I started this blog with the hope of some day it being a fun thing to look back on for my children. Since I was able to scrap book with only Jack at home, he has two beautiful scrapbooks. I realized with four kids, the time for scrap booking would be few and far between, so the blog seemed like a good idea to get my thoughts down and to chronicle their lives before I forget them in years to come. Since I don't remember schedules much from when Jack was two months old, I thought I would write down a typical day at the Scudder house today, when the babies are two months old and Jack is a few months shy of three years old. Here goes...
The day will start sometime between 530a-630a with Jack up and full of energy. I know, rather early. This is a new thing as Jack has been in his big bed and hears John getting up and getting ready for work. We have tried to tell him he has to stay in bed until it is light outside. This doesn't always work. The girls are usually up around 7am. I change them all, give them their vitamin and weigh them. They all get a bottle of pumped breast milk that is fortified with formula. They each take about 3.5 to 4 oz. After eating, they are very calm and will sit and look around for up to an hour before they will fall asleep for 2-3 hours. In the meantime, I get Jack breakfast, clothed and clean up all the mess. I pump and shower and I am ready by 9am. While I am pumping, I check email and do my computer "work" as Jack calls it. I always feel good about how much I get accomplished by 9 am. Four kids fed, clothed and myself ready for the day!
On Mondays, Jack and I go to his playgroup while Madeleine stays with the girls. We are home by 11am when the girls and Jack need to eat. Monday, Wednesday and Friday the girls get baths- usually between 10 and 11am. Jack has school from 9-11am on Wednesdays and Fridays which I drop him off and pick him up. I run errands during that time if needed. After lunch, the girls will get some playtime or tummy time before falling asleep again. They tend not to sleep in long spurts during the rest of the day and it seems like one is always awake. Jack will get a bath after lunch if needed. I make 12 bottles for the next day and thaw out frozen breast milk if needed. Jack goes down for a nap around 130-2pm and on the days Madeleine is here I will take Carter out for a walk--just like the old days. I like to get out of the house and some fresh air. If I get home early enough and was up a lot the night before, I try to get a nap in during this time too. The girls eat again around 230-330pm and I am finished feeding them around 4-430p when Jack gets up. Madeleine leaves at 430p on Monday, Wednesday and Friday since she comes at 830a those days. On Tuesdays, she doesn't come until 11am so she is here during the evening hours until 7pm. She doesn't come at all on Thursdays right now, so I usually have friends and/or my sister-in-law come over to help out in the morning and/or lunch until Jack takes a nap.
The hardest part of my day is from 430p until 9pm when everyone is in bed again. The girls are cranky and don't sleep much during this time. Jack wants attention I can't give to him. The girls want to be held and I can't hold them all. The swing is usually going and I use my baby Bjorn front carrier quite a bit. Jack and I eat dinner at 5pm and I am usually feeding the girls again by 530p until about 630-7pm. Sometimes John is home by 7p and he entertains Jack and/or helps with the cranky babies. I put away the laundry, get the house and kitchen in order and Jack in PJs on most days during this time unless the babies are really cranky, then I don't get much else done and I do those things after everyone is in bed. John puts Jack in bed at 8pm and we both start feeding the girls bottles by 815-830pm. They are usually great about going to bed after being fed. I pump and upload pictures or whatever else I need to on the computer. I also clean all the bottles before going to bed at about 1030pm. I have been sleeping on the couch and the girls are downstairs in their bouncy chairs for the night. It is just easier to warm bottles and clean equipment without waking up John and Jack. They get up to eat again between 2-4am. I get up, feed each of them and pump again, checking email and blogging. I am usually up at least an hour, some times up to two hours. They are getting better about going back to sleep after their feedings, but it seems like there is always one that wakes up early these days--this may be due to Jack running around the living room and non-stop talking at 530am.
During the day feedings, I nurse two babies and the 3rd gets a bottle. Since there are three feedings, I alternate who gets the bottle. At night and in the morning they all get bottles since it is quicker and I am by myself. I am using my supply of frozen breast milk in addition to the pumped milk since they are eating more these days. All bottles are fortified with Neosure to add calories and minerals for bone growth. They have six feedings per day right now, four bottles and two times they are nursed. I try to keep them on the same schedule each day so we are not constantly feeding babies. It takes me about 1.5 hours to change and feed each baby, but with help, it may only take an hour. We are going through about one box (84 diapers) of newborn diapers every five days. Our garbage has more than doubled! Thankfully we have only had to buy one can of formula. The doctor's office has given us five cases (six cans equal a case) of Neosure.
We do two loads of laundry a day and Madeleine will do these when she is here. John takes care of Carter these days feeding him and letting him outside. I can sometimes have time to do a quick vacuum in the evenings when the girls are good. Otherwise it gets done on the weekends or Madeleine does it. We do the sheets on Tuesdays. And I write everything down, wet diapers, dirty diapers, amount and time of feedings, weights, when I gave the vitamins, when they did tummy time, when they slept and were awake, etc. It may sound nuts, but it is a necessity. I can't remember things from day to day!
The days are filled and seem to go by fast! John is off work for the next three weeks, so the extra hand will be so helpful!
After reading this I know what you are thinking. You say OCD. I say just organized.
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