many of them comment on how "calm" we seem and that we're "doing a good job". I am very grateful for these comments, but I must admit that there are days that I really don't feel calm and I really don't feel like I'm doing a good job -- but then it all comes back to that phrase...."the art of the possible". I guess sometimes I feel that I should be getting the hang of this and be more efficient, faster, finely-tuned, a streamlined machine....okay, I know that is just "ridcolus" (ridiculous, as Jennifer says it). Alas, everyday is just a little different - one baby feeds well, another pokes along and then spits up everything you've worked so hard to get into her... Jennifer is happy to play by herself, then the next day she's desperate for ALL your attention. That's just how it goes. I can feel many knowing parental heads nodding right now....

So, what are our days like right now? I'll try and give you some idea: this of course is my estimation of what an average day might look like...

7:10 - Jan gets up

       - shower

7:30 - wakes Emily and changes diaper - feeds Emily

8:00 - wakes Caitlyn and changes diaper - feeds Caitlyn

8:30 - get Jennifer up if she hasn't hollered for "MAMA"  already sometime in the previous hour

        - get Heather up and change diaper

8:45 - feed Heather and read books with Jennifer 

9:00 - when finished with Heather, set Jennifer up with her breakfast and try and eat with her. 

        - Jer's alarm goes off. 

9:15 - get Jennifer dressed - Jennifer gets Papa up because it is now "clock-o-three" and that is when he gets up!

9:30 - Jan pumps milk. Jer eats breakfast and makes coffee.

9:45 - Bottles from the night before get washed, sterilized.

10:00 - make up the milk for the day

        - maybe get Jennifer out to the park to play.

        - maybe work on a project or clean house.  

10:30 - change Emily's diaper and start feeding. 

11:00 - change Caitlyn and start feeding

11:30 - change Heather and start feeding

12:00 - Jan pumps milk. 

         - Start making lunch, or get everyone ready for a walk to the CABIN for lunch!! One         of the few times we can go for an outing if we pack in a lunch! 

12:30 - eat lunch and/or have a nice walk

         - wash and sterilize bottles

13:30 - change diaper and start feeding Emily again. 

        - Put Jennifer down for a "nap" - sleeping seems to be optional. 

14:00 -  change diaper and start feeding Caitlyn again

14:30 -  change diaper and start feeding Heather again. 

15:00 - Jan pumps milk.

         - Jer considers any number of projects to attend to. The projects may or may not         entail a shower and/or a shave... e.g.: insurance claims, shopping trips, home         improvement tasks, laundry, cleaning, etc.

15:15 - If Jennifer has not hollered for "MAMA" at this point then try and get in a nap. If Jennifer is clearly not going to sleep then pack up the gang and GET OUTSIDE for a walk! Alternately, one of us may strike out with Jennifer to get shopping or errands done.

15:30 - If nap and walking not an option - prep dinner. 

          - tidy up, laundry, dishes, bills etc. 

16:30 - wake up everyone from naps - (rare), start feeding Emily. 

17:00 - change and feed Caitlyn

17:30 - change and feed Heather.

         - start making dinner. 

18:00 - Jan pumps milk.

          - Eat dinner 

19:00 - clean up from dinner. Start bedtime routine with Jennifer. 

          - bath Jennifer

          - books and bed for Jennifer

19:30 - change and feed Emily

20:00 - change and feed Caitlyn

20:30 - change and feed Heather. Say a small prayer that they all sleep now. 

21:00 - Jan pumps milk. 

          - Various activities, e.g.: watch movie, blog, write thank-yous (they're coming, slowly!), watch tv, etc. 

21:30 - Make up milk for the night. 

22:00 - Get ready for bed. Finish last tidy ups. 

22:30 - change and feed Emily

23:00 - change and feed Caitlyn 

23:30 - change and feed Heather.

          - Jan pumps milk. 

          - Jan to bed with Emily and Caitlyn. 

24:00 - Heather to bed. 

        - gather Griffin and put to bed.

00:30 - Jer to bed 

01:30 - Jan wakes and feeds Emily and Cailtyn

0200 - Feed Heather. 

         - Pump milk

02:30 - Everyone asleep again. 

04:30 - Jer wakes, heats bottles, changes babies... 

04:45 - Jer feeds Emily and Caitlyn

05:30 - Feed Heather

06:00 - on a good day everyone is asleep again. On a bad day - Jer still feeding pokey babies.

06:30 to 07:00 - Jer can be up and down attending to yowley babies, who like to make mornings fun, social-time!

07:10 - Jan's alarm goes off

So...there it is in black and white - it's busy! But...as busy and chaotic as it is, all in all, it's pretty good - we're all healthy and enjoying our time together. So, here's a few pictures from our week...

Enjoy...

Jan/Jer

Bath time -- we do bath the other kids as well, not just Heather...

Sleepy time with Heather and Caitlyn 

Sisters forever - Heather and Jennifer

Floor time with Heather and Caitlyn 

Baby aerobic time - come on everybody - lift your leg (Emily and Caitlyn)

Heather, Emily and Caitlyn - cooling off on a hot day

Three heads are better than one!

Party time at the water table!

Look at me I've got a funny hat on -- tee hee! 

Tummy time for Caitlyn! Great head control!

The smiler - Caitlyn 

The four sisters together at last! 

More tummy time - Emily, Heather, Caitlyn.

Happy girls - Emily, Cailtyn and Heather

Tee hee Daddy can't tell us apart! (Emily and Caitlyn) 

Pink pals....Heather, Emily, Cailtyn and Jennifer! 

Shhhh.....Goodnight (Caitlyn and Emily)