I don't know about you, but my daily routine has changed greatly and frequently in the last couple of years, what with the addition of two new children, job changes, and other typical schedule changes!
I thought it would be fun to share what a typical day (weekday) is like for me on a regular basis. Not only to share with those who are interested in knowing, but I would like to look back on this and remember what things were like for me at this point in time (when my routine has changed even again many times over in the future)!
At this point in time, I am still adjusting to life with a new baby (who is almost 3 months old), and only doing what I feel capable of, as I am still healing from my C-Section and pregnancy. I would like to add some more things to the typical routine and have been doing so slowly. But for now, this is what things look like.
I also would like to express that I rely more on the order of routine rather than the time that something happens. If I focus too much on time, it gets too stressful too easily, having the added stress of being "late" for my morning coffee or "early" for playtime, and whatnot. So instead I focus on "what comes after this activity"? Regardless the time of day it is.
So here you go, this is how a typical weekday plays out for me as of recent days!
𖤓~𖤓~𖤓
𖤓 Start the Day with Breakfast! 𖤓
Not surprisingly, every day starts with breakfast. Typically, my husband is already left for work when we get up. I start by getting my toddler Malachi some yogurt for breakfast. He always has Greek yogurt and I will add some berries to it, whatever I have on hand. Sometimes it's diced strawberries, blueberries, or even something frozen. I make sure he gets fed first. He is capable of feeding himself with a spoon while sitting at our table. While he is doing that, I will make my breakfast. Which, recently, has been a serving of cheesy grits (I am obsessed with grits - I think I got my love for them from my dad), and either a bagel with cream cheese, or a small yogurt. I will change what I eat for breakfast every few weeks, as I like to have the same thing for awhile before changing. Before the grits and bagel/yogurt, it was scrambled eggs with vegetables and some grits on the side. Who knows what it'll be next!
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| The usual: Greek Yogurt and Strawberries! |
𖤓 Time for a Walk! 𖤓
After we have done breakfast, we'll always go on a walk around our apartment complex. Recently, since I have a new baby, I will bundle him up in a wrap and I will hold Malachi's hand. Sometimes I will let Malachi roam free close by me, there are a few larger areas with just grass that isn't next to any roadways or moving cars, so I let him have the freedom to walk on his own a bit. We always like to look at nature and objects as we go along. There is a "pinecone patch", which is an area underneath some pinecone trees. If we see some ants or insects, we will pause to look at those too. I enjoy taking our time on the walk and letting Malachi dictate what we stop and look at. Not only does it kill more time in our long day at home, but it's a great way to slow down and practice gratefulness for the simplicities of life!
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| This is my new profile picture for the blog! I think I look very mom-like here. |
𖤓 Next, Coffee Time! 𖤓
After we get home from our daily walk, it is coffee time. I will make myself an iced latte with flavor depending on what syrups we have. This morning, I experimented and made a Salted Maple Blueberry Pancake Latte (blueberry syrup, maple syrup, pinch of pink salt, few drops of cake batter extract, few drops of vanilla extract - it was FANTASTIC). But we also have an Earl Grey syrup and Strawberry syrup right now. I always make an espresso "shot" with our Aeropress, using this video as a guide. I let Malachi help me measure the beans, press buttons to heat up the water on our electric kettle and to grind the beans, and to do some stirring. It's a special little bonding time. I always let Malachi have a little taste! While I'm drinking my coffee, I let Malachi do some sensory playin our kitchen sink with water, cups, and the used coffee grounds from the Aeropress.
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| My daily delicious coffee! |
𖤓 Lunch aka "Nonch"! 𖤓
(Malachi pronounces "lunch" like "nonch"!) I always prepare Malachi's lunch first. A favorite, recently, has been mac-n-cheese (which he calls "Mocky-Cheese"), but I also usually have homemade nuggets in our freezer ready to easily heat up, as well as a number of other things that he likes to eat depending on what I made for the family that week. Almost always, I will have some fruit and/or berries on the side that I chop down to size. While he is eating his lunch, I will usually do some dishes and/or make my own lunch. I sometimes eat my lunch with him, but I have noticed he eats better when he is eating somewhat privately. So I usually do a little housework while he is eating.
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| Chicken with rice and broccoli, with a side of cheese and pomegranate seeds (they were in season at the time this photo was taken) |
𖤓 Quiet Time! 𖤓
Immediately after lunch, we always do quiet time. This is when I give Malachi a graham cracker, and he does some solitary play in his room for 2 hours. I come get him half way through to use the bathroom, and give him one more cracker. During this time, I have my own "quiet time" although it looks different than Malachi's. I usually do 1-2 hours of my work from home admin job on the work laptop. I also might blog, do housework, play with the baby, do some screen-time (like watch a movie), eat "forbidden snacks" (foods that I couldn't eat with Malachi around, such as ice cream), or do other things on my To Do list. SOMETIMES - if I am very lucky, Malachi will put himself down for a nap during quiet time, then it's EXTRA quiet time. Quiet time is my favorite time of day ◡̈
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| A quiet cup of tea for quiet time |
𖤓 Play Time! 𖤓
Depending on when quiet time happens, it may or may not be very close to when my husband gets home from work. So the time of day at this point really determines what we do for the rest of the day. Regardless what it is, we do it all together. Sometimes it's playing with toys, reading, doing an activity (like repotting plants together) or just hanging out cuddling on the bed. We do this until my husband gets home.
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| Repotting a new plant! Malachi loved scooping the soil! |
𖤓 Daddy is Home! 𖤓
This is another time in the routine where the activity really varies. My husband always takes a shower and makes a coffee with Malachi when he gets home. After then, frequently we will all go out on a walk together, or to the playground, and/or go to the store to shop for whatever we might need. We do this until dinner time and bedtime.
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| Checking out a new book we got at a book fair! |
𖤓 Dinner then Bed (for Malachi)! 𖤓
After our activities for the day are all done, around 7pm or 8pm, we put Malachi for bed after doing dinner. He can brush his teeth with minimal help, use his tiny toilet all on his own, and get dressed with help. Daddy will read a chapter of Scripture and then we will leave him to it. He has been pretty good about going to sleep once we leave the room, with no wake-ups in the night. We always give him his water bottle in case he's thirsty in the night.
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| My three boys <3 |
𖤓 And that about wraps it up! 𖤓
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my routine!
This routine structure is very helpful for both me and Malachi. It's helpful for me because my mental health does a lot better when I have some type of structure to my day and to my life. Of course with flexibility for when things happen or when things change. But having something right after the other helps me get through the day. For the easy days, and the hard days too.
It's helpful for Malachi because, as a toddler, he thrives on routine and knowing what comes next. Having a set routine helps minimize acting out because of boredom or not understanding expectations. And he is really good at knowing what we do throughout the day! As soon as we are done with our walk, he is asking about coffee. As soon as we are done with lunch, he is asking about quiet time - so on and so forth. He knows! He's a smart kid, and it takes the extra work off me to have to explain every bit of every day, because it's automatic.
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| Malachi checking out some flowers. |
Of course, things are not always this way - this is just a typical weekday. Weekends are much more of a free-for-all. Also, sometimes Fridays are a little different, as I usually keep the car that day (which allows us to do different things out and about) and we usually run to get coffee in the morning before I drop off my husband to work.
In any case, I hoped you enjoyed reading about my routine!
Do you have a daily routine that you go by? What type of things are included in yours?
Let me know your thoughts on my routine in the comments!
~ Amaris // ☆
