Comments on: Keeping up the routine http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/ Say hello to parenthood Sat, 18 May 2013 16:04:15 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mrs. Paintbrush http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96290 Mrs. Paintbrush Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:58:46 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96290 Good luck! You can do it!! My husband travels a lot for work... and I've found that the trick to surviving is short cuts. (Otherwise known as special treats. For everyone.) We get take-out, we sometimes watch a special movie, we hit up a place we don't normally go on a weekday. We have play dates so that I get some conversation at an adult level. That said, I'm only parenting one child... and even on days where DH isn't traveling, he's only able to help in the evening. So, I'm not seeing too much of a difference... but that's why I work to make evenings "special" since they are definitely different. Good luck! You can do it!!

My husband travels a lot for work… and I’ve found that the trick to surviving is short cuts. (Otherwise known as special treats. For everyone.) We get take-out, we sometimes watch a special movie, we hit up a place we don’t normally go on a weekday. We have play dates so that I get some conversation at an adult level.

That said, I’m only parenting one child… and even on days where DH isn’t traveling, he’s only able to help in the evening. So, I’m not seeing too much of a difference… but that’s why I work to make evenings “special” since they are definitely different.

]]> By: tequiero21 http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96248 tequiero21 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:02:06 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96248 Unfortunately, I do pretty much all the routines w my babies, so if he went away, wouldn't change much...except for sme breaks here and there... Love love love the last pic.... Unfortunately, I do pretty much all the routines w my babies, so if he went away, wouldn’t change much…except for sme breaks here and there…

Love love love the last pic….

]]> By: Mini Piccolini http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96181 Mini Piccolini Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:26:21 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96181 I have a toddler and a baby and my husband is usually away every third week or so. I have to say, just the last couple of times we've been on our own, now that our baby is 6 months old and our toddler has turned 2, it has suddenly gotten so much easier! Yes, they both need to go to bed at around the same time. Yes, they both are tired and cranky at the same time in the evening. And yes, it is next to impossible to put a sensitive baby down for a nap with an impatient toddler in tow. But now they are more in synch and I am getting the hang of it. My best tips: - a lot of baby-wearing (Louis often naps in the carrier in the afternoons) - when in doubt, attend to the older one (assuming that the younger one is fed etc) - try to stick to routines as best you can (in my experience, a good routine can take months to establish, but a bad habit only takes one or two experiences to cement) - but allow yourself some tricks you might not normally use (2 year old Alec watches a bit of Baby Einstein and plays Toca Boca on the iPad while I nurse or attend to Baby Louis, and Louis watches a couple of minutes of baby tv for those last delicate moments when I am putting Alec in his bed for the night - something neither of them are allowed on a regular day). I also nurse Louis more often to keep him satisfied and happy through the evening routine. - it is worth an hour less of night sleep to get things organized for the next day so the morning routine goes a little smoother - allow yourself some extra treats to take a bit of care of yourself and to make your easier (takeaway lunches, coffees and smoothies, delivery dinners etc) - ask for help if you can, and accept all the help that is offered. The first few times I was alone with two, my in-laws or my godmother came over for a couple of hours in the evening and mostly held Louis while I got Alec through dinner and bedtime. Good luck!! It'll be fine and it will get easier! I have a toddler and a baby and my husband is usually away every third week or so.

I have to say, just the last couple of times we’ve been on our own, now that our baby is 6 months old and our toddler has turned 2, it has suddenly gotten so much easier! Yes, they both need to go to bed at around the same time. Yes, they both are tired and cranky at the same time in the evening. And yes, it is next to impossible to put a sensitive baby down for a nap with an impatient toddler in tow. But now they are more in synch and I am getting the hang of it.

My best tips:
- a lot of baby-wearing (Louis often naps in the carrier in the afternoons)
- when in doubt, attend to the older one (assuming that the younger one is fed etc)
- try to stick to routines as best you can (in my experience, a good routine can take months to establish, but a bad habit only takes one or two experiences to cement)
- but allow yourself some tricks you might not normally use (2 year old Alec watches a bit of Baby Einstein and plays Toca Boca on the iPad while I nurse or attend to Baby Louis, and Louis watches a couple of minutes of baby tv for those last delicate moments when I am putting Alec in his bed for the night – something neither of them are allowed on a regular day). I also nurse Louis more often to keep him satisfied and happy through the evening routine.
- it is worth an hour less of night sleep to get things organized for the next day so the morning routine goes a little smoother
- allow yourself some extra treats to take a bit of care of yourself and to make your easier (takeaway lunches, coffees and smoothies, delivery dinners etc)
- ask for help if you can, and accept all the help that is offered. The first few times I was alone with two, my in-laws or my godmother came over for a couple of hours in the evening and mostly held Louis while I got Alec through dinner and bedtime.

Good luck!! It’ll be fine and it will get easier!

]]> By: Mrs. Chalk http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96170 Mrs. Chalk Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:54:17 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96170 @Mrs. Stroller: I give you SO much credit for managing on your own for weeks at a time. And that's great that you and your little guy enjoy your solo time - I hope we will get there too! Owen uses FaceTime with my family and is totally fine with it, but I think having Mama be the one in the phone freaked him out for some reason. It was almost like seeing me there reminded him all of a sudden that I wasn't home. @Mrs. Stroller: I give you SO much credit for managing on your own for weeks at a time. And that’s great that you and your little guy enjoy your solo time – I hope we will get there too!

Owen uses FaceTime with my family and is totally fine with it, but I think having Mama be the one in the phone freaked him out for some reason. It was almost like seeing me there reminded him all of a sudden that I wasn’t home.

