New Routines

It seems that once we get one routine down, it's time to change things up again just so we can figure out a new routine.  With Erin in kindergarten and Elaina in second grade, it is just me and Isaac at home.  

School here starts at 9:10, but they catch the bus about a block from our house at 8:40.  In Texas, Elaina started at 7:45, and while it's nice to not have to drag them out of bed and race to get out the door at the crack of dawn, it seems that the morning rush just drags out an hour longer (plus, I miss having them home for that extra hour at the end of the day). 

Walking to the school bus in the morning

Ok, usually it's not quite so calm - usually we're running to the bus stop - Isaac in one arm, Millie (the dog) tangling me up in her leash as she runs circles around me and tries to bark at squirrels, kids, and dogs, the girls racing to the bus stop to see their friends that they've only been away from overnight, and me yelling at them to watch for cars and look both ways.  Oh, how I wish it were picture perfect like this every day! :)

At the bus stop, they catch up with their friends from our street and decide who is going to sit with whom.  I catch up with my Bolivian Grandma friend, my Italian Grandma friend, and my El Salvadorian Mom friend.  Usually it's a lot of sign language, but I really enjoy saying hi and trying to talk to these ladies each morning.

The girls get on the bus, say hi to Mr. Ben (the bus driver) and off they go.  For some reason I love the fact that our bus driver's name is Mr. Ben. 

At home, it's just me and Isaac for the day!  I just joined a gym, so we usually do that each day, and then we run errands, clean the house, and get projects done.  I've also been trying to get as much dinner preparation done during the day so that I don't have to do it during the after-school chaos.

I figured life would get really easy and I would have no idea what to do with myself.  Not quite!  Isaac keeps me busy, and I feel like I spend half the day recovering from the previous night's chaos, and the other half of the day preparing for that night's chaos.  And Isaac is not the greatest helper - as you can tell from my Mr. Trouble post a few days ago, he wants to make sure I don't get bored with just one child at home! :)

Actually, I really enjoy the time with just Isaac.  I realized that the girls both had older kids to play with when they were 18 months (I was babysitting 2 little boys when Elaina was this age, and Erin had Elaina to play with).  So I guess pulling out pots and pans and dumping cereal all over the floor is to make up for the fact that he doesn't have a playmate!

In the afternoon, Isaac takes a nap and just after he wakes up we go get the girls from the bus stop.  The day seems to fly by, and even with one child at home I still feel like there's not enough time in the day to get all the things done that I need to.  C'est la vie, I suppose.  The girls are home by 3:40, and Isaac gets really excited to meet them.  When he hears me say "bus" he starts bouncing up and down, racing and pointing toward the door.  He's so excited to see the girls at the end of the day!

It's fun to see them at the end of the day!

I have the girls come home and do their homework before they can play with friends, but they spend those few minutes walking toward home making all sorts of big plans for when their homework is finished.

 

Some routines never change - Erin still checks the mailbox on her way to and from school! :)