Tuesday, September 11, 2012

what's your morning routine?

I had a dream last night that I went to the grocery store and realized at the checkout that I still had a towel on my head because I hadn't had the time to take it off yet.

 (click image for source)

My mornings have been topsy-turvy these past few weeks as Lorelei transitions over to just one (afternoon) nap a day -- I don't yet have a system down for how to deal with not having my expected hour to myself anymore.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning -- whether you're leaving the house at 6am or trying to get kids fed and prepped for preschool or just getting everything set before you head into the home office for a day of work? I'd love to hear about your time-saving tips and tricks, if you've got any!

8 comments:

  1. Becoming a mom has really made me embrace my "natural beauty." I no longer wear any makeup, so getting ready is a very quick thing for me. It actually takes my husband longer to get ready than me, haha.

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  2. When Noah still took morning naps, I started showering while he played in the pack n'play because he'd wake up when the shower started. We're still doing that, though a little Curious George helps out now. I'm hoping that I can eventually start showering at the gym but so far he's had more than enou after about 30 minutes in the child watch area.

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  3. I have kind of had a post that addresses this in the works, imagine that.

    Basically, when Jonas transitioned to one nap a day, I had to rethink my whole "shower" situation. I used to feel like I needed a full on wash my hair shower every day just to leave the house. Well, that's just not possible any more, so I shower when I can (naptimes or at night), and just hope that my hair holds it together for a day or two. I wash my face when it feels like it needs it. Oh, and outside of mascara and maybe tinted lip balm, makeup is non-existent.

    I tried a few weeks ago to start waking before Jonas and getting a few moments to myself each morning. It was GLORIOUS. For about a week. And then he started waking an hour and a half earlier than his old norm. Yawn.

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  4. Does anyone else think that it's ridiculous that we have to negotiate a shower? Why is it that "stay at home moms" are not entitled to a morning shower like the rest of the working world? 'Cause we're going to work, too.

    I'm just sayin'.

    Thanks for your input, ladies -- I agree that pared-down personal prep is key, which I've been doing since Lorelei was born. But now that she's not sleeping AND she's so mobile (and climbing on all the furniture!), it's almost impossible to drink a cup of coffee, let alone shower, comb my hair, wear clothes that haven't been found on the floor of my room... I definitely need to retool my routine!

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  5. Oh man. I've never been much of a morning person and usually find myself searching for keys, shoes, a cardigan, etc. I have to leave the house between 6:30 and 6:45 most days. I keep hoping for that dream teaching job that doesn't start until 10:00 will pop up.

    When I was pregnant with Liam, I got a "mom bob." I quickly discovered that the washing, blow drying, styling was more than I could handle in the mornings and went back to long hair. I usually wash it at night and do what I can with it in the mornings, which usually involves a bun of some sort (on good days I try to pair my bun with cute earrings). I'm lucky that Craig takes Liam to daycare on most days. The handful of days I've had to take him, I found that I was actually more on top of my game because I knew there were two of us to get ready (not that I'm hoping to start doing that everyday.

    I can definitely sympathize with you-- my weekends sound a lot like your weekdays. I don't usually get a shower until at least noon when he goes down for his afternoon nap, and Craig often complains about not being able to get a shower in if Liam wakes up early.

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  6. Oh, mornings! I have been tweaking our routine, too, trying to work out how to manage it with both kids. I definitely have to get myself ready as soon as I wake up or suddenly I'm serving lunch in my pajamas, but no matter how quickly I accomplish that part, it takes at least two hours to get everyone dressed, fed, and out the door. Coffee on the porch has been my best friend of we don't have anywhere to be, as Elliot is calm outside and Annabelle can play contentedly in the yard while I wake up slowly.

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  7. About the morning shower thing - the only way I get that is if I put Charlie in with me. Not private at all, but at least he'll play at the other end with his bath toys while I quickly bathe. :)

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  8. oh, also - in emergency situations I use dry shampoo! it is so much easier to find here (at every pharmacy, but you might have to order some, or I will include it in a care package...) - I feel like it gives me the extra umph my hair needs on a day when I can't shower until nap time or even later...

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