photo NavTwit_zpsc1rktw78.png photo NavIG_zpsaip8p7oy.png photo NavPin_zpsuu9kgez7.png photo NavBL_zpscv6phppl.png


8.22.2017

day in the life.

four-forty.
up and at'em!!  
my day starts about 4:40am when I am up and heading to camp gladiator.  finding time to get in my workout has been the toughest transition into having four kids.. especially when 3/4 of them aren't sleeping through the night.  early morning at 5am is the only really good time for me to get in about 60 minutes, but its also the time Brady is waking to eat.  there has been a handful of times that he's slept through until closer to 7am, but most mornings Jordan will feed him a bottle and I'll pump when I get home around 6am.
6am is when I hit the ground running.
I usually get my coffee and breakfast the moment I get home.. Im starving by the time I finish bootcamp and need something asap.  if Brady has eaten already I'll take this time to pump while I eat my breakfast and catch up on emails or style a handful of stitch fix clients.
I shower up, rarely wash my hair, and attempt to get myself "ready" in the morning. 
the babes slowly start to trickle in, usually Parker or Baker first.. then Jolie, and if Brady isn't awake already he's in the bathroom with me!

 I usually lay out the kid's clothes the night before.. even if we aren't going anywhere and its literally a tank top + yoga shorties, I have a plan for what they are going to be wearing for the day.  and then there are those days that their clothes sit on the floor of their room all day and we stay in our pj's instead:)
the twins are able to dress themselves and Baker, that sweet girl, really tries her best but ends up stuck in her shirt sleeve and with two legs in one side of her shorts.
I finish getting myself "ready".. usually just minimal makeup (foundation + bronzer are my lifelines) and if I didn't wash my hair I blow dry the dampness out from workout, tousle it with dry shampoo and touch up the curls with my flat iron.
seven thirty.
if it is a day that I am working, I throw on my scrubs and I hit the door.. but on a day that I am home (usually I have one or two days off during the week!) our days are literally filled from start to finish! 

 playtime happens all day long.  my house is a mess moments after the crew wakes..and I usually only pick up and organize after they are down for a nap or after dinner while the girls are winding down for the night. I've been trying to find fun things for the girls to do this summer that don't require me going out and spending a ton of money..and its so darn hot outside.  that sort of limits what we are able to do outside when I have an infant in tow.  
ten o'clock 
mornings usually consist of errands.. picking up groceries (I order online and pick up at the store.. seriously changed my life!), running to Costco or making quick shopping trips for whatever we need.  I end up putting together a list every week as the things come up of "things to do" and so my days off are FULL. I'll usually pack a lunch for all the girls and we eat on the go.  BUT I am not beyond a swing through the drive through for chicken nuggets for Parker, a jr. burger for Jo, and a grilled cheese for Baker. 
two-thirty
I try to make it home by early afternoon so that Baker can take a nap.  afternoon nap for Baker has fallen in line with Brady's long nap of the day (he takes one morning and one afternoon nap everyday) and even though the twins don't usually nap anymore, they have quiet time and color, watch a movie, or read books in their room.  
I'll usually take this time to style more stitch fix clients, blog ahead for the week, or catch up on emails. 
four o'clock 
::I'm on my way home from work if its a "work day" for me:: 
these warm afternoons of the summer are spent at the neighborhood pool, in the backyard on the patio with scooters + mini trikes.. and occasionally I pull out the blow up pool.  earlier this summer Jordan and Papa put together a swing set, so we spend a lot of time playing outside in the backyard.
six thirty
after a couple hours of playing its time for dinner.  I usually cook on the nights that Jordan is at home (not at the fire station or on shift at the hospital). I plan our meals the week before and create a mini meal plan schedule which helps me to make sure I have the ingredients on hand to cook a meal for the family.  on the nights that its just me and the kids dinner often looks like boxed mac + cheese or baked chicken nuggets or even breakfast for dinner.  we usually have left overs from the night before and Jolie is a big leftover eater but Parker and Bake aren't, so I kind of just make whatever sounds good to everyone at the time. 
seven fifteen 
the bed time hustle takes forever right now.  by the time I get everyone bathed.. usually I stick all three of the girls in the shower while I bathe Brady in the tub, its a solid forty five minutes before everyone is in their jammies.  on nights that Jordan is home we divide and conquer and he reads books to the girls while I feed Brady and get him down for the night.  when I am solo Brady just hangs out with us while I get the girls in bed.  getting them in bed first seems to be much easier on me than trying to get Brady in bed while they are still awake.. we play a game of in and out of his room and Brady never really seems to settle down enough to fall asleep and it takes forever!  

eight fifteen 
my goal is to have every one down before 8:30pm.  lately, since starting the sleep coupon + reward system with the girls, its been a much easier time of day. bedtime easily could be my most stressful time of the day. 
after the kiddos are in bed I usually hop back on the computer to finish my stitch fix clients, blog for the next morning or do absolutely nothing at.all.  I try really hard to be in bed before eleven, but sometimes its midnight or I get in bed when the kids are finally down because I'm completely whipped.. and then sometimes Brady wakes before I even get in bed at night and I'm up for another couple hours..

life is full these days. 
transition into having four babies hasn't been seamless, but we are managing. one thing that we've talked and prayed about for a couple years now is my staying home full time. I have about a 45 minute commute to the hospital in the morning and sometimes over an hour coming home. Jordan works about 35 minutes away from home.. the twins are starting kindergarten next year and being that far away from home sort of stresses me out.  about a year and a half ago the application for stitch fix fell in my lap and I feel like the Lord was laying ground work for me to be able to finally be home full time with the babies.  I didn't see it then but looking back it was clear as day the plan that He had for us.  after Jolie started struggling with health issues and Parker's anxiety hit an all time high the value in being home with my kids became most important than anything.  

that being said.. being a SAHM is freaking hard.  my days off with the kids can be EXHAUSTING and so I need ideas!  cheap ideas to keep these babies entertained! this is all new territory for me, so I need all the advice I can get! 

photography by: b faith photography 

8 comments:

Laci said...

