Our Morning Routine

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Spilled cereal

The secret title of this post is “How we get a baby and a toddler up and ready and still have time to shower and eat breakfast ourselves.” Because that’s what’s really important, gang. It’s taken a while, but I finally feel like we have our morning routine nailed down so everyone gets what they need (no small feat with four people, two of whom can’t do anything for themselves!). It’s not foolproof but it mostly works, and I really feel like our morning routine sets the tone for the day. It used to be pretty simple when it was just Henry — one kid to manage suddenly looks like a piece of cake when you throw a second one into the mix. But now with a baby and a potty training toddler, there’s so much more to check off the list.

So first things first, I’m always up and out before anyone else is awake. I know that if I don’t work out first thing in the morning, it just won’t get done. Some days I’m with my trainer, but most days I just hit the gym and either tackle a spin class or some time on the stair mill. Before that though, I always grab a little fuel. Some balanced carbs with a little protein does the trick for me, and I’ve been really liking the Special K Nourish Cereals lately. (The coconut cranberry almond is my favorite.) I have a serving with some almond milk (a habit that stuck around from when Maggie was dairy-free!) and it gets me through that morning workout. It’s got real ingredients like quinoa, coconut flakes, and almonds, and it’s packed with fiber. A super good start.

After I jet to the gym and back, I usually have just enough time to get showered, do my hair, and slap some makeup on my face. I just feel so much better if I’m put together before the chaos starts! Right about that time, we’ve usually got a couple of little ones stirring in their beds. Henry wakes up and goes straight to the potty (hellooo, potty training!), where I trick him into getting changed out of his jammies and into his daytime clothes. Ryan gets Maggie up at the same time and changes her too. Hurdle one, check.

Three days a week Henry has school in the mornings, so we get the kids straight into the kitchen for breakfast. Henry’s mostly able to monitor himself through a meal these days, which is awesome. So I’ll feed Maggie while Henry takes care of himself and pretty soon everyone is fed. Hurdle two, check.

The real challenge with Henry, for some reason, is brushing his teeth and getting his shoes on. He’s a tricky little guy, too, he’ll slip right through your fingers while you’re trying to get him into the bathroom. We recently got him an electric toothbrush that he finds fascinating, so that helps a little. So we brush teeth, and Ryan gets Henry off to school while I hang with Maggie. After Ryan’s back, he has the chance to get a shower and grab some Special K for breakfast too (although Ryan’s jam is the Red Berries). And just like that (phew!) everybody’s ready.

I’m imagining that the morning routine will keep changing and evolving as these kids of ours get older and keep hitting milestones. But for now, I’m just grateful to keep everyone fed and happy. This last photo that Ryan snapped of Maggie and me is so blurry, but her little shining face just kills me. And really, it’s how most of our mornings are anyway — a little blurry but plenty happy. Here’s wishing you some great mornings ahead! xoxo

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Special K. All opinions are 100% mine.

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4 Comments

  1. I commented a few weeks ago on a post that was obviously sponsored by Special K that did not have a disclaimer. Here’s another one. This greediness of these, frankly, lazy posts without acknowledging you’re getting paid for them is disheartening. I’m sure you’ll edit and add the language after my comment, but I had to share that I’m unfollowing.

  2. What a great post!Thanks for sharing your happy little mornings with us. And I love that last photo, so sweet! 🙂

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