The Nick and James daily routine
Dec. 27th, 2002 12:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
garotePetrea can't do any solo traveling in 2002 unless someone cares for her two young children, Jamie and Nicky. To be prepared, she writes up a schedule, with enough detail that even an untrained and slightly worried husband or brother could follow it.
The document also serves as a description of how she spends every single day. What little free time the schedule allows is devoured by running the household.
6:00am - Wake up time.
Bottle made fresh, diaper change, medicine if necessary, back to sleep if possible.
7:30am - Wake up for good.
Jamie needs love, cuddling, check diaper. Nicky awake.
8:30am - Breakfast.
Baby food. Jamie can eat sweet potatoes, squash, pears, apples, bananas, carrots, rice cereal. Give pacifier between bites if antsy. Let him sit in his chair for a while after eating and suck pacifier. Make bottle while he does this, get a place ready for him to sleep.
Change Nicky's diaper and clothes if you haven't already. Give him breakfast - toast with butter, yogurt, eggs, juice, milk.
9:00am
When Jamie's ready to get out of the chair, he'll call you. Change his clothes and let him play with you or whoever. Carry him and love him and wash his face and hands.
Some days during this time you may want to bathe him. Your mom will know how, if you're at her house. If at your house, use the sling in the tub. This way you can have Nicky in there too, and see both of them. Get washcloth and soap and towel and clothes ready before you begin. Nicky can also be watching a show during this time if you need him to.
10:00am - Jamie should be tired.
Warm his bottle, check his diaper. Go to a quiet place with pacifier and give bottle, rocking and staring at him, whisper to comfort him. Give as much bottle as he wants, usually 4-6 oz. If he is not asleep but doesn't want any more, burp him and try to feed him more. If he is done and falling asleep, hold him to you and keep upright to attempt a burp without waking. Then lay him on his right side or his back in the bassinet or crib or bed.
Make sure his pacifier is securely in his mouth, rub eyes closed softly, cover with blankie, put pacifier back in, adjust lighting if necessary, put pacifier back in.
Leave. Put pacifier back in after 2 minutes if crying. Do this repeatedly until asleep, but if not asleep in half an hour, something is wrong.
Usually needs more food, but could be a diaper. Nicky can still be watching a show or playing until Jamie is down. This is a good time to take Nicky outside if weather permits, or to help him with some constructive activity. No more TV, if it's been on.
11:30am
If kept quiet, Jamie will wake up around now. He wants diaper check and to play. He'll watch show with Nicky, or go somewhere. Needs kisses and toys.
1:00pm - Now ready for big nap.
If you play your cards right with making him full, comfortable, and quiet, you can get 2 hours out of him.
It is wisest to put Nicky down first, then Jamie, so you can get maximum alone time. So while you give Nicky his bottle, put Jamie in the swing or somewhere comfy. Then after Nicky is down - remember, you are still listening for poop - get Jamie comfy, give him a bottle, and repeat the nap procedure until he is asleep.
Usually by 1:30, both kids are asleep. If you are careful about noise, both should sleep until about 3:30.
3:00pm - Get ready for wake up.
Get Nicky's lunch. Make sure you have food for Jamie's meal. If you are going somewhere, pack diaper bags. Put away any dangerous items you were using. When they wake up, change diapers!
3:15pm
Get both of them in the kitchen area. Nicky can play clay or crayon or blocks. Give him food. Put Jamie in chair, let him play with toys while you get food ready. Feed Jamie when you can, make sure Nicky eats something.
3:45pm - 5:30pm - Very good time to go out.
You can get out earlier if you are prepared to feed the kids while out. Jamie may want a smaall bottle after his food. Around five thirty, get Jamie ready for sleep. Change to sleeper, make 8oz bottle, get sleep area ready.
Nicky can do whatever. I like to get all Nicky's stuff ready during this time, too. Make bed, remove toys from under pillow, repair shades if possible. Get out pajamas, make milk bottle, put in fridge. Find pacifiers.
6:00pm
Give Jamie bottle, put him down, use sleep procedure above. If you're alone, have Nicky watch a show.
6:30pm
Feed Nicky. Play, bath, jammies, books, bottles. Get him ready for sleep, bring him around to say goodnight to everyone.
7:30pm - 8:00pm
Nicky in bed.
9:30pm
Prepare fresh bottle. Get meds out. Go into Jamie's room. Don't turn the lights on. If possible, change his diaper in the dark room. Feed him, usually 4-6oz, then lay him back down immediately. He will sleep. The more dark and quiet, the more likely he is to sleep.
He should sleep until 6:00am. If he wakes up, give pacifier, and if appropriate time-wise and he is coughing or teething, give him the appropriate med.
Meds list:
Tylenol (non-asprin Kirkland brand) - one half dropper - every 4-6 hours as needed for teething pain (you will see lots of drooling, eating his fist, whining)
Robitussin DM - one and one half droppers - every 4 hours for cough.
