Yep, that's the only way to describe our lives right now. If you know anything about me, you know I love routine. I thrive on having a schedule. I like things to go according to plan.
I lost a little bit of this when Lyla was born. After a while we got it together and figured out a new kind of routine. But we still had one. Welp. Those days are over.
Caroline is five months old already and we still can't get our act together. From sun up to sun down is complete chaos. All schedules have been thrown out the window. The house is destroyed. We don't sleep. Caroline still can't decide if she wants to sleep through the night or party all night long.
You'd think after a long day of crazy town I'd, like most parents, really look forward to bedtime. Nope. Bedtime has now become an absolute nightmare. I was always worried about one of them waking up the other so we tried to put them down at the same time. What ended up happening is I would take care of Lyla and Eric would take Caroline. After a while I felt like I was missing out of the same special time I had with Lyla right before bed. So we started switching every other night. Lyla was NOT a fan. She loves her mama and only wanted me to put her to bed. Before we knew it, the bedtime routine became an hour long ordeal with Lyla. All the while, Caroline was screaming her brains out. Even after half-assed attempt at sleep training, she just won't settle down an night. Most nights she screams anywhere from 45 minutes - 2 hours.
It heart-wrenching, exhausting, frustrating, you name it. While Caroline cries, Lyla wants a book read, her back rubbed, a song sang, her lippy on, her pillows fixed, her dolls and animals all lined up perfectly in her bed, to jump one last time, only certain blankets...the list goes on and on. Just when you think you can't take it anymore she says, "Night-night, love you, too doo loo". Come on!
By the time it is over, I decide not to clean my disgusting house, workout or do laundry. Instead I crash into bed, waiting for my next wake up call...that comes sooner than I'd like. Here's an example of our schedule right now (on a work day):
5:30am - Alarm goes off for work (me, not Eric)
5:45am-Lyla wakes up and cries as I turn on the shower
6:15am - Wake up Caroline for bottle
6:30am - Chase Lyla to get dressed
6:45am - Leave house for Chris'
7:30am - Enjoy some quiet time on the way to work
8:00am - Work
5:45pm (if I am lucky) - Home from work
5:50pm - Feed Lyla and maybe Eric and I too
6:15pm - Play
6:30pm - Bath time (yes, on work nights I only have time to play for 15 minutes)
7:00pm - Pj's for LL, Bottle for CC
7:15pm - 8:30pm - Bedtime Nightmare ensues
8:30pm - Eric and I have our nightly pep talk, "It will get better"
8:45pm - Mommy goes to sleep
10:30pm - Caroline cries for bottle
1:00am - Lyla cries. She either cold, scared or having a dream
2:30am - Caroline cries for a bottle
3:30am- 4:15am - Eric's alarm goes off every 8 minutes
4:15am - 5:00am - I lay awake thinking Caroline is about to wake up.
5:30am - Alarm goes off for work. Here we go again.
It's true. This is just a phase. Soon enough we'll be throwing homework and activities in the mix. Soon enough they'll be sleeping until I have to wake them up at noon. Soon enough I'll come home to a quiet house and Eric and I will eat our dinner and then wonder what to do with our night. I will long for these days. That fact is not lost on me. For now, I'll take advantage of the quiet time I get with Caroline in the middle of the night and stock up on caffeine during the day.
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