I do not know how you manage on such little sleep! Girl I would be a MONSTER MAMA!! You rock-the older girls will hopefully sleep better....I have always wondered how in the world you work on top of having 4 adorable babies! I have two kids and I swear I think about quitting my job daily to stay home, lol. I am a wimp!

Kristin said...

I am a SAHM and we love going to the public library! They have tons of music/reading programs for kids of all ages, summer reading programs, toys, ipads, Disney moving showings, Lego nights, etc. Perfect place to take the babes or meet up with friends and their kids, and it's FREE, and it encourages kids to read!!

We also love playgrounds and parks and taking picnic lunches. If you have a Barnes and Noble they often have little kid story times, your park district might have little inexpensive programs for the kids...I'm sure I'll think of more!

Best of luck with everything!

Fuhrman221 said...

I need ideas too! I am a sahm with a 4 1/2 year old and a 6 month old. When it is hot out ( or really smoky in our area right now) I just can't take the kids out in it! I am always on the hunt for good ideas :) we do love to play in the bath. I have bath markers and color tabs, add bubbles and shaving cream and sometimes that keeps my daughter entertained for an hour! Plus I don't have to do bath time ;) as always play doh, coloring/painting and slime is a huge hit! And our Barnes and nobles also has a play area.

Fuhrman221 said...

Yes! I am a SAHM to two littles and I am always looking for ideas too! Especially to do at home for when we can't go out. We love to play in the tub! Bubbles, bath markers, color tabs and shaving cream can get me an hour lol! Plus I don't need to do bath time :)

Stephanie said...

I did a lifestyle shoot of our morning for my readers because there was so much interest. Life as a working mom with littles requires planning, lots of planning! As for staying home it's no piece of cake either. During my leave we went to the park, I made bins of activities and stored them outside (washing animals/sand rocks & cars, etc. - I have boys), bubbles, side walk chalk, the library, the pool, long walks, painting, play-doh, puzzles, built structures for play out of cardboard boxes, set up play dates (new toys!!), made cookies. We also own a boat so when it got to be too much we took our motion babies out on the water. Good luck with everything!

Unknown said...

You must be super woman to make it with 4 kiddos and such little sleep! Go you! Here's a few ideas for fun, cheap, indoor activities:

~Making homemade playdough is a blast and this recipe is my favorite: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/71909/koolaid-play-dough

~Shaving Cream puff painting: Mix equal parts shaving cream and glue and add food coloring. The paint dries on paper but stays fluffy and soft, its amazing!

~Indoor "carnival" games such as ring toss with paper plates and paper towel rolls, "skee ball" with a box ramp and laundry baskets, Balloon tennis with paper plate racquets.

~Building a fort inside with pool noodles and sheets

~Decorating boxes for each kid to look like cars (with paper plate wheels) that the kids each can sit in for a "drive in movie theater" and watch a movie.

~Contact paper collages: Get clear contact paper and peel the backing off. Place it sticky side up either on a table or on the wall. Let the kids cut out magazines, construction paper, or anything scraps/craft supplies and they can stick whatever they want to the contact paper to create a collage. The Dollar Tree has a great craft section for cheap supplies!

Hope some of these ideas work for you guys! Good luck, you got this!

Unknown said...

Love these type of posts! You are my hero!!

Unknown said...

I'm not a mama myself, but I have had my fair share of time trying to entertain young ones, everywhere from a part-time nanny job to helping out with the babes at church. So my recommendations aren't mama-tested but if you're willing then it's something to try! There's probably a few, but here you go anyway.

- Bit messy, but we loved making stamps for the kids with their names in foam letters, then giving them paint and letting them stamp their name on various sheets of paper! Sounds simple, but apparently they loved combining colours and just seeing their name.
- We loved noise makers. Rubber bands on cereal boxes or empty tupperware for mini-guitars, and boxes with lids for drums. Some rice in a bottle for shakers. You could also challenge the big girls and see if they can make any instruments of their own!
- Balloon tennis with fly swatters or something similar. Don't let the balloon touch the floor!
- If you don't already have things like bath crayons, they can be a real hit.
- If you give them some masking tape and let them make lines on the floor, then try practicing walking along it like a tightrope. It can go over or under or around things, like an obstacle course. Bonus if there's multiple paths they can take.
- Scavenger hunt or a puzzle hunt (the pieces of the puzzle become something they have to find, then put it together).
- Pet rocks. Again, messy, but paint is so much fun!
- Felt boards if you have them or can find them cheap, then little felt things to stick on. Either pre-purchase, let the kids make them, or just do what they like!
- Pipe cleaners. Just... pipe cleaners. Add almost anything and they're a hit. Egg cartons to make lil trains, buttons or something to make trees.
- Dominoes. They can make their own too!
- Trace their hand, foot, or body on paper and colour!
- Baking soda and vinegar.

As a last note, you're a superstar for managing so well with 4 kiddos! I can barely function on as much sleep as you get, and I don't have babes to run around after!

Pin It button on image hover