The document also serves as a description of how she spends every single day. What little free time the schedule allows is devoured by running the household.
6:00am - Wake up time.
Bottle made fresh, diaper change, medicine if necessary, back to sleep if possible.
7:30am - Wake up for good.
Jamie needs love, cuddling, check diaper. Nicky awake.
8:30am - Breakfast.
Baby food. Jamie can eat sweet potatoes, squash, pears, apples, bananas, carrots, rice cereal. Give pacifier between bites if antsy. Let him sit in his chair for a while after eating and suck pacifier. Make bottle while he does this, get a place ready for him to sleep.
Change Nicky's diaper and clothes if you haven't already. Give him breakfast - toast with butter, yogurt, eggs, juice, milk.
9:00am
When Jamie's ready to get out of the chair, he'll call you. Change his clothes and let him play with you or whoever. Carry him and love him and wash his face and hands.
Some days during this time you may want to bathe him. Your mom will know how, if you're at her house. If at your house, use the sling in the tub. This way you can have Nicky in there too, and see both of them. Get washcloth and soap and towel and clothes ready before you begin. Nicky can also be watching a show during this time if you need him to.
10:00am - Jamie should be tired.
Warm his bottle, check his diaper. Go to a quiet place with pacifier and give bottle, rocking and staring at him, whisper to comfort him. Give as much bottle as he wants, usually 4-6 oz. If he is not asleep but doesn't want any more, burp him and try to feed him more. If he is done and falling asleep, hold him to you and keep upright to attempt a burp without waking. Then lay him on his right side or his back in the bassinet or crib or bed.
Make sure his pacifier is securely in his mouth, rub eyes closed softly, cover with blankie, put pacifier back in, adjust lighting if necessary, put pacifier back in.
Leave. Put pacifier back in after 2 minutes if crying. Do this repeatedly until asleep, but if not asleep in half an hour, something is wrong.
Usually needs more food, but could be a diaper. Nicky can still be watching a show or playing until Jamie is down. This is a good time to take Nicky outside if weather permits, or to help him with some constructive activity. No more TV, if it's been on.
11:30am
If kept quiet, Jamie will wake up around now. He wants diaper check and to play. He'll watch show with Nicky, or go somewhere. Needs kisses and toys.
1:00pm - Now ready for big nap.
If you play your cards right with making him full, comfortable, and quiet, you can get 2 hours out of him.
It is wisest to put Nicky down first, then Jamie, so you can get maximum alone time. So while you give Nicky his bottle, put Jamie in the swing or somewhere comfy. Then after Nicky is down - remember, you are still listening for poop - get Jamie comfy, give him a bottle, and repeat the nap procedure until he is asleep.
Usually by 1:30, both kids are asleep. If you are careful about noise, both should sleep until about 3:30.
3:00pm - Get ready for wake up.
Get Nicky's lunch. Make sure you have food for Jamie's meal. If you are going somewhere, pack diaper bags. Put away any dangerous items you were using. When they wake up, change diapers!
3:15pm
Get both of them in the kitchen area. Nicky can play clay or crayon or blocks. Give him food. Put Jamie in chair, let him play with toys while you get food ready. Feed Jamie when you can, make sure Nicky eats something.
3:45pm - 5:30pm - Very good time to go out.
You can get out earlier if you are prepared to feed the kids while out. Jamie may want a smaall bottle after his food. Around five thirty, get Jamie ready for sleep. Change to sleeper, make 8oz bottle, get sleep area ready.
Nicky can do whatever. I like to get all Nicky's stuff ready during this time, too. Make bed, remove toys from under pillow, repair shades if possible. Get out pajamas, make milk bottle, put in fridge. Find pacifiers.
6:00pm
Give Jamie bottle, put him down, use sleep procedure above. If you're alone, have Nicky watch a show.
6:30pm
Feed Nicky. Play, bath, jammies, books, bottles. Get him ready for sleep, bring him around to say goodnight to everyone.
7:30pm - 8:00pm
Nicky in bed.
9:30pm
Prepare fresh bottle. Get meds out. Go into Jamie's room. Don't turn the lights on. If possible, change his diaper in the dark room. Feed him, usually 4-6oz, then lay him back down immediately. He will sleep. The more dark and quiet, the more likely he is to sleep.
He should sleep until 6:00am. If he wakes up, give pacifier, and if appropriate time-wise and he is coughing or teething, give him the appropriate med.
Meds list:
Tylenol (non-asprin Kirkland brand) - one half dropper - every 4-6 hours as needed for teething pain (you will see lots of drooling, eating his fist, whining)
Robitussin DM - one and one half droppers - every 4 hours for cough.
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Date: 2019-03-20 11:50 am (UTC)