Rockin' around the clock

Dear Readers, I had a high school music teacher who often said, "to be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late and to be late is unacceptable." Thanks, Ms. B.. I never forgot this saying. In fact, it often guides my decision-making as I plan out each day's activities with my infant. Every task seems to take 2-3 times longer than anticipated. Before having Evangeline, I didn't realize how much of my life would soon be consumed by monitoring time. As a stay-at-home mom, it has been one of my biggest adjustments. The clock. It's not a secret that I love new mom meetups and other social events with friends during the week, so it's hard for me to stay put at home for two days or more. Some days felt very long and dismal with a new baby this winter if I was "snowed in." While I wouldn't say I've suffered any symptoms of postpartum depression, this New Hampshire winter hit me harder than the previous 38 I have experienced. I thank my lucky stars that I have a contented "chill" baby that is used to being on the move and meeting new people. Where I've gotten in trouble with Evangeline's fussiness is when I push it too much and don't honor her sleep schedule as much as is needed. We would come home, and she is overtired, cranky and hard to soothe because I kept her out too long and she didn't get a good nap. I found that she is a people-watcher and enjoys being a part of surrounding conversations. If she was verbal, she would be the neighborhood gossip. Fortunately, she is starting to nap in public more now, thanks to a new canopy cover for her car seat (big 'win' here!) Those times of being overtired and fussy were good learning moments for me, and maybe for you too. As a new parent I am trying to strike the perfect balance between having a tight eating/resting schedule where she thrives and also one that allows for some flexibility of daily life. Maybe I'll be successful by the time she's 18 years old. From the first moment I open my eyes to the final moment she falls asleep in her crib at night, I am either looking at the clock and/or planning my next activity that falls within her schedule of daily needs. I used to plan my life around an Outlook calendar, down to when it was preferable to take bathroom breaks, quick afternoon walks or (if I could) have lunch. Now my "calendar" is a living, breathing little human who dictates when I can run errands, go to appointments or classes, take walks with our dog, Griswold, visit friends and write in my blog. I didn't know what it meant to be truly selfless until I became a parent.

As any parent or caregiver knows, young children (and animals) thrive on routine and a schedule. Sleep, food, enrichment activities all revolve around time. What time did I last feed her? When my husband comes home from work, I have to remember to update him on my daily timetable. What time did she nap? How long was the nap? When did I last change her? She should be comfortable if I just run out the store without the diaper bag... When we first set up her nursery, we didn't think of adding a clock. Why would we, the baby can't tell time?! We made it less than one week before we realized how critical it is to monitor time, especially in those very early days. We ran out an purchased a digital clock that is kept in clear view from the nursery glider and ottoman. Like Bill Haley & His Comets said in their 1950s classic, life revolves around the clock.