How did I miss this!

I’ve always been a creature of habit and someone who likes some predictability about her day. At the very least, I crave the ability to organize my day or week and have some idea on how it will unfold. Even though my schedule is really never the same day-to-day, or week to-week... I do have some routine built in. It keeps me grounded.

I’ve been struggling since Day 1 with baby to get a routine in place for me. I have been feeling at the whim of this precious small little guy who eats, sleeps and demands my attention at all hours of the day. I’ve been able to strategically sneak in eating, laundry, yoga (at home) and work when HE decides to sleep. It hadn’t dawned on me until this week that like us.. He needs a routine too and that we, as parents, are supposed to lead this for him. Where had I been? How did I miss this?

I’ve been diligently doing all my requisite reading but somehow this didn’t sink in ... Or perhaps I didn’t’ think we were at this point already. All of sudden I realized “if I get him on a schedule… TAAA DAAAA… I get my schedule back!” I nearly cried at the idea of having more time to get my projects done and to feel better about what I can accomplish in a day. In reading about sleep training, I realized poor Finn is probably as sleep deprived as I am. He doesn’t really nap much and he’s been going to bed between 9-10pm with several nighttime feedings. That was all fine and dandy for a newborn but he’s now 3 and ½ months and that just won’t do!

As I continue with the 40 days program, this week’s focus is on Equanimity – the idea of meeting life as it meets you in a calm, non-reactive fashion. From a yoga perspective it means staying in a pose even when you’re mind is telling you to quit. This concept of keeping my cool will do me well as we begin to put Finn to bed at 7pm this week. I’m sure the tears will flow (probably from both of us) but staying firm yet calm will get us through. Wish all of us luck.