Easier said than done! When you have a singleton + twins, the learning curve is a straight up & down line - so it seems. I didn't know I was learning so much so quickly. Then when I got a few hours of uninterrupted sleep; I realized I had a few tricks up my sleeve!
First and foremost, don't entirely give up YOUR morning routine. If your kids are your alarm clock as mine are to me, then you might find yourself (and others) seriously wishing you had brushed your teeth. No one I know enjoys furry teeth! And don't even get me started on going to the bathroom again! But all is not lost as I did eventually take back my sequential order of morning.
So this wonderful morning routine tidbit came to me when my dear friend, Kay came to stay with me. My husband travels a lot for work and with one trip after another...suffice to say my nerves/psyche/sense of self were quickly deteriorating. Being the wonderfully great friend she is, Kay flew out for a long weekend to help me out/provide some relief. Getting to sleep in (in the morning) is a god-send and Kay obliged. I did hear Kay get up with the kids and knew the kids were in loving hands (not to mention I was DEAD tired). Later that day she said, "I don't know how you do it." (I have heard this phrase a gazillion times btw). "Oh, whatever do you mean?" I ask hoping the kids didn't wreak complete havoc on her. We discussed this over the kids' nap time: the longest stretch of the day I get to sit & relax. Once I got up she had to RUN to the bathroom, had a caffeine headache & was starving. Hmmmm...didn't you go to the bathroom, brush your teeth (my thing), set the coffee up, get them out of bed, fix them & yourself breakfast and put your coffee in a spill-proof travel mug? WHAT??? Noooooo - she went to them straightaway, gave them hugs, changed their diapers, fixed them breakfast and then played w/them b/c that's what they needed/wanted; my friend explained.
Okay - Mommy takes care of Mommy 1st and foremost. It's imperative! Kay was so relieved that I did all those things for myself before getting the kids out of bed and even said I could have another sleep-in the next day (God bless her). Needless to say, things were a lot different for the best the next morning.
Obviously, with any infant the first year (or two) has many changes to the order of things. You always hear how resilient babies are, but what about us? Mommies are probably the most resilient of all beings! I literally had to throw my 'change is chaos' way of thinking out the window. As soon as I thought - yeah, I got this - the twins start walking. Phffft! Ego, meet the floor under my feet! Several friends asking how I was doing regardless of the frizz on top of my head, dark circles under my eyes, and overall sense of defeat seeping out of every pore got the same resounding response - "I see the light of change! This is just a phase!". Take care of business, take care of yourself!
Now a few tips for those expecting twins that already have a singleton:
~ Become OK with a little crying. Don't let that stop you from going to the toilet!
~ If morning caffeine is your thing, invest in a spill-proof travel mug; preferably one that doesn't get hot on the outside. Oh, and don't forget to close the lid when you set it down.
~ Remember - this too shall pass.
~ Tag team the morning with your partner if you can. That's not a luxury for me as he's left for work before the kids wake up. Oh, and I take my shower (if I'm lucky to get one) at night.
~ Never serve the singleton a breakfast that can't manifest as an uncleaned spill for 20 minutes. My singleton had just turned two when my twins were born. I kept his age in the front of my groggy head.
~ Have easy to eat breakfasts for you too - bars are easy: cereal, granola or protein!
~ Rules always change and can be changed to your necessity/personality/etc. If you have a sick kid, are potty training or there's a big poo blow out, then obviously the order shifts - as it should.
~ Do what you feel is best regardless of what anyone says. You learn a lot by following this tip!
~ Invest in some cute pajamas. You might have to be in them for the day that 1st year; oh and you might have to answer the door in them too. Worth mentioning, you might have a day here or there in the 2nd or 3rd year in pajamas ALL day.
~ Arm yourself w/commercial free programming for the singleton. I love PBS or Nickelodeon for a most likely needed diversion for the singleton. Now that the twins are the toddlers & my singleton is preschool age, I still use TV successfully.
