I am in a season of life, where routines are constantly shifting is constantly changing. And if you are a mama of littles, you can probably relate too.
You see, my day typically begins in one of two ways. Either I wake up early and have some time to myself before my toddler wakes up OR my husband wakes up early with the baby and I sleep in until my toddler wakes up.
Lately, my 10-month-old has been sleeping through the night, so I can wake up earlier. This has been so nice because when I do wake up earlier and go through my typical routine, my day runs so much smoother!
Disclaimer:
I just want to emphasize that this routine is followed when everything runs smoothly in the morning. But as we all know life obviously isn’t perfect and so this routine is not always followed perfectly. Sometimes, Benji is not having a good morning and he doesn’t want to play by himself, which means I am not able to have devotions in the morning that day.
However, I do like to have an outline and a rhythm to follow so that my morning has some structure and certain things get accomplished.
Also, in this current season, I am able to have some time to myself in the mornings (if I wake up with the baby). However, if this was me when my baby was a newborn, or when my firstborn was a newborn, this routine would not be realistic.
Alright, so this is how my morning rhythm as a stay-at-home mom typically goes (on a good day):
Wake Up (6:30 – 7:00 am)
This is when my baby wakes up, so I get up with him.
He is usually content playing by himself with his toys in the mornings, which means I can have some time to myself to do what I need to do.
I’m someone that NEEDS sleep to function properly, so while I can wake up earlier before my 10-month-old, I figure I can just get a little extra sleep in and wake up with him.
Drink Water
The first thing I do when I get out of bed is drink 2 glasses of water. Sometimes it is lemon water and sometimes it’s plain.
Make the Bed
The second thing I do every morning is make the bed.
I feel SO much more put together when my bed is made so I make sure to do it every day.
By now, it’s just a habit.
Change Baby
Then I take the baby out of his crib and change him. This is honestly my favorite part. He is so happy to see me in the morning and it warms my heart!
After changing him, I take him into our living room where the kid’s toys are. It is completely baby-proofed so I am comfortable leaving him there while I wash up and do my skincare.
Wash Up + Skin Care
While the baby is playing, I get ready for the day by brushing my teeth, doing my skincare and hair.
Sometimes I will put on my outfit for the day during this time, but usually, I don’t have anything picked out so I normally get dressed while the baby is taking his first nap.
Step Outside
I then like to step outside for just a moment, to feel the sun on my face (or the cool breeze).
This helps regulate your circadian rhythm and triggers your body to stop producing melatonin so that you are more alert.
Devotions + Journaling
It is now my morning time with Jesus. I like to start off my devotions by listing 3 things I am thankful for that morning.
After that, I will read my Bible. I am trying to finish the entire Bible. So in the morning, I will read something from the New Testament and Psalms. And in the evening, I read a chapter or two from the Old Testament (still in Genesis).
Sometimes I am not able to have time for devotions in the morning, so I will try to do them in the evening on those days.
Load the Laundry
After finishing my devotions, I go into the laundry room to put in a load. That way I have a dried load to fold in the evening. I am not always perfect at doing this, but it’s a win when I do.
Empty the Dishwasher
This is something that I do every morning automatically. Because if I don’t, dishes will pile up in the sink and I will feel overwhelmed by the time we are finished with breakfast.
Start Breakfast
By this time, my toddler wakes up (it is usually around 8 am when we begin making breakfast). After I help him brush his teeth and put his clothes on, he likes to come into the kitchen to help me with breakfast.
On most mornings it is anything that has to do with eggs. I like to make sure our breakfast is savory and has healthy protein and fats.
After breakfast, I clear the table and put away the dishes in the sink. Then I will play a little with the kids and give them some one-on-one time.
Baby’s First Nap
Around 10 am is when Benji goes down for his first nap.
I like to think of this as the end of the opening shift. His naps are around 2 hours in the mornings so it gives me some time to do a few chores, have my coffee, and do some activities with my toddler.
Coffee Time
I have my coffee later in the morning because I want to make sure I eat first. And so that the vitamins I take in the morning before breakfast absorb better (caffeine does affect the absorption of some vitamins!)
This is my little break after the “opening shift” as I like to call it.
While I drink my coffee, I’ll either read a bit, look at my email, do some work, etc. After I finish, I then do a little learning activity with my toddler.