]]> By: Mrs. Stroller http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96168 Mrs. Stroller Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:48:59 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96168 @RLCeigh: The dog is the part that I find the hardest! @Mrs. Chalk: We FaceTime with my parents several times a week so I think Little M "gets" it on some level and was fine when Mr. S FT'd with us. He was calling my phone Dada a month ago! @RLCeigh: The dog is the part that I find the hardest!
@Mrs. Chalk: We FaceTime with my parents several times a week so I think Little M “gets” it on some level and was fine when Mr. S FT’d with us. He was calling my phone Dada a month ago!

]]> By: Mrs. Stroller http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96167 Mrs. Stroller Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:46:52 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96167 Mr. S is a pilot so I'm alone at least 50% of the time and usually for a couple weeks at a time. Last year he was gone for a month twice and two months once, the rest were one to two week trips. I blogged about surviving our solo momma time a while ago, but I think the bottom line is to plan things out in your head and get psyched up. We have two distinct routines, one where dada is home and one where he is not. It's a total sanity saver! He's been home for a month now and I am itching for him to hurry up and get the heck out of here already. Little M and I like our solo momma & M time :) I'm totally not into have a second baby though, I have no idea how I'd juggle both - especially at bath time like you said. Lots of baby wearing I think! Mr. S is a pilot so I’m alone at least 50% of the time and usually for a couple weeks at a time. Last year he was gone for a month twice and two months once, the rest were one to two week trips. I blogged about surviving our solo momma time a while ago, but I think the bottom line is to plan things out in your head and get psyched up. We have two distinct routines, one where dada is home and one where he is not. It’s a total sanity saver! He’s been home for a month now and I am itching for him to hurry up and get the heck out of here already. Little M and I like our solo momma & M time :)

I’m totally not into have a second baby though, I have no idea how I’d juggle both – especially at bath time like you said. Lots of baby wearing I think!

]]> By: Mrs. Chalk http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96166 Mrs. Chalk Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:46:41 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96166 @RLCeigh: Yes to the FaceTime troubles! We tried with that with Owen once when I was the one traveling for work, and it was totally disastrous. I think it just reminded him that I wasn't home, and also was so confusing about why I was suddenly appearing on the computer. We will not be trying that again for a while. @RLCeigh: Yes to the FaceTime troubles! We tried with that with Owen once when I was the one traveling for work, and it was totally disastrous. I think it just reminded him that I wasn’t home, and also was so confusing about why I was suddenly appearing on the computer. We will not be trying that again for a while.

]]> By: mrs. tictactoe http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96153 mrs. tictactoe Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:09:21 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96153 Good luck!! Mr. TTT will also be out of town for a couple of days this week. I'm most nervous for the mornings because he is a huge help when I'm getting ready for work. I'll have to make sure to do a lot of prep each night after the baby goes to bed so everything goes smoothly. Good luck!! Mr. TTT will also be out of town for a couple of days this week. I’m most nervous for the mornings because he is a huge help when I’m getting ready for work. I’ll have to make sure to do a lot of prep each night after the baby goes to bed so everything goes smoothly.

]]> By: RLCeigh http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96149 RLCeigh Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:39:05 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96149 Good luck! My husband travels for work extensively in the fall (college admissions) so I was solo when I had an 8 week old and then this year when he was 14 months or so. This year was more challenging because he missed daddy and the part of the routine that daddy usually does. We tried Facetime which turned out to be a big fail! I think the poor lil guy was too young to understand how daddy got into the computer and why wasn't he coming out?? We are ready for baby #2 (and by ready I mean starting to try) so I can't wait to read your solo parenting adventures. It is tough and makes me appreciate my husband even more. But when I make it through 7 days and nights, working FT and taking care of the baby, house and dog all by myself-- I feel empowered! And tired. Good luck!
My husband travels for work extensively in the fall (college admissions) so I was solo when I had an 8 week old and then this year when he was 14 months or so. This year was more challenging because he missed daddy and the part of the routine that daddy usually does. We tried Facetime which turned out to be a big fail! I think the poor lil guy was too young to understand how daddy got into the computer and why wasn’t he coming out??
We are ready for baby #2 (and by ready I mean starting to try) so I can’t wait to read your solo parenting adventures. It is tough and makes me appreciate my husband even more.
But when I make it through 7 days and nights, working FT and taking care of the baby, house and dog all by myself– I feel empowered! And tired.

]]> By: Mrs. Chalk http://www.hellobee.com/2013/02/05/keeping-up-the-routine/#comment-96135 Mrs. Chalk Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:39:05 +0000 http://www.hellobee.com/?p=44186#comment-96135 @Honeybee: Good luck to you too! Assuming I make it through and actually learn anything, I will definitely come back and share. I feel like I am going into survival mode for the next few days. :) @Mrs. Train: The tantrums/meltdowns are what worry me too. Since Eloise was born, Owen has been spending even more time with his dad than normal, so I worry that this will be even more of a change for him than in the past... @Mrs. High Heels: It's definitely been an adjustment. I'm sure we will get there eventually and be able to each handle the two kids without it being a big deal... but for now, we definitely have a tag-team system in place. @Honeybee: Good luck to you too! Assuming I make it through and actually learn anything, I will definitely come back and share. I feel like I am going into survival mode for the next few days. :)

@Mrs. Train: The tantrums/meltdowns are what worry me too. Since Eloise was born, Owen has been spending even more time with his dad than normal, so I worry that this will be even more of a change for him than in the past…

@Mrs. High Heels: It’s definitely been an adjustment. I’m sure we will get there eventually and be able to each handle the two kids without it being a big deal… but for now, we definitely have a tag-team system in place.

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