Stay at Home Moms...Come in!

[pitdigger]

We don't have too much of a schedule. 4 days a week we go to the gym in the morning and he gets to be cuddled and played with by just about everyone there. Monday and/or Wednesday we have a swim lesson in the afternoon. G doesn't necessarily nap very much, so we play until he either falls asleep or eats. If I remember, we read a book or two during quiet periods, but I also usually read him some of my books while he eats.

[misshart00]

We don't really have a schedule. I try to get a big chore done each day. Like today, I'm getting all the laundry in the house done. We go to the park a lot in the morning before it gets too hot. I'll start dinner here in about an hour, when H heads home from work. I would like to be on a more consistent schedule but it's not happening right now.

[misshart00]

Oh and I have a 1.5 year old. She plays at the park while I have DS tied to me so I can chase her around. Both of their moods dictate a lot of the schedule.

[miniwheat]

I am a bit more scheduled because I have a 3 year old, but that being said some days we fly by the seat of our pants. We are usually indoors in the mornings because it can still be cool where I am. That will switch soon as its getting hot now and we will be out in the AM and inside in the PM. DS does tummy time and playing in his highchair while I try and do some chores. DD does a craft. If I have no idea how to keep DD busy that day we will usually go shopping or do an activity like skating or swimming. After lunch we head outside from about 1230 to 4. Either the park or in the backyard. We spend a lot of time in the backyard so I can run DS in the house to have a nap. Then its dinner bath and bed. DS sits in his highchair when we make dinner or he is having his last nap.

[taberbtb]

I work Monday's and Fridays so I am home with B on T,W,Th. those days I struggle with boredom too. I try to stick around in the early morning so DH can see her at breakfast usually 8:30-9:15 otherwise he's gone before she wakes up and home after she's in bed. Beyond that our schedules are fairly flexible. I try to get out once each day, whether it's for groceries, a stroller walk with a friend or just recently, swimming. Whether it's in the morning or afternoon a lot depends on her mood. Then it's dinner, bath and bed. We do tummy time, books and playtime in the morning before breakfast or before dinner.

[dreemkin]

Every other morning I give both the girls baths. DD1 likes to play for a while so that takes up a good part of the morning. Otherwise, no schedule here. We just do whatever. I go to the mall sometimes bc there is an indoor play area. When I had just one I kept up with household chores.

Ps: i have to say though, I work 20 hours a week (including some weekends) so it breaks up the monotony a bit.

[osumegs]

Lo pretty much still cries all the time, so we don't have much of a schedule and we don't really get to leave the house. When she is having a good day, we try to go to baby laptime at the library one or two times a week.

Our basic schedule at home though is a rough easy schedule with a little snack before sleep (so more eaesy). She wakes around 7, we do a diaper change and big feeding, play for a bit, then try for a nap. And repeat. We shoot for no more than 1.5 to 2 hours up.

[FlutterOfYoshis]

Thanks for this thread! It's nice to get some other ideas. I know DD isn't bored, but I get bored after a while...

We try to follow an EASY schedule as best as possible, but sometimes she just won't sleep until she nurses. She also doesn't do all that well when we go on outings, like she's overstimulated or something, so we only really go out maybe once a week. The rest of the time while we're at home, we do activities at random depending on what she enjoys that day: bouncing in her bouncer, "dancing" together to Disney tunes, sitting on the deck to watch the leaves, looking at all the colors in the pantry, tummy time, touring the house. It gets redundant, but she gets all smiley and babbley so we've gotta be doing something right!

[aggiebug]

No schedule here really. Other than making dinner every day and every other Wed mom's group I don't have much of a plan. I am trying to work on setting up some cleaning routine but that isn't really DD related.

[hollydfromtn]

We follow the easy schedule too. DS is usually up for the day around 7:00. We do the first playtime in my bed so that I don't have to get up yet and then I'll usually sleep with DS during that first nap. DS is still waking multiple times a night, so I need all the sleep. After that we just kind of wing it. The only scheduled thing we have is the baby and me session at the library on Wednesday mornings.

