Establishing Pegs

Yesterday was the day during which I had planned to start thinking about establishing pegs. With an almost one year old and another baby due in January, we are hardly juggling lots of schedules, schoolwork, etc. that so many moms do every day. But I guess it is never to early to start thinking and experimenting and will help me organize my time better. However, trips to two doctors (one planned, one not) left me far short of my goal. After driving almost an hour for little baby and mommys' check-up, sweet Dash fell asleep on the ride home. Thus, Nap # 1 was not good, so we had a fussy afternoon.

Nap # 2 was interrupted by a feverish screaming fit with sweating and shaking for the 2nd time in 24 hours, which prompted doctor visit #2 after the nurse on the phone told me to bring Dash in asap. When it is 4:40, it and it takes 15 minutes to get to the pediatrician with no traffic (they close at 5), you leave the house in a rush, realizing only at the very last second that your son has no pants on. Since we were the last ones there, Dash had the run of the waiting room, an occasion of which he took full advantage, only pausing from running briefly to look at the fish.

So my pegs so far consist of:
Classical music at breakfast time (how often does your day get derailed by breakfast?), which Dash enjoys. If he's on the ground, he starts dancing the second I pick up the ipod, even before I get it to the speakers and turn it on. Very amusing and everyone needs something to put a smile on their face in the early morning.

Nature/outdoor time immediately after breakfast. The timing is mostly because of the heat...we try to be inside my 9ish. We go for a walk or jog to a park and I set Dash loose to explore (within reason, as in we cannot follow the ducks into the pond). He likes to sort through the mulch and rocks and pick out a piece to hold in his hand for the duration of our visit. If we are lucky (like today!) we see a puppy and if they have a nice owner (like today!) they interrupt their walk to let Dash pet and giggle and pet their doggy some more.

Reading before nap times. This ensures two good chunks of reading at a time when the constantly moving, never settled Dash has at least slowed down to something below the speed of light. I also give him his blankie to settle him down a bit and we read in his room. We read many other times during the day, but these are our "scheduled" times.

Prayer before nap times. We say three Hail Mary's before Dash's naps, and then mommy rocks him for just a few minutes in the dark to calm him down. This is obviously a natural time for Mommy in the dark snuggled with her baby boy to have two minutes of prayer, but I sometimes need the reminder so as to not being going over the lists of things-I-want-to-get-done-while-Dash-is-napping in my head.