The Ezzo's Would Be Proud

So, I mentioned earlier about how we have put the kiddos on a more structured schedule. We have been doing it for 3 days now, and we are loving it. So are the kids. They are much happier and therefore, so are we. It is MUCH less work than I thought it would be (in fact, it makes for much less work than before) and it just makes for a more fun day spent with the kids.

I thought I'd give a sample day for the kids from the Ebersole's dry-erase board: :)

7:30 - wake, change clothes, make bed
8:00 - breakfast
8:30 - there are 2 options for this time: free play (where they get to just play
with whatever in the living room or in their room)...this gives us time to
clean up the kitchen and such, or blanket time (where they both get their
blankets and spread it out on the floor with some books and toys; they have
to stay on their blankets during this time); we alternate free play and
blanket time each day
9:00 - outside (at this point in the year, outside time is great...we are taking
advantage of just going outside to play as long as possible); they swing on
the swingset, go for walks in the woods (they built a fort with Daddy the
other day), take wagon rides, and yesterday they got to go swimming in the
Brockway's pool during the afternoon outside time
10:00- snack time
10:15- quiet time (this is when they both get on their bed and just look at
books...they must stay on their bed during this time)
10:45- the activity varies from day-to-day during this time; we can choose between
activities such as wrestling, cutting out shapes, playing with sticker books,
singing, exercising, water colors, etc.; it's fun; today we cut circles out
of construction paper using their new child scissors, which they loved of
course; Grady surprised us with some really artistic
cutting...seriously...very cool designs...and he was very serious about it too
11:15- highchair time, so lunch can be prepared; during this time we can choose
between playing with play-doh, coloring, drawing, looking at books, etc.
12:00- lunch
12:30- Grady time (one-on-one time with Mama or Daddy)
1:00 - Hadley time (her one-on-one time)...we alternate who gets to go first each
day, and at this time Grady will be playing on his own or looking at a book
or whatever...same with Hadley during Grady's time
1:30 - naptime
3:30 - snack
4:00 - outside again...like I said, really taking advantage of warm weather right
now...and really will probably be able to do this always when we're in this
part of the country except for maybe during January and February
5:00 - roomtime (where they can play with anything, but they are limited to playing
in their room...gives Mama a good jump on supper)
5:30 - again, highchair time, where we alternate between the above-mentioned
highchair activities...and supper is finished up
6:00 - supper
6:30 - bath
7:00 - family time, read, Bible time
7:30 - bed, lights out, parents leave the room (the kids don't usually actually fall
asleep until 8 or a little after)
*on Wednesday nights the schedule changes a bit in the afternoon:
4:00 - outside
5:15 - bath
6:00 - supper
6:30 - to church
9:00 - family time, read, Bible time
9:30 - bed

This may seem a bit hyper and rigid to some, but of course we aren't a slave to it. It is a guideline that keeps us on track and gives our kids some great things to do. For instance, we put them down for a nap at 1:30. That doesn't mean they go to sleep at that time. And, they don't necessarily wake up at 3:30, but whenever they wake up is snack time. Like I said, we've only been doing it for the past 3 days, but even since day 1 the kids have been SO less fussy (almost no fussiness at all) and MUCH more obedient. It's been great.

Since Joel is home these days and I've been SUPER busy getting meals frozen and setting up house and all of those other things, he's been doing about 90% (at least) of raising the kids this week. He's been so super all the way around actually. I have a hard time getting down on the floor these days, which is where we do most of our diaper changing, so he does pretty much all of that. He also gets up with them in the mornings and feeds them breakfast while I sleep or just get ready for the day. He does all the lifting of the kids. He has been the one taking them outside...pretty much everything. :) He's such a great daddy...and husband.

But, all of that to say (along with how great my husband is) that I'm not sure how this schedule will be done if/when Joel starts working again and we have a newborn. Like I said, we aren't a slave to it even now. Out of these last 3 days, at least 1 or 2 things have been changed each day, or the times changed around or whatever. But, hopefully even after the baby comes we will be able to maintain some semblance of a nice schedule like this. It's been great.