Our morning routine has changed a lot over the course of the last year and a half.
Prior to 4 months of age, if you woke early (before our desired wake time), I’d go in and try to put you back to sleep. If you were hungry, I’d feed you, put you back down, then feed again at our desired wake time.
Once we hit the 4 month mark, we were doing sleep training. So…I had you wait until our desired wake time of 7 am before I came in and fed you.
I never fed you immediately from this point on. I wanted you to get used to getting up, getting changed, then eating. I didn’t want you to associate waking up with immediate food.
As you progressed, you eventually switched from breastfeeding to whole milk (around 12 months). Since then, you’ve been getting whole milk very consistently right when you wake up. I now give it to you pretty immediately, because I want you hungry for solid foods in a little bit and I want to brush your teeth after you drink the milk.
At 18 months old, here is what our morning routine has turned into:
– Wake at 7 am (if you wake earlier, you quietly wait for me to come in)
I also allow you to sleep in if you choose to do so. It is rare that you sleep past 7:30, and if you do, you typically need the sleep so I allow it. For the most part, due to our hard work in the first year, you are very consistent with waking up at 7 am, however.
– Drink milk in crib (sometimes you ask for Mama to join you in the crib, which I do!) Lately, I’ve been making my coffee ahead of time and sitting in the glider while you enjoy your milk. We give each other cheers from time to time as we both wake up 🙂
– You then get out of your crib and have play time. We open the curtains and look outside for groundhogs and squirrels. You are eager to interact with your friends (stuffed animals), play with your toys and books. While you do this, I go and brush my teeth and use the bathroom.
– You eventually come into the bathroom (or I come get you at this point). Then it is your turn to try and go potty. I’ve learned to let you sit on the potty as long as you want. You always pee and usually poop as well in the mornings! I ask you periodically if you are all done or have more potty… you tell me your response. Usually you have “more” and we sit there for quite awhile. You read the book that came with your drum set, and a little interactive color and shapes book. You usually pee more and sit there long enough to feel the urge to poop. When you are done, you try to wipe yourself, and then I do a good wipe to clean you up.
– Then it is time to get dressed. Sometimes you pick out your own outfit, and other times you simply say no to every outfit I offer. Mama gets to choose a lot!
– Once you are dressed we go back into the bathroom and brush your teeth. Mama takes a turn brushing your teeth first. Then you get to practice.
– While you practice brushing your teeth, Mama does your hair.
– Sometimes we put your toys away at this point (sometimes we leave them), and then we head down for breakfast.
– While I make breakfast, we either put the radio on, or the Today show on so we stay in tuned to the world! You used to stand on your kitchen stool and help (when I made my coffee at this point instead of bringing it upstairs). You’d help me make the coffee every morning, and snack on a banana while I made the rest of our breakfast. Now you usually run around and play with toys while I make breakfast.
– Then we sit down together at the table and eat.
– Once breakfast is over, we have until lunch time to head out and do something for the day! This is usually when we take an outing (to the trampoline park, an event, storytime, Target, groceries, go for a walk, to the playground, fountain or pool, etc.).
Mornings are my absolute favorite time with you. You are usually refreshed from the night and are in such a great, happy mood. I love our time together an watching you do new things. We sometimes get a little alphabet practice in and read a book. We have some of our best moments in the morning. You are always so excited to see me, and love seeing Moose in the morning as well. You give kisses to Chelsea on my phone and say “gone” every morning as we walk down the stairs. Melts my heart. We keep her with us every day.