What DO I do all day? Don’t I get bored?! Someone I love very much recently suggested that stay-at-home parents ‘sit on their a** all day’ and I think my head nearly exploded, but that’s a story for another day. Well, friends, allow me to shed some light on the subject.
7:00am
Up & at ’em! Stella usually gets up around this time, although she isn’t on a strict/reliable schedule. Most days she wakes up happy and spends a few minutes talking to herself in her crib. Kyle has usually left for work already, so it’s just us girls and Milo. I get up, make the bed, grab the little miss, let Milo out of his crate, and head downstairs. I let Milo outside to do his thing, change Stella’s diaper, let Milo back in, feed him, and then sit down to nurse Stella on the couch.
(If Stella happened to sleep well the night before and sleeps a little late, I might get up before her and pump. This is really the only way I can pump anymore. I freeze all the milk that I’m able to pump – even though she won’t take a bottle or sippy cup now, hopefully that will change soon – fingers crossed!)
7:30am
Usually by now I’m making coffee while Stella plays, either in her activity table or on the floor on her play gym. I unload the dishwasher and take care of any dirty dishes in the sink. I’ll fix myself something for breakfast – usually two eggs and some fruit on the side. I’ll check my email and maybe work on a blog post while I eat and Stella plays.
We recently started solids with Stella. After I eat, she goes in her bouncy seat (we don’t have a high chair just yet) and I give her a few bites of whatever puree we’re introducing. She usually only eats a little bit before getting fussy. This is my cue to head upstairs.
8:00am
Roughly one hour or so (maybe an hour and fifteen minutes) after Stella first wakes up, she’s ready for her first nap of the day. I bring her upstairs and nurse her in our room with the blinds closed and the sound machine on. As soon as she’s out, I lay her down on her side and creep quietly out of the room. Girlfriend ALWAYS sleeps on her right side! It’s the funniest thing! In case you think I’m exaggerating, here are some pictures to prove it. These are all from this week.
8:30am
I straighten up the house a bit – if you know me, you know I cannot relax if there’s a mess. If there’s laundry that needs to be done, I’ll toss it in. I’ll sit down in the living room with my cold coffee and fold clothes or work on a meal plan and grocery list for the week. Kyle usually comes home sometime during her first nap and has some breakfast.
9:00am
Stella usually naps for about an hour at a time, so right around now she’s getting up. When I go upstairs to get her, I get ready for the day. I try and fail to do something with my hair, throw on jeans and a t-shirt, put on a little makeup, and then pick out an outfit for Stella. We’ll head downstairs and I’ll change her diaper, get her dressed, and nurse her. Kyle gets ready for class.
9:30am
I play with Stella for a while, either on the floor or with her in my lap. Milo usually brings a toy over and hangs out with us. She likes when I hold her up so she can stand. Kyle leaves for class around 9:45am.
10:00am
I usually put Stella in her activity table or bouncy seat so I can do a little dinner prep. Cut some veggies, marinate some meat, get the crockpot going – whatever I can do ahead of time. Sometimes I drag her play gym into the kitchen and she hangs out on the floor.
10:30am
Sometime over the next half hour or so, Stella is typically ready to go down for nap number two. We head upstairs, get the sound machine going, get comfy in the glider, and get nursing. Again, once she’s out, she goes on her side in the crib and I sneak downstairs.
11:00am
I’ll fix myself something for lunch after I lay her down. While I’m eating, I’ll work on a blog post, check Facebook, or talk to friends and family. This is my little bit of ‘me time’.
11:30am
Stella’s stirring! When she’s up and talking, I go grab her. After a diaper change, I’ll nurse her. Then it’s into the kitchen for some lunchtime solids.
12:00pm
Since we’re still in the early stages of introducing solids to Stella, she gets the same thing a few times a day for three days in a row. No blends just yet, only single ingredient purees watered down with a little breastmilk. Her tongue thrust is still pretty strong, so she only gets a tiny bit into her belly. She seems to like it though! She gets so excited when she sees the spoon! Today, she’s having sweet potatoes!
12:30pm
I’ll let Stella play, either on the floor or in her activity table, while I do any chores that need to be done. This may be laundry, vacuuming, dusting, wiping down the bathroom, cleaning up the kitchen, taking out the trash, etc. Milo will usually lay down near her, unless I’m vacuuming. If the vacuum is out, Milo goes upstairs to hide.
1:00pm
Time for nap number three! Same routine as before, nursing, rocking, baby in the crib, and mama sneaking out of the room. I’ll go back to whatever I was doing before – some chore of some kind.
1:30pm
Kyle usually comes home from class around this time. If I’m done the housework, I’ll hop on the computer for a bit.
