How do you get ready with LO?

ABombard12

So this can be for anyone really.. but my specific situation is this. I work outside the home full time and so does DH. Our LO now walks, is a climber and into everything (as he should be ) the issue we have is he doesn't have a set wake-up time every morning and it can range...sometimes 4am (I put him back down then hes up at 7ish), sometimes 5, 7... pick a number ha  So the issue I have is getting ready for work in the morning. DH leaves before me so he isn't there to help. I have up until now been locking LO and I in the bathroom--at first he was in his seat, then he became mobile so we had toys on the floor..but now with walking/climbing and learning how to open and close EVERYTHING it is getting increasingly harder to contain him and I and actually get ready on time. I know some will say get up before him but...when hes up at 4 there is NO way I can continue to function mentally all day if I start getting ready then.  Does anyone else have this issue? Suggestions? any tricks?

momofsweetps

I get myself and 6 kiddos ready every morning. Granted, 3 of the 6 get dressed on their own, so that helps. I get up an hour before I wake them up. Sometimes the baby wakes up during that time or when my alarm goes off. If he does, I just put him in his high chair with some breakfast and finish getting ready. If he's done, I put him at the activity table, or in the bathtub with toys (if it's dry). You could keep some toys in a bucket in the bathroom that he only gets to play with while you get ready?

ABombard12

@momofsweetps First of all... your a supermom!! I have a bucket right now with toys he just plays with in the bathroom. He is walking now so the bathtub doesn't work too long.. he also likes to lean over the edge of the tub which results in him toppling over head first (has daddy's big head for big brains of course ha)... I could maybe bring my stuff downstairs and have him eat breakfast while I get ready....that's a good idea! thank you!

momofsweetps

I blow my hair dry a lot in the living room! Also make sure you have your stuff laid out the night before. That helps. Mine just started walking but is climbing so I understand the trying to get out of the bathtub. Also if you have a pack n play, maybe add some balls to it and make it a ball pit. It won't contain him long but maybe enough to finish!

ABombard12

Funny I just had his birthday party and did a little ball pit.. I could try that out too! Thank you for all the ideas!

momofsweetps

No problem! The stage before they can actually entertain themselves alone is kind of hard, but it will go by fast!

wannabeamongoose

I try to do as much as possible the night before. I put our clothes out, get the bottles and food ready, and shower in the evenings after baby goes to bed. If I need to shower in the morning, I put baby in his bedroom with the monitor on. Sometimes he gets super pissed and just stands at the baby gate screaming at me until I'm done, but he survives and it only lasts maybe 5 minutes. We've super baby proofed the bedroom and it's right next to the bathroom so I'm not terribly worried about injury (although he hasn't started trying to climb on the furniture yet). I'm low maintenance so the rest of my morning routine just involves getting dressed and eating breakfast. Breakfast we do together. If I feel the need to wear makeup, I put it on while we sit at the kitchen table. Then we play until it's time for mommy to go to work. Sometimes we get up early enough to take the dog for a walk in the morning too, but if baby sleeps in I usually do too and then puppy has to wait until the afternoon (we're lucky we have a big back yard).

ElleMF728

I usually shower the night before so I only have to do my hair and make up if I need to go somewhere in the morning.  In that case the boys just run around and play in the bedroom while I get ready with the door open.  They are in and out but they do fine.  If I need to shower I'll just bring the baby into the shower with me and put a bathmat on the shower floor and a towel on the bathroom floor.  Water typically ends up all over the place but it only takes a second to clean up.  I'll put some bath toys on the floor and sometimes DS1 who is 3 years old will want to hop in as well.  Not the most relaxing but it gets the job done and I can keep an eye on everyone.  

ETA: Our bathroom is an on suite and the entire upstairs is just our room and the kid's rooms and bathrooms so its all baby proofed. 

ABombard12

Thank you @lizlann and @elleMF728      I May try to be more organized in the evenings after he goes to bed. I mainly just need time for quick makeup application. I don't wash my hair everyday but when I do is the hardest mornings (more time for drying etc).  Now that he is walking and climbing all over I do have to baby proof the upstairs more I have realized...that may make me more amenable to allowing him to play more in our room.... This is definitely a new stage which is kind of learn as you go while also trying to be one step ahead safety wise! I think I will try the shower in the evenings, makeup while hes in the high chair eating breakfast... these two may even give me some more time playing with him before we head out to daycare which is always a plus!

