The Finite Routine

We decided to get this Summer Infant 3 Stage Super Seat instead of the ubiquitous
Bumbo.  I like that he has stuff to grab and look at to keep him entertained and to
develop his motor skills.  It also doubles as a booster seat and he can use it till he is
33 pounds.  IMO, the seat gives more bang for your buck, and baby loves it.  :-)

I've been procrastinating with taking photos and videos with my Nikon.  The ones above were from my convenient Android.  Not too shabby, eh?  Anyhoo, Baby Boy is in the stage where everything he touches is on autopilot towards his mouth.  He also started to reach for foods we eat - in other words, vetoing his favourite milk (perhaps his motive to be difficult while feeding).  His pediatrician did give the go to supplement with solids but there are a million different hesitation and doubts in my mind, including the fact that he's only four months.  But we'll see how it goes before any of us go mad.

Aside from the challenging feeding sessions, things seem to be developing smoothly.  Baby and I have a set schedule.  Okay, let's be honest, he set the schedule while I work around it.  Such is the life of a stay at home mom - but I LOVE IT!!!

I've mapped out our typical day.  Some of the events vary since he sometimes wakes up earlier, skips his naps, sleeps at a later time, or spends a night over his grandparents' house.  I'm just grateful for the time little bit of quiet I have in the morning to drink my coffee.  However, this schedule is bound to change as he grows - but I welcome it because I really can't wait to talk to him and do fun little activities with him.  I'm most excited to teach him math, finance, and accounting but likewise will give him room to breathe to be a boy, to get dirty, to build things, to do sports with his Papa, to expand his mind, and to support his interests.

So anyway, here is our finite schedule/routine:

• 7 am - Wake up, brush teeth, do all the bathroom necessities.
• 7:15 - Change baby's diaper.  Lay him back to sleep.
• 7:30 - Cook myself breakfast, eat.  Enjoy my coffee as I browse the web.  Dre goes to work.
• 8:00 - Baby eats
• 8:15 - Baby goes back to sleep.  I work out to Chalene Johnson's Turbo Jam or Turbo Fire.  I love that baby monitor (see pic to the right).  It's mobile and I take it everywhere to check spy on him.
• 9:00 - Quick shower and all that other jazz.
• 9:30 - Start cooking dinner while doing other chores in the house like dishes, laundry, cleaning, and organizing.  This is continuous throughout the day.  Add browsing the web and blogging to this.
• 10:15 - Baby wakes up and is freshened up: face, hands and feet washed; mouth and gums cleaned; diaper changed (changed frequently throughout the day); fresh change of clothes. 
• 10:30 - Baby eats
• 11:00 - Baby plays with his Piano Gym.
• 11:45 - Baby sits on his little swing.
• 12 pm - Bonding time.  We talk, sing, play the piano, he smiles, he laughs, grabs on to things, sits down and stands up assisted. 
• 12:50 - Baby has belly time while I get his milk ready.
• 1:00 - Baby eats then sleeps and I eat lunch. 
• 2:00 -  Bonding time with the pets: play fetch.  They chase the cat around the house. RIOT!!!
• 2:30 - Baby wakes up and gets a diaper change.  We sit on the recliner to read books. 

Here are some books I picked up at the library yesterday.  Maksim LOVES
reading time.  He talks, laughs, and grunts while looking at the colorful
pages.  He loves to hold the books and is learning to flip the pages.

• 3:15 - Baby sits on his chair (see photo and video above): chews and plays. 
• 3:45 - Baby eats.
• 4:15 - Baby's swing now positioned in the kitchen while I finish cooking dinner.  I talk to Baby showing and describing every ingredient and step.  He tries to talk back.  Very very cute.
• 5:30 - Dre gets home. Dinner time.
• 6:15 - Baby eats.
• 6:45 - Father/Son bonding.  Dre takes care of Maksim while I do the dishes, clean and sanitize baby bottles, and then go to the grocery store.  If I miss my workout or shower in the morning, I do those during my free time.
• 8:00 - Baby bath time every other day.  When the summer hits and the temperature goes up, then bath time will be every evening.  Baby changes to sleeping clothes.
• 8:45  - Baby eats.
• 9:15 - More play time with baby.
• 10:00 - Baby sleeps, Mama sleeps, and Papa continues to work from home or watches television.