Three Things I Do To Start My Day Somewhat Sane

 The past two weeks have been rough over here in the the sleep department. 

Will and I have been up multiple times a night with one of the kids for one reason or another. 

Delilah has been having night terrors and nightmares and they each took turns having a cold. William's cold resulted in croup and just as he was getting better Delilah caught it. She ended up worse off even than when she had covid! 

Poor kiddos! 

(And poor parents 😄)

I had planned for a bit to share this post, not knowing that we would be experiencing the throes of cold season BUT I am hopeful that we may be turning a corner! 

Last night the kids slept from when they went to bed until 6:30am and I got a straight 6hrs of sleep (I didn't even have to pee in the middle of the night like I usually do when pregnant 😆). 

But despite the lack of sleep and sick kids I am still feeling on top of things, not too stressed, and there's no floundering happening like in the summer. 😅

So how do I keep myself together? 

How do I get up on the right side of the bed? 

Today I present: 

3 Things I Do To Start My Day *Somewhat* Sane

1. Tidying Up The Night Before: 

Pretty much every article I've read about establishing a good morning routine has something to say about starting the night before. And it's true! Whether that's pre-planning outfits, making lunches, or something else, these things all help to set yourself up for success the next day. 

For myself I find it the most helpful to go to bed with a tidied house. 

I've never been big on doing the dishes after every meal, so it's fine by me if they accumulate, but if there are toys strewn everywhere and clutter piled on the counter, those are the things that bother me. 

It honestly takes me less than five minutes to pick up all the toys and I know that if that is done at the end of the day it gives us a clean slat to work with come the morning.   

2. Making Our Bed: 

Since moving into this small apartment we've found that the bedroom has become an extension of our living space. In our previous homes it used to be that if we were having company over we'd stash a bunch of clutter in the bedroom and close the door. No one would ever see our room. But now if we're having anyone over they most likely will be in the bedroom too so it needs to be just as presentable as the rest of the house. 

I love folding laundry on the bed, the kids play on it all the time, and it's just a good routine to have. 

Making our bed after I get up has become a habit that I do everyday (unless it's wash day). Our bedding is by no means fancy. We don't have any throw pillows and our duvet is on the bed backwards even. Oops 😛 But I appreciate the put-together look it gives having everything straightened out. 

3. Locking Myself In The Bathroom: 

This is exactly what it sounds like. 😆 

I was finding it difficult to get uninterrupted time to read in the morning and doing my hair and makeup was taking me way too long with children climbing on the counter, splashing in the toilet, and playing with things they shouldn't be. 

And so this idea was born. 

Just about every morning, sometimes before breakfast, sometimes after, sometimes while the kids are still eating, I lock myself in the bathroom. Then I can listen to an audio Bible and get myself ready for the day in peace. Of course if there's crying I'll check on them, but the majority of the time they have been well behaved. 

And those are three things in this season of life that I try to do every day to start each new day in the best way possible.

I'm curious to look back on this is 1, 5, 10 years and see what the future me would think!