Yiggle09

My lo goes down at 8 and doesn't wake on his own until 630 7 normally. I get up at 520, do my bathroom stuff which is really just putting my hair in a bun brushing teeth and going to the bathroom. I go down make him a milk bottle clean up the living room a smidge and then I go up to get dressed for work which is scrubs. Then I go wake diaper change and bring him down dressed for the day. I lay him on the boppy and he drinks his bottle and then we leave by 555 6 am. Our daycare room no longer needs me to fill out a paper in the morning or make bottles as he drinks from the sippy there every day so I now have more time on my hands but I used to make the bottles while he was drinking on the boppy.

lmbrandt

I try to shower at night if I can, and blow dry my hair.  Then I usually go a day or two before washing my hair again (yay dry shampoo & messy buns!!).  Our son wakes up anywhere from 6:00-6:45 too, so I never know truly when he'll be up.  No matter what time he wakes, I let him stay in his crib and have quiet time until 7 (he's usually always fine, rolling around, making sounds, talking, etc).  I use the time that he is still in his crib to either fully shower (washing my hair), or do a quick body shower with a shower cap.  At 7:00 I go get him and give him his first bottle.  

After his bottle he plays for a little bit upstairs, then I bring him downstairs to make breakfast.  When he's in his highchair eating, I will often sit at the kitchen table and eat my breakfast and start putting on makeup.  Once he's done eating I put him down and let him run around (VERY active little guy) while I finish up my makeup.  He'll usually play for a bit, then come to me at the table and check out what I'm doing, etc.  Most days this usually works, but of course there are days where he is very needy, or whiny and wants constant attention, so it takes me much longer to get my makeup on.  

amp61470

I usually stick him in his pack n play with some toys and throw on Mickey Mouse clubhouse. He's entertained for the half hour it takes me and I am not worried about what he is getting into. 

ForeverEverAfter

I shower the night before, and lay everything out. Then I get dressed at the first noise from LO, then I change and dress her. I stick her in her high chair with breakfast, then I eat quickly, and brush my teeth and do hair/makeup in the powder room by our kitchen. My 3.5yo is usually the last up, and she joins us at the table. Then LO crawls around her room while she gets dressed and I grab last minute things and we go! It's always a mad dash, I'm super thankful that I only work outside the home a few times a month (I have a dayhome, and take shifts in ER on weekends).

TabulaRasa25

1. Shower the night before, after he goes down. 
2. Beat him awake if possible and get dressed quickly
3. Cut hair into style that takes a brief amount of time to tame.  
4. Shut him in the bathroom with me during any residual getting ready, after putting wastebasket and toilet brush out of reach and weighting the toilet seat down. 

LoveLee85

Lately, the only way to get it done is to bring him in the shower with me. He plays at my feet and I can actually have clean hair. If I ware makeup, I have about 5 products total I use, and two are SPF and lotion. Luckily, I only have to actually be somewhere randomly. It stresses me out because I can't stand being late at anytime. Good luck. It's so difficult when you have no idea when the LO wake up.

chaser61

Good post! I have that same issue. Although he doesn't walk yet. I have baby proofed our room and bathroom as much as possible. Garbage can in the bathroom goes on top of the toilet and other things get placed on counters or put somewhere else. I have toys scattered on the bathroom and bedroom floor in hopes that he will pause and play. I let him get into safe things and even stage things around the room. We have a pack n play in our room with diapers in the side pockets. Every morning he pulls them out of the pockets and drops them on the floor. Easy to clean up but he pulls them out one by one so it buys some time. I stack pillows and things on a bench at the edge of our bed so he can cruise along and pull things off.  I have also offered snacks. I put a blanket down once and gave him snacks but he just crawled off and spread crumbs all over, so I don't do that any more because it was harder to clean up. I guess the biggest thing I do is stay flexible with the process. I wait to change him out of pajams until he gets into something he shouldn't repeatedly. The pause to change him redirects him to something else when I put him down. Or I will have him crawl down the hall to the kitchen so I can grab ice packs and his food out for the day. Then have him follow me back so I can finish getting ready. That poops him out enough to sit and play a few minites! So constant redirection is all I got. On days where it is just not working, I pull wet hair back into a low bun to skip drying and flat iron. It still looks professional.

