Routines

When I had Caitlin I thought I would be a person who would loathe routines. EVERYBODY said let the baby lead you, feed on demand, as long as she sleeps it doesn't matter where and on and on and on.

In the last year I have learnt that this doesn't work for me. If I let her lead all we would do would be watch ITNG until she crashed because she couldn't physically stay awake any longer. If I fed her on demand we would have taken much longer to discover her reflux as she was comfort sucking to ease her throat and wanting to suck every half hour. If I let her sleep when and wherever we would probably still be at the stage of her only sleeping on my lap for 20 min bursts. None of which was really working.

At the moment we have a great routine going when Ben is home. We're having an early dinner at 5:30 as a family, quite often the same food too. Today Caitlin had 2 frozen tuna and potato patties, our continental rice with carrot, peas and corn, seconds of our rice, thirds of our rice, tiny bits of my schnitzel and nearly a whole tin of apple custard. This was after having half a slice of bread 15 mins earlier because I wasn't cooking fast enough and was followed by a whole cup of milk. (And about 3 poos for those interesed in TMI, she had to make room somehow...). Dad then goes to have a shower after his bike ride home while I clean up Caitlin, Caitlin is then given a bath and dressed by Dad while I clean up the floor/walls/highchair and get the washing up started. Caitlin then runs round drinking her cup of milk and playing with toys while Ben watches the Simpsons and I use the computer and have a cup of tea. Either of us then put her to bed at 730, its usually Ben just becasue he doesn't see her as much. It's me when the cricket is on in Perth.

And its a lovely end to the day.