Keeping a Baby Alive

Bart and I have a new running joke. It goes like this:

Bart comes home from work and says,
 "what did you DO all day"

to which I reply,

"Absolutely nothing...and yet once again the day is over"

Let me break down my day for you...because I know you're curious. Sometimes a few things are different. The chore I choose to do might change, or we have a different errand to run or a visitor come over, but for the most part this is what my day looks like:

1am

Wake up and pump. Macs is sleeping through this feeding now so I hook up for 15 min and head back to bed

4am

Sweet cheeks wakes up and guzzles milk like she hasn't eaten in DAYS!! then passes out...this feeding use to take an hour to get her back down, but is now down to about 20 minutes

4:25am 

Crawl back into bed 

5:45am

Wake up and pump (just call me mama cow)

6am

Wake up macs for her first feeding of the day. Even though it's early now, it's the time of day I want to feed her when I get back to work so we are starting the routine now

6:30-6:45am

Passed out baby goes right back to sleep. Kiss Bart goodbye, grab his butt and crawl back into bed

8-8:45am

Depending on how tired I am I wake up between now and pump (again)...maybe make me some oatmeal but probably not. Clean pumping parts and make a new bottle 

9am 

Time to feed the little piglet. We go downstairs, open all the shades and enjoy some morning sun with a side of liquid gold. I watch my show (usually only the fist 15 min or so) and play with the babes. 

10-11am

Depending on the day macs either goes right back down for a nap or hangs out until 10:30-11ish. This is where bath time happens and maybe even a walk or run if everything goes smoothly. Hopefully I have eaten breakfast by now

11am-12pm

Pump again!! During her nap I might do a load of laundry or do the dishes....or not. 

12pm

Lunch time! (For the baby...mama doesn't eat as regularly as she does) 

1pm-3pm

Usually her best nap of the day. I either snooze a little, finish a few chores and hopefully get some lunch. If we didn't take a morning walk I'll take the sleepy baby out for a walk. And of course I pump....(are you sensing a pattern?!??)

3pm 

Second lunch for my hungry little hippo. Sometimes she likes to be awake, and sometimes she just goes right back down for a nap

4-5:30pm

Decide if I'm making dinner tonight and maybe do a chore or two....get one more pump session in before Bart gets home 

6pm

Dad's home!!! And baby is hungry. We hang out as a family, watch tv and relax

7-9pm

This is her witching hour. Sometimes she stays awake the entire time, sometimes she will snooze for 30-40min. This is her fussiest time of day but she still hardly cries. Bart plays with her and I cuddle her when she is grouchy. I also play mama cow and pump again

9-9:30pm

Daddy usually handles this feeding while I go to bed and wait for it to all start over again

McKenzie is still at the young baby eat, sleep, poop stage. When she is awake we talk and sing and she stares at the black lamp against the white walls. we have tummy time and she squeaks and squeals. These moments just don't last very long before she is tired so there really isn't much mommy-teaching-moments happening. I'm looking forward to the longer wake times where we can play. 

I have worked hard to make sure we do a schedule and she learns to fall asleep on her own. It's been pretty fabulous and she is now sleeping 6 hours, wakes up for a 20 min snack and sleeps for another 2. The day I can stop pumping and sleep that long too will be a day of celebration! She is also able to fall asleep on her own for naps, and seems to prefer her crib over my arms when she gets tired. No complaints here!

So what do I do all day?? Honestly...it doesn't feel like much, and I get bored sometimes (okay more than sometimes) but I am loving on my baby and keeping a human alive which is more than some people can say :)