My Daily Routine Before and After Having My Baby

It’s no understatement that life changes significantly once precious little ones are added into the mix. While life might have once been quieter and cleaner, that’s nothing compared to the feeling of a mother’s love. Stuffed animals, unconditional love, and bedtime stories beat blowouts, happy hour, and nine hours of sleep a night hands down.

Before having my baby…

I would wake up to the calming, ambient sounds of my alarm clock. I’d sip my coffee and eat breakfast while reading the newspaper. Then, I’d hop in the shower to try out that new conditioning treatment. After blowing out my hair and finishing my makeup, I’d get dressed for work, make a healthy lunch (quinoa bowl, anyone?), grab my purse, and get in the car. For twenty minutes, I’d sing my way to work with the energy of a million burning suns. After spending the morning crushing it at work, I’d meet up with my coworkers to sit by the quaint, calm waterfall down the street. We’d eat our homemade lunches and catch up on the latest updates in each other’s lives (Jenny got a new tattoo and Martha is going skydiving this weekend!). Then, I’d head back into work, finish up my tasks and conference calls, and sing my way to the gym for spin class! (The instructor would always play the best music.) After cleaning myself up from a great workout, I’d treat myself to happy hour and hors d’oeuvres with friends. It’s all about balance, right? Then it’d be time to head home, have dinner, and crack open a good book (or catch up on my TV shows) by the fireplace. Then lights out to do it all over again!

After having my children…

The baby is crying, and that’s my cue to get up! After feeding the baby, I put her back to sleep and try to steal some more sleep for myself. My alarm clocks (AKA my 2 year old and 4 year old) jump on me fifteen minutes later, and this means it’s really time to start the day. I chug half of my (very strong) coffee while making them animal shaped pancakes. Just as I plate the pancakes, I hear the baby– it’s diaper time! After diaper time, I learn my coffee is cold, but I don’t care because I’m too busy making my lunch and three other lunches for the day. Shortly after, I get dressed for work and try to dress all of my children. I quickly tie up my hair (dry shampoo is my new best friend) and forget to put on makeup. The natural look is in, anyway. I grab the diaper bag, three kids, lunch boxes, book bags, two stuffed animals, and my purse and head for the car. Everyone is buckled in safely, and I drop all three children at three different locations. Then, I drive like Cruella de Vil to get to work. From 9AM – 5PM, I am in meetings, working away, eating lunch at my desk, and sneaking peeks of the adorably cute photos I’ve been receiving from daycare. After work, I pick up all three children from three different locations. We get home, where I attempt to sit everyone down for dinner– chicken parmesan anyone? I finally get everyone to sit down for dinner, and that’s when I realize that marinara sauce was a bad idea. Adios, beige carpet! After the great spill of 2017, I put out two simultaneous meltdowns (stuffed giraffes for the win!), get the kids ready for bed, and tuck them in to read a bedtime story. They start to drift off, and that’s my cue to go nurse the baby. She’s a little fussy tonight and that wakes up the other two, which then means it’s time to wrestle and run around the house. I put the baby down, but the boys have somehow gotten into some finger paints. I clean them up, and tuck them in again. That Cabernet over there is tempting right about now, but I’ve got meal prep and marinara stain removal to attend to. After a late night shower, I get in bed with the biggest smile on my face because I love my kids more than anything. I can’t wait to repeat it all tomorrow.

What’s your before and after story? How has your little one changed your life?