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If you would have told me after Connor was born that I would eventually become a stay-at-home mom I would have told you “you crazy!”. I loved my job. I loved the excitement of the hospital. I loved my patients. And I really loved my coworkers.
But, just before Connor was born Abe took his first job out of residency at an outpatient clinic in a small town 100 miles north of the hospital I was working at. When my maternity leave ended, we sent Connor to daycare while I worked my 12-hour shifts twice a week at the hospital in Phoenix. On my days off, Connor and I would drive up north to be with Abe for the rest of the week. It was a lot of driving. And like most kids in daycare, Connor got sick a lot.
After 9 months of so much driving and being away from Abe several nights a week and after tons of colds that eventually led to ear infections (and some changes at the hospital- RIP Tower 5 Peds 🙁 ) I decided to stay home with Connor.
So, here we are. 7 years and a couple kids later and I am most definitely a stay-at-home mom.
Here’s what a day in my life with three kiddos looks like.
6:00 Alarm goes off
I usually snooze my alarm once or twice but I try to get up as close to 6 as I can. I get up and pump right away. While I’m pumping I read this book and check my email. The kids are usually still sleeping as I start getting their breakfast ready.
Sometimes I give myself a few minutes to put on a bit of makeup but this doesn’t happen every day.
7:20 Leave the house
We leave the house between 7:20 and 7:30 and drop off Connor first.
8:00- Stop for coffee
The mornings are pretty busy and go by really quickly so I usually end up grabbing coffee and oatmeal from Starbucks and eat in the car.
8:45- Drop Noah off at school
9:30- Audrey’s first nap
After getting home from school drop off, I nurse Audrey and put her down for her first nap. Most days this nap lasts 1.5 to 2 hours.
During this time I try to get “work” done. The “work” varies day to day. I use this time to pay bills and check our budget, respond to emails, plan for the week, write blog posts, or plan for Sunday School. I try to really focus and knock out as much as I can during this short period of quiet time.
11:15- Get lunch & pick up Noah from school
Before getting Noah from school, I get myself some lunch. I try to eat lunch at home most days of the week. But some days, especially if I haven’t meal prepped, it’s just easier to grab something on the go.
12:15- Lunchtime
Audrey is eating 2 meals now and lunch is usually her first meal of the day. She usually just eats whatever I am eating. I make Noah’s lunch the night before (I mentioned here how I prep at night for the following day. Easy, life-changing tips!) so that I can just grab it out of the fridge and feed my hungry boy quickly! I am starving at this point but I know it’ll still be about an hour before I can get to my lunch.
12:45 Books before nap number 2
After a quick wipe down (or maybe a bath depending on how messy lunch is. Thank you BLW 😉 ) Audrey, Noah and I read together for about 20 minutes before Audrey’s second nap. I really love this time with my two babies. Connor loves to read and is a really strong reader and I like to think that has to be because we read together a bunch starting when he was just a baby. We usually get books from the library but I also have a serious problem saying no to new books.
Once Audrey is down I can finally eat my lunch. Noah and I will watch a show together or play Legos.
2:10 Wake the sleeping baby for pickup
I haaaattte having to wake Audrey up from her nap but most days she’s still asleep when my alarm goes off alerting me it’s time to get Connor from school. She wakes up so sweetly and snuggly and I just cannot get enough of her at that moment.
3:00- Library time.
At least once a week we stop by the library. I have the boys do their homework before we look for new books to check out. Our library has THE. BEST. children’s area with toys, train & LEGO tables, and computer games. There is also a nice outdoor area for the kids to play. The weather has been so incredibly beautiful so we took our homework outside! Audrey and I played together while the boys got busy.
4:35 Swim Lessons
Spring swim lessons started a couple weeks ago. The boys still cannot swim on their own (my fault- I know!) and I am determined to make this the summer they both ditch their life jackets. We will do spring swim lessons through the city until our swim instructor starts her private summer lessons. The boys swim Monday through Thursday for the next two months.
5:30/6: Dinner
I try to cook dinner at least 4 nights a week. Lately, it hasn’t been that often but I do my best to not eat out too much. Monday nights Abe has Bible study & eats dinner with the guys so it’s just the kids and me for dinner. I usually do something really easy and fast on these nights.
6:30/7: Finish homework & start showers
This is a crazy time in our house especially when Abe isn’t home to help. I’m trying to keep Audrey happy, help Noah with his shower and help Connor with homework all at the same time. I am also completely fried at this point so this time requires some extra patience from me. And sometimes an adult beverage! After everyone has showered, it’s time for bed.
8:00- Put allll the babies to bed
Audrey is the first to go down. I bathe her, lather her up in our favorite lotion for her sensitive skin, get her snuggly in some pj’s and then nurse her to sleep.
Noah is the next one to go down. He picks a book and I read to him while he looks for sight words. We turn off the lights, take turns praying, give about 100 kisses and then he is finally ready to go to bed.
After putting Audrey and Noah to bed, Connor and I read together. He reads a lot throughout the day so I do most of the reading at night. Right now we are reading Wonder and we both really like it.
8:45- Prep for the next day
I always make lunch and snacks for both boys the night before. The morning is crazy so having one less thing to do really helps. I also clean up the kitchen and put away Audrey’s toys. Starting out the day with a clean house calms my already anxious mind.
9:00- Finish up “work”
After the kids are in bed, lunches are made & the kitchen is clean I try to wrap up whatever I was working on earlier in the day.
9:30 Shower & bedtime. Finally!
I am not a night owl by any means so by 9:30 I start getting ready for bed. I jump in the shower, brush my teeth and get into bed. If I have it in me, I’ll read a couple chapters of Love & Respect in the Family before I turn on Friends on Netflix and finalllly fall asleep.
And then….I start it all over again the next day.
