RHYTHM

Life as I knew is still something of the past, my always clean floors, perfectly folded laundry, meticulously stocked cupboards. But we are finally coming into a bit of a rhythm and it's a step in the right direction toward routine. I've let go of the assumption that we'll be back to a daily or weekly routine any time soon.  This new rhythm that we're finding though is bringing a little normalcy back into my daily life and I can only imagine that as we get into our new house and function as an independent family, our rhythm will only get better.

The thoughts flooded my mind last week as I washed dishes after dinner, in order to make space to bathe the children. Kday was arriving home late because he had commuted to work on his bike and dinner had already been served the kids. Bedtime was looming and I was feeling like total chaos had consumed my surroundings as well as my thoughts. Then, just as the faucet stopped pouring out water, my worries stopped pouring through my mind. I realized that we will find a rhythm at the new house that fits OUR lifestyle. We can cook dinner when it works best for us and we can get the kids bathed without having to clean the kitchen to do so, or we can even leave the mess for another day if we want! Our evening rhythm played out in my mind and the pieces all just fell into place and I thought about how we'll make it work at the new house.  (I like the word rhythm instead of routine because routine is too "solid" and sounds like it doesn't allow for much wiggle room... but rhythm is a "flowing or ever moving" meaning that feels a little more like the reality of our lives.)

Here's our "Evening Rhythm" 

Because Kday's job is such that he doesn't get home until about 7pm... we had two choices.

1. Eat dinner as a family without him. Boo. Family table time provides so many benefits I'm not willing to sacrifice.

2. The option we chose:

About 4-5:30

*Kids wake up from naps and Layla has a snack.

*I prep most of dinner while the kids all play in the kitchen - Layla does a table top craft like playdoh or coloring etc.

About 5:30-6:30

*Feed Rider dinner

*Owen takes a cat nap for about 30-45 minutes

*Stick dinner in oven or complete food prep steps so dinner will be ready about 7:15

*Bathe the kids and get them in PJ's.

About 6:30-7:15 (Kday arrives home)

* "Swaddle and Bottle" we call it when we put the boys to bed. Kday and I each take a baby and get them to sleep

*Meanwhile Buca heads back to the table to finish her craft or she plays with toys quietly

About 7:30 (I know it's late for most families to do dinner this late but as our kids grow older and their nap times evolve to a later time... this way we can all sit together with Kday as a family and enjoy table time)

*Kday, Buca, and I finally sit down for dinner together

*Kday and I rotate turns on cleaning the dinner mess while the other parent spends some 1-1 time with Buca. 

*1-1 time includes things like a bike ride, walk, playing house, chase or hide and seek.

About 8:15

*Reading and singing with Buca as she goes to bed

I decided to quit trying to cram our family schedule into the "norm" of eating dinner at 5 pm. Kday and I have always been late dinner kind of folk and with his job - it's impossible to enjoy a family dinner any earlier than 7:30 most nights. I stopped resisting and decided to go with what works, low and behold... a rhythm was created.