Hopefully this helps. Those first 4 months were so so busy 24/7 and nothing about my morning routine remained the same for the whole 1st year. Now that the twins are used to walking and I'm used to them walking, we're getting back to another arena. If only those darned toys would pick themselves up! I'm welcome to other tips and/or questions. Comment here or email me claud@msn.com.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Procrastination Station
January 31, 2011 seems like a great day as any to start blogging. I had initially resolved to start this year being healthier, more organized and creative. As a master of procrastination, it seemed right to at least start on the last day of the first month of the new year.
Luckily for me I have a 3 yo son and 1 yo twin daughters that allow my procrastination excuse to prevail. Even as I type, albeit with both hands (right now); I am trying to think creatively while wrestling one twin for my chair, another twin with my mobile phone and answering about 20 separate requests. In fact, I've gotten up from this chair no less than 5 X's - oops, hold please, another request - whilst writing just this paragraph.
How often does this happen to you? You want to do just ONE thing, but alas even a 10 minute task stretches to all afternoon. Seriously! Trying to go to the bathroom and getting there solo can be trying. And although this situation is not privy to those of us with multiples or multiples + singleton(s), I somehow feel just a bit more validated to say "I'll do it later" b/c it's the choice I make. I record my one daily program so I can push pause 50 X's while watching in order to ride a make-believe horse with my son or answer a call or check on my nap-procrastinating twins (hmmm - genetics?).
My favorite AND least favorite task to procrastinate is housework. I've given up on the toys! They will not be placed in any kind of organized situation. Try as I might, or rather dream my little dream; I'm just not good at it and do not enjoy it one bit. My solution - get over what I think others' might think. I shouldn't be so egotistical to think someones giving my cluttered home another thought on how it reflects on me. Of course, the debbie downer here is that I trip, stub toes, cringe at the chaos, etc. That's why it's my least favorite. Hmmmm - I think I'll resolve to potty train the twins and use the diaper money on some help. Oh gees - this blogging thing is so darned cathartic - feeling better already.
I sure hope I can reach some other mom's w/a similar situation to mine. I've not found many blogs that I can relate to with regards to my offspring. Wouldn't trade it for the world, but am happy when I learn something that makes life w/them a wee bit easier.
Well, gotta go. Must break up some sibling melee! Cheers ~ Claudia
Luckily for me I have a 3 yo son and 1 yo twin daughters that allow my procrastination excuse to prevail. Even as I type, albeit with both hands (right now); I am trying to think creatively while wrestling one twin for my chair, another twin with my mobile phone and answering about 20 separate requests. In fact, I've gotten up from this chair no less than 5 X's - oops, hold please, another request - whilst writing just this paragraph.
How often does this happen to you? You want to do just ONE thing, but alas even a 10 minute task stretches to all afternoon. Seriously! Trying to go to the bathroom and getting there solo can be trying. And although this situation is not privy to those of us with multiples or multiples + singleton(s), I somehow feel just a bit more validated to say "I'll do it later" b/c it's the choice I make. I record my one daily program so I can push pause 50 X's while watching in order to ride a make-believe horse with my son or answer a call or check on my nap-procrastinating twins (hmmm - genetics?).
My favorite AND least favorite task to procrastinate is housework. I've given up on the toys! They will not be placed in any kind of organized situation. Try as I might, or rather dream my little dream; I'm just not good at it and do not enjoy it one bit. My solution - get over what I think others' might think. I shouldn't be so egotistical to think someones giving my cluttered home another thought on how it reflects on me. Of course, the debbie downer here is that I trip, stub toes, cringe at the chaos, etc. That's why it's my least favorite. Hmmmm - I think I'll resolve to potty train the twins and use the diaper money on some help. Oh gees - this blogging thing is so darned cathartic - feeling better already.
I sure hope I can reach some other mom's w/a similar situation to mine. I've not found many blogs that I can relate to with regards to my offspring. Wouldn't trade it for the world, but am happy when I learn something that makes life w/them a wee bit easier.
Well, gotta go. Must break up some sibling melee! Cheers ~ Claudia
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