We are not schedule people. Never really have been. At the 6 month appointment the doctor told us that at this age babies will start to rebel against established schedules and practices. I’ll let you know when she starts refusing to sleep in my bed and demands the crib. That’ll be the day.
B-man gets up at 7 am. Generally Ginny will sleep through the hum of doors creaking and the shower. Of course, some times she doesn’t. Like today. Which is why I am awake enough to blog at 9:40.
Regardless, we have been known to climb out of bed somewhere between 7 and 11. I have tried to figure out how to get her to sleep so long… but it really is not dependent on the night before.
So last Thursday I woke up and popped my bread in the oven. I had made it Wednesday with leftover oatmeal. As I’ve written about before, I’m not the best at making bread. This one worked out okay. I think I will try it again. It tasted good, but didn’t rise as much as I wanted it to. I think I can do better, and will try again when I will let you know! I still have some of this bread in my bread box, we ate it with dinner several nights, and I had it with breakfast several mornings…. and as a snack with that happy cow cheese stuff on it. It twas delicious.
After popping the bread in the oven I made some oatmeal. This version had peanut butter, raisins, and a few drops of honey. I try to eat oatmeal at least 4 times a week. It’s good for your heart. My other typical breakfasts include egg white scrambles, and cereal. But cereal is kind of like a special treat.
Sometimes I eat breakfast with B-man. Sometimes I eat it by myself. Sometimes I put Ginny in the bumbo with some fake food and an empty cup and I eat on the floor so she can see me do it. But, typically she is in her crib though.
This is the one part of our day that is the same every day. Ginny has some “Ginny-time” while I eat breakfast, read blogs and have some “Mommy time”. It’s the only time she is content to hang out with out me in her sight. It lasts about 20 minutes, and some times I can even get a shower in!
When she gets fussy I move her into the living room so that she can see me while I do fun things like vaccuum… declutter the tables…. or the dishes…
Look… all of my dishes disappeared! Actually, this is the only “chore” that I am good at staying on top of. Some days I get laundry done. Some days I make the bed, but every day I do the dishes. It’s a win in my book!
By the time the dishes are done (and that picture is only semi-done. The sink was full before this picture, the I loaded the dishwasher, and then I re-loaded the dishwasher later in the day) Ginny starts to get lonely, so I get down on the ground and play with her. I’ll build towers for her and she’ll scoot and knock them over. Or I spend 10 minutes making her noises back at her…. which she finds hilarious. Love!
When she is thoroughly played-out I nurse her, and then slip the binky in when she falls asleep. At this point I have two options.
- Try and set her down and hope that she stays asleep… then I would get to read more blogs, or if I’m feeling motivated I will do some of those a fore mentioned chores.
- Continue holding my sweet baby and catch up on my DVR shows.
Today I chose option number 2. So I watched an episode of The Ellen Show. Well… half of it. During a commercial break I looked down and:
Hey Mom… what’s that?
So she uses the potty, then I strip her down. Actually… the last few days she has spent the majority of the morning nekkid. If I’m feeling adventurous I even leave her diaper off. Any way, after the potty I left her clothes off, and popped her into the bumbo to try some banana. She doesn’t like food… but she does like being a ham for the camera:
After I wipe up the banana goop, we both get dressed and head outside. As part of my effort to instill a love of the outdoors in my baby girl we go walking every day. On this day we were actually headed to the grocery store.
Going outside seems to re-set the day though. It’s kind of like waking up in the morning, but less depressing. The fresh brisk air, the cute hat on my baby girl, and running errands all in one!!! lol.
When we get home I carry the baby, and the groceries, up the stairs. When I’m done putting the groceries away Ginny and I chill on the floor. At this time I don’t usually play with her. I spend the time drawing or crocheting or knitting… working on some sort of project. If that seems weird… don’t worry… she spend most of the day in my arms, which is why I am now trying to make time specifically for her to be… not held. It’s also important that she learn how to entertain herself. So I sit with her. If she gets bored or frustrated I am right there to help, but I try to let her do things on her own.
When she gets too grumpy to play on her own that means it’s nap time! Afternoon nap is the one where I have enough will power to coax her to sleep in her bed. It usually involves her getting very very very worked up.
Once she is asleep I put away the dishes, start prepping dinner, or work on one 
of my bajillion craft projects. I return e-mails, take the dogs out, and scavenge for snacks.
I realize it looks like all I do is play and do crafts. lol. This was a pretty easy day. But I didn’t take pictures after nap time because some one woke up in a bad mood. So I did dinner, and the dishes, and cloth-diaper-duty with a baby tied to me.
By about 4 pm I start getting antsy. Ginny really is high maintenance. Some days are great, but some days it’s a miracle if I get dressed. I’m trying to become a schedule person. It’s never been my strong suit, but we’re getting better. I will usually text B-man to ask when he is getting home.
He’ll respond with something like 6:30… some times later.
I spend the next 2+ hours alternating Ginny between playing on the floor, eating, the exersaucer, and the swing. It’s the baby dance – find what works.
When B-man gets home he takes over baby duty. I make dinner, we eat, then I feed Ginny and she goes down to sleep.
After that… it’s kind of hit-or-miss. Some times we’ll watch a movie. Some times we’ll do our own thing. Just depends on… well… what we did the day before.
So, that’s pretty much what every day looks like right now.
I once tried googling “Activities to do with my 6 month old baby.” And at that point I realized I had a problem. It occurred to me that if I am constantly trying to entertain her, she may come to expect that. I love playing with her and holding her, but I know she is good at being her own little person, so I have been trying to give her some space. She’s really good at letting me know when she wants me there – at which point I am happy to oblige!
Also. I have really terrible hiccups right now. I kind of feel like I am going to throw-up each time one happens. Yuck.