[lilyelayne]

DS is changing his schedule to take less naps, but I'm still striving for EASY, though sometimes it's eat-activity-eat-small activity (like book or diaper change)-sleep.

DS usually eats sometime between 7 & 8, then he plays on the floor while I eat breakfast & get dressed. He does some tummy time during this. Then if he's still cheerful we'll play together, often outside while the deck is still shady. He eats again around 9 or 930, then is ready for a nap. He's been sleeping 1.5-2 hours as long as he can make it past the first sleep cycle transition. During that time I do chores, or go in the back yard & play with the dog, or read or play video games if I'm feeling burnt out. Lately I've been doing some work during this time, which I find more and more irritating, but the paycheck is nice. If I'm not having lunch with DH, I usually eat during this nap.
When DS wakes from morning nap, I feed him. If we're seeing DH, that's next. If not, we usually go outside or put on some music & dance. I'll also put DS in his high chair while I prep for dinner. If I have errands to run, this is when that happens. Another nursing session somewhere in here. An afternoon nap. Feed when he wakes from the afternoon nap. Then DH is usually home.

I used to do yoga while DS napped & I really need to do that again. My back & shoulders need it.

[lilyelayne]

Nap routine: dim nursery, white noise, DS sits in my lap facing outward while I read him a book & sing him a song, then swaddle & bounce/rock to sleep. Sometimes all the way to sleep, sometimes just to drowsy before going in his crib.

Inside activities: floor gym, tummy time, reading a book during tummy time, dancing, going from laying back to sitting up while holding my hands, sitting in high chair.

Outside activities: mostly just looking! Laying in the hammock, tummy time on the deck, taking a walk in the stroller or the Ergo. I blow bubbles but DS doesn't care.

Places I go: park, grocery, ILs or my parents' house (they both have swimming pools), work.

My library does not have baby time. There's one LLL meeting a month, but I've never actually made it. There are no mom & me exercise classes in town. There's a MOPS group that meets at one of the churches in town, but I haven't looked into if they've got openings for more moms or how much it costs. So it's mostly just DS & me (& the dog, if we're home or taking a walk). I don't know any other SAHMs here.

[stephanie]

A semi-routine. We wake up between 7-9am. We lay in bed together for a few minutes playing and talking then go downstairs for a diaper change. Isla plays in her exersaucer or on her play mat while I make coffee/breakfast (she eats a bit of oatmeal and fruit). I drink my coffee and feed her then I hold her and talk/play with her. She'll get sleepy again and I'll either rock her and nurse her to sleep or lay down with her for her morning nap. This nap is the longest (1-3hrs). She'll wake up and we'll usually go out (backyard, mall, or park). Come home and feed with another (usually short 1-.5 hrs) nap. I'll attempt dinner. Dad comes home and takes over while I go to a fitness class (3-6 days a week). I come home and shower then nurse her a little then bath for her (2-4 times a week) then we play/read and it's bed time.

[osumegs]

lilyelayne our mops group just did sign ups for the 15-16 session that starts in September. It runs through June for people not members at the church. It may be worth considering. They are also doing play dates twice monthly this summer. The first was rained out, but I'm looking forward to trying again.

[dacora]

I feel like a weirdo hermit compared to the rest of you. I hardly ever go out anywhere, DD and I just stay home for now. When she's older I'm sure I'll take her to the pool and small playground we have in our neighborhood (the main reason I'm okay with having to pay for a HOA!) but for now it's just easier to not go anywhere.

I've been wanting to go with her to the zoo, but it gets so hot and humid here (I posted about this before, we didn't end up going) that I hate keeping her outside too long (momma gets miserable too!). Maybe when it cools, and she can sit in the normal part of the stroller where it won't get as hot, we'll start taking regular trips.

I'm a huge homebody, so staying home doesn't really bother me. Folks keep expecting me to get cabin fever, but I don't feel like I'm missing out on a lot of human interaction (my best friend tries to come over once a week depending on her work schedule) and I'm chatting with people online a lot.