Over Scheduled

That's what we are right now.  Early this week, I told John that I'm glad we have summer to try out new things for a short period of time because I'm learning what not to do in terms of scheduling (while knowing there's an end to this madness very soon).

I thought I was doing well by scheduling 6 weeks of activities/camps over Sam's 14 week summer break, with no more than two weeks of things in a row.  Just a little bit to keep us busy, let Sam try some new things, and keep him from getting bored, and me from pulling out my hair.  But then he did well in swim lessons and John and I thought he'd benefit from another session...the only time that would work was in the afternoons following his morning camp this week and next.  I've learned that even though the clock says it's possible, it's not ideal!  And to make matters worse, the first week of swim that I thought was going to be 4 days is actually 5.  By day 3, Wednesday, I'd figured out that this was going to be a long two weeks.

Our schedule this week has been 6:15-mom wakes, get dressed, make breakfast and lunch, 7:30-wake Sam, 7:45-wake and nurse Ben, 8:30-leave to take Sam camp, 9:00-back home for Ben's nap, 11:30-wake and nurse Ben (except for Wednesday and Thursday when Ben had classes at 11:30 & 10:15), 12:15-pick up Sam, 1:00-rest/nap for both boys while mom starts preparing dinner, 3:00-snack for Sam and wake Ben to nurse, 3:30-leave for swim, 4:00-back home for Ben's nap, 4:25-Sam gets picked up by dad or Pop, 5:00-Ben's dinner, 5:15-Ben's bath and nurse, 6:00-Ben to bed, 6:30-dinner for the rest of us, 7:00-Sam's bath, 7:30ish-Sam to bed. *sigh*  I'm tired, Sam's tired, Ben's tired (because all the drop offs and pick ups get in the way of his naps)...we all need a break!  Yesterday afternoon the poor little guy told me he didn't want to go anywhere, and this morning told me how tired he was.  Thank goodness for a three day weekend!  And next week should be a little better with only 4 mornings of camp and 2 afternoons of swim.

I've learned a good lesson here.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that sending Sam off to camp in the mornings and a 40 minute afternoon swim lesson in the afternoon would be so grueling!...it sounds so simple.  And it's been such an eye opener to see how this type of schedule affects a little person.  I didn't realize how much he values down time at home.

But, like I said, it's for two weeks and we're almost through the first, most difficult one.  And this is where I make a vow to never, ever, ever be the over scheduled, living-in-the-car-to get-to-activities, family.  Maybe writing it down will allow me to be able to go back and read it and try to relive it in my mind when I think, "Oh, we can handle it...he would enjoy that class so much!"  This has really made me a tired, short-tempered mommy who misses having a three year old pulling me away from all my chores...I just want to lie down and read books with him or watch a movie with him and I've been fighting the strong urge I've had the last two days to curl up in bed with him at nap time and bedtime.  I'm looking forward to our three days of nothing to do!


**Additionally**...kind of a side note, I guess...While I'm trying to keep up with the above mentioned schedule, my To-Do list is growing with nothing getting marked off (and I'm blogging to avoid looking at the To-Do list)...bananas and apples going bad on the counter that need to be made into baby food, 6 boxes of Internet shopping returns to pack up and get to UPS and USPS, a messy desk staring at me with who knows what To-Dos buried under the couple of things I can see I need to do on the top layer, always laundry and dishes, a 4 year old birthday party to start planning, two returns at the mall, need to pick up some sleepers for Ben that fit, and I'm sure there's more...that's just off the top of my head (without looking).