thinkpink101

I have to get my older three all packed up and ready to get on the bus by 7:25am which is when I leave to go to work for the morning. Usually LO gets up at 6am so I plan everyone's clothes the night before, take my shower and prep as much as I can for breakfast. When LO gets up I nurse and change him, wake the older three up then bring LO to the kitchen with me. He's usually happy emptying my Tupperware cabinet (the only one not child proofed) while I flip pancakes/make waffles, smoothies or whatever we are having for breakfast. LO eats in his high chair with the older boys while I clean up and make lunches. Then I put him in his pack n play which is in our bedroom while I quickly get dressed and get ready. I take maybe 5 minutes. Then I dress LO while checking that the older have music equipment/gym bags/have brushed their teeth etc. Usually LO wants to nurse quickly one more time, then we're out the door by 7:25.

lynnaeschr

I wake up early so I can at least get myself showered and quickly dressed before my hubby has to be out the door. Some days lil man will sleep in and I can dry my hair, straighten it, and do make up in peace (like 1 out of 20 times). Otherwise our living room and kitchen are gated off and babyproofed so I end up doing my make up in the big mirror that hangs above the couch, usually have to dry my hair in the kitchen, and then when his back is to the baby gate I sneak over it to straighten my hair while he plays with his toys. Not really ideal but it works and we get out the door easily! 

kfry22

For those of you who get ready while little one is eating in the high chair, what are you feeding for breakfast? I am still doing fruit purees for breakfast but need some different ideas for him. I could do cut up fresh fruit but the only kind he will eat is blueberries or bananas. I have done toast but it is so so messy. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

lmbrandt

@kassyfry, I usually put him in the highchair with some food while I start my makeup and eat my breakfast.  I put cut up fruit (strawberries, blueberries, banana, peach) and it does get messy...usually squished fruit on his jammies by the time he's done!  Also, pieces of waffle, pancake, cheerios or puffs.

AmandaNacora

You could make him breakfast and put him in the highchair while you shower or just put him in there with you. Before my in laws moved in that's what I did since I wanted LO to be busy eating while I did my hair, makeup ect.
It's a dance in the shower trying not to get soap on LO's face but eventually it gets easier. Plus now you've both had a shower so two birds, one stone. 

@kassyfry blueberries and bananas are good, does he like eggs? My LO usually just has fruits for breakfast(was eating eggs also until she decided she doesn't like them anymore), a slice of wheat bread with a thin layer of peanut butter or nutella and banana slices folded in half is good also. Waffles without syrup, french toast sticks, biscuits. But prepare for messes, having a mat under the highchair is a good idea if you have carpet. 

AmandaNacora

@KristiSigma I think that's awesome you stage things for your LO to explore. We let LO explore also but I wish she's stay out of her dresser! Ever single piece of clothing is taken out multiple times a day. I've given up folding them again and shove them back in since she's just going to take them out anyway haha. I should try your diaper trick on our playpen, maybe add a couple toys or something in the pockets to keep her busy.

ElleMF728

My mom makes these amazing mini muffins using apple juice that the kids love.  She brings about 3  zip lock baggies over ever other week or so for us DS2 loves to eat those and they are so quick to throw on his tray.  DH and I make a huge fruit salad every weekend and cut up strawberries so fruit is also really quick and easy.  Isaac has also really gotten into pouches and can do them by himself so I give him yogurt or oatmeal that way.  Shredded cheese, waffles and in days when I have somewhere to be really quickly and not a ton in the house I might give him a Nutrigrain bar.  I try to do a little fruit, a little dairy and a little grain for breakfast.  

kmcshane0211

This is hard. My daughter roams around my room and I redirect often. My favorite part is when she sits in my lap as I put on make up at my vanity. She looks in the mirror and mimics brushing on blush. Such a sweetie!

shelbydd

My son can't be left alone, even in the bathroom while I shower (he can open doors, and is into everything) so we use the pack n play a lot for things like that.

CaboBride2015

I don't know if I'm dumb or lucky but I put a bottle in the crib (if she's not awake, otherwise I just give it to her) and if she wakes up she will chill in bed with the bottle until I come and get her after my shower. She can't climb out so if she wants to scream her head off she's not going to get hurt but we haven't had that issue yet. Once I make it downstairs she sits her in high chair and eats while I get ready. We have 3 older kids so as long as they are ready to go they help watch her too. I do need to start doing more at night though, we were almost late this morning and I couldn't even blame the kids!!! LOL

missliz53

I get up first and try to get ready while she's still sleeping. If she wakes up, I put her on the floor and she either plays in her room or follows me around. We have everything upstairs child proofed and I keep a few toys in our room for her, but her favorite thing to do is try to get into all the child-proofed drawers. After I'm ready, I get her ready and then we go downstairs and I eat my cereal while she has fruit purees and cheerios. Then we do her meds and bottle. It takes us about 1.5 hrs to get out the door.