How to spend the whole day with your infant!

Those are the exact words that I had typed in google when I decided to take a break from my work and stay at home with my little one. And yes, I didn't find any good results! What I was looking for, is a timetable, that will give an hour wise detail.

I have seen so many moms staying at home and taking care of their kids so efficiently. My mom is a home maker and she was always busy doing something with us i.e. me and my sister. So I thought that it won't be a big deal!

But as the last day at my work was approaching, I was getting more and more nervous and was searching vigorously in google changing the keywords. I got a few games that I can play with the little one, I can read stories to her or I can take her for a walk.

Finally, the day arrived and I was all alone at home with her. I played all the games I learned, I read all the books we got for her and it was not even an hour! It was sunny outside and that's why I couldn't take her out. I seriously didn't know how to spend the whole day with her. I was so impatiently waiting for my husband to come back from work. I was checking the clock every minute and it seemed like time has totally stopped! So I put enough sunscreen on her and put her in the stroller and went out! Off course, no one was down at that time and after walking for a few minutes, I started sweating and she started crying. So I had to bring her home.

So from that day till today, its been a few months and now I have learned that it is actually not a big deal. It's true that sometimes I get bored reading the same story or playing the same game or answering to her same questions like the hundredth time, still, I don't freak out anymore. So here I am going to say what I was looking for when I typed those words!

My daughter is a year old now and she is not a good sleeper. So most of the time she is awake and looking for some activities to keep her busy. This is the schedule I follow and yes kids love routine!

• Our day starts with her nappy changing and then brushing her teeth and fixing a quick breakfast for her. My husband keeps her busy when I prepare the breakfast and he feeds her in the morning. Then he gets ready and goes to the office when we two are left with each other, wondering whats next!!!
• I have bought the Alphabets which are wooden and safe for the babies even if they put those in their mouth. So we spend some time with those alphabets daily when I try to teach her and she only concentrates on chewing those. 
• Then I take her out. She has started walking and gets excited whenever she can walk on her own and touch everything that comes on her way. She likes plants, flowers and enjoys touching those and sometimes even putting in her mouth. This is the time, I give her some fruits like banana or strawberry or grapes.
• After spending almost an hour outside, we come back home. I just give her some toy and try to fix some lunch for her. But she doesn't know yet how to play alone and that's why she will sit on the kitchen floor and will wait for me to finish. I keep the lunch preparation very simple. She eats rice, butter, an egg, some soup or dal and yogurt. I just put everything on stove let it cook.
• Now it's bath time and she really enjoys her bath. I heat some oil and massage her for some time. But she is more eager to get into the bath tub. She plays with the water when I scrub, shampoo and cleans her up. Then we take some time to bath her duck and fish. Finally, when she is tired and looks sleepy I dry her up and put some dress which I know I need to remove after lunch.
• Now lunch time is the most challenging part. Whatever I put something in her mouth, she just throws it away! I sing to her the same old rhymes and play games and somehow manage to feed her a little. I don't believe in sitting for 2 hrs and keep trying. My principle is quite simple. I will give her something to eat every 2 hours rather than spending 2 hours for each meal.
•  By the time, she finishes her lunch, she has food everywhere on her face, hair, hands, dress and I really feel like putting her under the shower along with her high chair. But somehow I manage to clean her up and dress her, give her Vitamin D, which I  just have to give a single drop. Now, this is the time she sleeps since morning. I have to spend some time to make her fall asleep. Now it's ME time! I just run to take a shower where I spend hardly 15 mins and warm up something for lunch.  Someday I am lucky to finish my whole lunch when she was still asleep. She sleeps for 30-45 mins at a stretch. So within that time, I need to finish my bath and my lunch. 
• There are some days when I can manage to put her back to sleep when she wakes up after 30 minutes. But there are many days when I fail to do so and she is again up with full of energy. I read her some books which she loves, play with her with some of her toys. Take some photos and videos to boost up my energy level. 
• By around 4, I give her some milk and cookies to which she never says a NO. Then I again take her out in a stroller. I walk and she chews on some crackers and waves her hand to anyone we meet on our way. We stay outside as long as possible or still, my husband comes back from work.
• She likes spending time with her dad in the evening when I cook dinner. She takes her dinner at around 7. Again a 30 mins fight which three of us fight together.
• After dinner, I change her clothes, massage some cream and put her in bed by 8. 

Well, this is the routine I follow daily nowadays. But as I said, she is not a good sleeper. So she wakes up many times at night and sometimes refuses to sleep at all. She drinks milk at night which I keep ready by our bed side.

Hope next time if someone types the same words that I did, get some inputs to start with!

Happy Parenting!

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