2:00pm
Stella gets up, gets her diaper changed, and nurses.
2:30pm
Kyle usually has to go to a formation or something for work. Stella and I hang here at the house.
3:00pm
Stella and I play. I might call my mom or a friend on the east coast since they’re usually off work by now. If Stella is content playing on her own, I might do some reading.
3:30pm
Nap number four, same as before. I might have a little snack if I’m hungry. Today, I’m having paleo banana bread with some peanut butter. Oh, and coffee. Always coffee.
4:00pm
Today, we have an appointment at this time. On other days, I might go to the commissary around now if Kyle happens to be home. Most days, he is home randomly in the afternoon – not officially off work, but on standby. This is my chance to run some errands on base.
4:30pm
Stella gets up, gets her diaper changed, and nurses.
5:00pm
Stella tries some solids.
5:30pm
I’ll get dinner started while Kyle takes care of Stella. They usually relax on the couch while he watches a show or plays a game. Sometimes he just plays music on YouTube and holds her. While I’m in the kitchen, I give Milo his dinner.
6:00pm
While dinner simmers or bakes or roasts, we hang on the couch as a family. Kyle tells me about his day and I fill him in on what went down with Stella and Milo. We laugh at the funny faces she makes, tickle her, talk to her, and try to get her to giggle.
6:30pm
We eat dinner together while Stella hangs out in her activity table, bouncy seat, or play gym. If she’s particularly fussy, one of us will hold her on our lap while we eat. Tonight we are having walnut crusted chicken piccata with salad on the side. This meal is Whole30-friendly!
7:00pm
I bring Stella upstairs for her bed time routine. This usually consists of a warm bath, lotion rub down, a nighttime diaper, pajamas (or lately I’ve just been putting a onesie and a pair of leggings on her), and brushing her hair before snuggling up in the glider with the lights off and sound machine on. She’ll nurse until she falls asleep, at which point I lay her down and head downstairs. Sometimes I read her a book before I feed her. I know I should every night, but I just don’t always have it in me. She gets fussy around this time and just wants to eat.
While I’m upstairs with Stella, Kyle gets a little time to himself. He might watch some videos on his phone, go out back to smoke (grrr), play a game, work on his little model boat project, or something else.
7:30pm
I clean up dinner and pack some leftovers for Kyle’s lunch the next day. I load up the dishwasher and get it running. I might set up the coffee pot for the morning if I’m feeling extra on top of things.
8:00pm
I join Kyle in the living room. I usually have some clothes to fold. If not, we just hang out. Probably watch some Netflix or a movie.
8:30pm
Stella usually gets up to nurse again, but goes right back to sleep. I feed her in our room without turning on the lights or talking to her. It’s all business. We don’t change her diaper overnight anymore, either. She never poops at night, so it’s just pee.
9:00pm
Honestly, Kyle and I are usually still watching Netflix.
9:30pm
Yup, still watching Netflix.
10:00pm
You guessed it. Netflix. I’m trying to be better about reading a book or something instead of watching so much tv. Most nights, the tv is still on, though.
10:30pm
By now, Kyle is usually passed out on the couch. I’ll gather up any dishes or glasses I see and put them in the sink. I’ll throw away whatever trash he has on the end table next to him (he is notorious for leaving an orange peel or a tissue behind). I’ll shut off the light, lock up the house, and wake him up (which is easier said than done – he is a freakishly heavy sleeper). We head upstairs and shut Milo in his crate. If I’m lucky, I can get ready for bed without waking Stella up. I’m usually not so lucky.
11:00pm
Stella wakes up to nurse and goes right back to sleep. Kyle is dead to the world, snoring away. I eventually fall asleep, usually after spending some time on Pinterest on my phone. I know I shouldn’t look at the bright screen so close to bedtime, but I can’t help it. I hate laying there wide awake while everyone else is sound asleep. I can never seem to get comfortable. Maybe I should try some bedtime yoga. I’ve heard that can help you fall asleep faster.
At some point in the wee hours of the morning, Stella typically wakes up again to nurse. Sometimes it’s once, sometimes it’s twice. It varies every night. Whenever she does, she goes right back to sleep.
I know I need to get a workout in there somewhere. Maybe during that first morning nap…I’ve also been meaning to take Stella for a walk in the evening after it cools off a little outside. Haven’t decided if it’ll be before or after her bath. She sleeps in the stroller as long as it’s moving, so it wouldn’t really interfere with the amount of sleep she gets. It’s so hot here already – I think it’s going to have to be after her bath. The later the better.
That’s it! That’s what a day in my life looks like! I know it probably doesn’t sound super exciting to most of you, but I wouldn’t change a thing. What does your day look like?
Amanda Douet 