The importance of routine

I've heard it said before that when it comes to raising kids, routine is everything. Well I'm starting to realize just how true that is. We now have a general best case scenario baby schedule, of course there is some variation from day to day but generally here's how it goes: baby wakes up at around 8am for breakfast and is awake for about 45 afterwards (for some reason that is when he is his most happiest and googliest). Then he takes a mid-morning nap from around 9:30-11 after which he's awake for a couple of hours just hanging out and having lunch. This is followed by an early afternoon nap which is often taken in the stroller during a walk around the neighborhood. After this he is awake for another few hours and has a snack. Before dinner he'll take a 30 minute snooze and this is usually followed by dinner, a bath, some cuddling, some dessert, and then he's usually asleep for the night by around 9pm (followed by 1 or 2 nighttime nursings before he's up again at 8am).

But of course reality gets in the way of routine and creates a domino effect of inconvenience, and if we have to go somewhere or otherwise disturb his eating/sleeping schedule that will result in crankiness, non-sleeping and overtiredness, more nursing (i think for the calming effect of it rather than extra hunger), and general unpredictability. In this sense,  routine actually provides a sense of freedom. When we follow the routine for a few days in a row without disturbance we know when we will definitely have time to take care of non-baby things. If we want to go somewhere and leave at around the time he usually naps then we can expect an easy ride getting there without any crying. Of course it's hard to live each day in the same sequence as the day before but I guess we'd better get used to it if we want a happy baby. I don't really mind though, I knew having a child would completely change my lifestyle and so far this family thing is pretty darn fulfilling with Elliot as king of the castle.

p.s. baby sleep farts are funny :)