One of the hardest things to get used to as a new parents is keeping a strict schedule. Before Billie Jo, Dan and I could go grocery shopping at 10 P.M. with no concern of disturbing anyone’s rest. Now….not so much.
Any errand(s) we have to run, we always keep in mind that it has to be done before 7 P.M. so we can give her a bath at 8 P.M. and have her down by 8:30 P.M.
(WARNING: mom talk is real)
At first I wasn’t completely convinced how important a daily pattern would be for her, but I quickly learned it’s a true life saver. Not only has her body learned when it’s time to start winding down but she’s also learning what to expect every night. It also really gives Dan and I a break after she’s gone to bed. It becomes our time together which is really important for us.
We try to play with her, for roughly an hour, before bed. Stretch those legs, crawl, bang on toys, you name it. It gives her an opportunity to engage and leave all the energy elsewhere before getting some sleep.
I usually like preparing our bedroom with all the goodies we will need beforehand. Being prepared is important to achieve the best transition from bath time to bed time. No chaos or stress for baby or mom/dad.
Our nightly ritual has become one of my favorite things we do as a family. It’s nothing significant but it allows us all to hang out while at the same time nurture our girl.
Dan and I are avid readers and we hope we can pass that on to her. We’ve made it our target to read to her every night, no matter the length of the book. I’m really proud that we’ve kept at it since day one because I know how important reading will be for her development, not to mention how fun it’ll be to see her growth in literature.
Becoming a parent has transformed my life for the better because it’s allowed me to put my needs aside for this beautiful creation of mine. It’s also really changed my outlook as a woman, wife and daughter. I hope it keeps changing me every day for the better.
This is our nightly ritual.
xoxo,
Lola
