Surviving the Workday with Three Kids

We're surviving. I can't say we're excelling per say but we're definitely surviving!One week after Baby Groot arrived, Hubs headed back to work. His work schedule takes him away from the house from 6:15 am until 4:00 pm most days. The older kids have the Ok-to-Wake clocks that give them the go-ahead to get out of their rooms at 7:30 am. When they follow that directive it means my day with speaking children begins at 7:30 am. (Baby Groot is usually up between 5 and 6 am for his early morning meal).I've found a few things have helped to keep us (me) sane.As I mentioned before, routine, routine, routine.Our daily routine is as follows:Wake up & Kindle time- the kids usually have time to watch their Kindles for a few minutes while I ready things upstairs for the day.Get Dressed: I try to shower myself and get dressed before the kiddos get up. I usually get the kids dressed before breakfast so it is one less thing we have to tackle if something fun comes up and we have to leave the house unexpectedly.Breakfast: I've started putting the kids' breakfast out the night before. I get their cups poured and in the fridge and I place their breakfast, ready, in a Ziploc on the table. This allows me to essentially grab-and-go for the morning. This has saved me more than once as Groot is usually ready to eat as well. That takes more of my attention at this time.Work: I'm still working for my company, so this post-breakfast time is perfect for posting and answering emails.Work & Play: After the kids finish breakfast they have time to play, either inside or outside while I finish up what work I can do during this time. Groot tends to nap around then as well.Snack: These kids don't miss their snacks. When mid-morning rolls around it's time for snack and a few minutes break.More Play: Then we play again until lunch. This time usually incorporates either a movie, play-doh, my most favorite Crayola no-mess, color-wonder pens or water beads.Lunch: When I reach lunchtime, I know that a break is near. We have lunch at the same time almost every day. The kids are allowed to have their kindles again as I'm usually feeding Baby Groot at this time as well.Cool-Down: Post-Lunch means that we either do some dance time or light playing before we all get a break.Nap & QT: Bubba doesn't nap any longer- this means he sleeps better at night but Mommy still needs a break in which to eat lunch and work. We have instituted a mandatory, daily Quiet Time for Bubba while Little Bear naps. They each spend time in their rooms while I get back to work (phone calls, emails, content creation, planning). I also have Mommy & Baby Groot time. This is where I have a few moments to spend bonding with this little guy and helping to make sure he develops with the love and attention the other two received.There are a few things I've discovered:-Take it hour-by-hour, or sometimes, minute-by-minute. Our two older kiddos are navigating the waters of being big siblings (or a big sibling again) as well as spending time with one another. Little Bear can and does touch and play with all the toys. This results in arguing, yelling, fighting and sometimes tears. On days where they're just being ornery, I tend to take things with several deep breaths and minute-by-minute to keep my sanity and my cool.-Stick to the routine. Even on Pre-School and dance days, we have a routine to keep. I've found that my kids thrive and have a chance at good behavior when they know what to expect and how the day will progress. This is key and sometimes difficult to keep up with when I want a lazy day but in the end the good behavior and smooth day are worth it.-Breathe. There are days that nothing will go to plan. The older ones will be off their rockers, work will be busy and I'll have changed my own clothes and the baby 12 times before the end of the day. On days where nothing seems to go right I need to remember to breathe and accept help. Some days, when Hubs gets home, I simply hand him the baby and disappear for 5-10 minutes to regroup and breathe. It's all part of a healthy balance.The kids are all very excited to see Hubs when he returns from work. They, and I, cherish the time he has on weekends with us as well. It's definitely a transition to our new normal but I really believe that soon it'll all work itself out! Cheers to those of you who are doing it solo all the time. I drink to you!Quick question: Would you be interested in a self-care post? I'm recently finding the importance of a bit of self-care both daily and on a grander scale to maintain my balance and sanity. I'd love to share some of those tidbits with you if you're interested.Be Great,M