The New Nightly Routine

Well, with Penn hitting six months (and then the craziness of the holidays passing soon thereafter) we have transitioned Penn to a new schedule of just two naps (AM & PM) and he eats at breakfast time, lunch time and dinner time essentially with a nursing feeding before bed too.  This means that he's dropped the very helpful catnap from 6-7pm that used to allow for quieter/hands-free dinnertime and the ability to handle baths for Koen and Tav without entertaining Penn at the same time.  Oh well, gone are those days!  Hello juggling act!  This whole new routine is easier to manage on evenings when Doug's at home, but several times a week when he's out (like tonight), this is what our evenings look like...

4:30pm Make sure Tavin is up from his nap (wouldn't want him to sleep in at naptime throwing off the Koen/Tavin bedtime room combo).  Tav plays in his room by himself.  I feed Penn while Koen hangs out somewhere, today it was Lego building in the spare room (nursery).  By 4:45pm, Penn's ready for solid food, but first I check on the big boys and often they come join me on the first floor (reek havoc in the living room).  

5pm Around this time Penn is done with his long dinnertime meal and it's time to play until the big boys eat dinner.  Today we were blessed with another 60 degree day and the rain holding off, so we spent most of that time outside on a scooter walk.  We were home by 5:45pm and I made dinner while the boys resumed the havoc in the living room and Penn snuggled with me in the ErgoBaby.  

6pm Dinnertime!  Big boys ate and Penn jumped around in the exersaucer.  

6:30pm Bathtime for Tavin.  Koen worked on his Legos some more (seriously, I need to write a thank you note to the inventor).  Hmmm, what to do with Penn?  Well, first he hung out on the bathmat listening to Tav enjoying his tubby until I realized he had a huge explosion in his diaper, so the rest of the bath I cleaned him up with wipes while Tavin kept busy playing in the bubbles.  Then when I had to get Tav out of the bath I set Penn up in the bouncer naked, cleanly diapered to chill until I could get Tav dried off and in his bathrobe.  Then Tav and Penn and I headed upstairs.  I put on their pajamas.  Then I left Tav to pick out books to read in his room while I nursed Penn downstairs before his bedtime.

6:50pm Penn is in bed.  Now I read to Tavin.  Oh, how he is loving his Bible stories.  I just love reading to my boys, but reading these stories is the ultimate of this experience.  Sharing these powerful narratives with my sweet Tavin is such a privilege and joy.  But alas, the nightlight turns yellow at 7pm and it's time to finish up and get him to bed.  I sing him "Heavenly Sunshine" as I do every other night (and naptime), but he has started to consistently sing along in his precious, special Tavin language.  Then we pray.  I used to just pray, but now he echoes everything I say (again in his language mostly) and it just about makes me melt to the floor, but I'm holding him, so I can't let that happen.  By 7:05 he was down.

7pm I actually had started Koen in the bath right after laying Penn down and let him swim around while I finished up with Tavin.  Koen loves bathtime and it is just a great way to let him simmer down after his day.  Tonight I so enjoyed just sitting on the bathroom floor chatting with him or just watching him play after our sometimes difficult day together.  I let him stay in there until almost 7:30pm.  

7:30pm Read to Koen.  We love reading together as well and tonight we read two great stories that we both really enjoyed.  So great to end on a positive note.

7:45pm Lay Koen down.  This part is nerve-racking.  Laying Koen down and praying with him while I know Tav is laying there with one eye open wondering how tonight will go (as do I).  Thankfully, Koen was amazing yet again tonight (and pretty tired I think) and they both went right to bed in complete silence.  Thank you, Lord!  

So, that's it.  Pretty simple, huh?  I felt pretty accomplished after pulling it off.  

Since I started my day today, I had one thought just penetrating my mind....enjoy it, enjoy it, enjoy it.  They aren't going to be little like this forever.  Although it's tough, Koen is stubborn, difficult and frustrating, Tavin is learning that too and juggling 3 can be a lot at times, I just want to make sure I'm enjoying this.  This is what I've always wanted, what I've prayed for and longed for.  I just want to enjoy it amidst the struggles and exhausting moments.  I want to remember to laugh and tickle and be a little silly with them.  Although earlier today I felt like I had lost all hope (very tough morning with Koen behavior/discipline-wise) in being able to capture that, tonight was a beautiful redemption in a wonderful ending to an overall nice day.  Thank you, Lord!