Since Seth came along (up to lockdown) we were trying to find our new norm.  Days with three boys, farm life, blogging life and family time.  We were just starting to find our feet, when lockdown happened and changed everything again!  I wanted to document our before and the now lockdown days, for comparison and reflection.  I like to keep myself busy and the boys occupied as much as possible and writing this blog post made me see just what I get up to.

05.30: Gavin gets up to do the morning jobs on the farm, it’s usually me who gets him up as Seth is having a feed around this time.  Seth and I dose back off until his brothers wake up.  
07.00: Tobias and Hamish usually wake up around this time and both come up to my room to play whilst I give Seth a top up feed.  
08.00: We get out of bed and I then get myself ready for the day, followed by all three boys.  We then head downstairs.
08.45: Is usually the time we have breakfast and Gavin joins us as he’s finished on the farm.  Gain and I will have a coffee, whilst the boys play.
09.30: Gavin goes back out to work for the morning and it’s usually time for Seth to have a nap.  I try to do my cleaning jobs and anything else I have on my to do list.  
10.15: Seth will wake up, I’ll give him a feed and then we head out for the day.  This is dependant on the day and what we have planned.  
12.00: Is our usual lunch time and Seth is always ready for a sleep at this time too!   Some days we go home for lunch and some days we have it out or even as a picnic. 
12.45: Hamish goes for his nap (we have only recently made the length of this smaller). 
15.00: If we are out I make sure we’re home for 3pm so we can see Gavin before jobs start. This is also the time that Hamish and Seth (his longest nap) will wake up.
15.30 Gavin comes in for a quick drink and then goes out to do night jobs on the farm. Tobias and Hamish will have a snack and then I catch up on the clothes washing and dishwasher.  The boys will play whilst I do this.
16.30: I start to get the house ready for the night time and start making the boys teas.  
17:00: Is teatime for the children and lasts up to half a hour.
17.15: Seth is very ready for his nap so I have to walk around with him whilst the boys eat.    
18.00: Seth wakes up had a feed and then it’s time for the children’s bath, this takes a while now! 
18.45: Gavin comes in from jobs on the farm, whilst we’re finishing up in the bath, getting into PJs and brushing teeth.  
19.00: Gavin will then play with the boys and then it’s officially bed time for Tobias and Hamish. So a quick book each and then straight to bed with cuddles and kisses for both. 
19.30: Seth is ready for his final bottle before bedtime so I give him that whilst Gavin makes tea for us.   
20.00: I usually have to eat with Seth on me then I put him into his bed.  Gavin and I will then use this time to catch up on our TV.
22.30: We go to bed.

The weeks were also very structured pre-lockdown and had changed somewhat since Seth arrived at the end of January.  So our typical week looked a little like this:

Monday was a nursery day for Tobias from 8am till 1pm.  So Hamish, Seth and I go for a walk in the morning.  Followed by lots of playing or visiting friends, then after lunch Hamish naps in the car whilst we pick Tobias up.  It’s then home time for us and we spend the afternoon at home. 

Tuesday, I have all the children and we tend to all go for a walk around Harlow Carr (as it’s contained somewhat)!  I also try to catch up at home with cleaning jobs in the afternoon.  It’s the best day for me to see friends or go to toddler groups. I’m usually decluttering or tidying cupboards if we don’t go out, theres always somewhere that has a build up of crap in my house! It’s bath night on a Tuesday, so after tea, all the children have a bath before bedtime routine.

Wednesday is nursery day for Hamish and Tobias.  This is the day I can get on and do a deep clean in my house. I do a quick tidy and clean throughout and then a deep clean in one room, each week is a different room. The boys always want an early night on nursery days, they must do a lot of activities there! So when they get home it’s an early tea and a prompt bedtime.

Thursday is my mums day, so we go see her for the day. Sometimes we have a lot of jobs to do at her house, if not I’ll try to make her leave the home and go out somewhere. The boys have their tea at my mums house and then we go home, where all the children have a bath and then bed. 

Friday is another nursery day for Tobias and Hamish. On these days I run errands with Seth in tow, going to the local village for my fruit, veg and meat. By the time I’m done it’s time to pick the older two up. When we get home, we have a bit of playtime together which is always fun! Dad comes in for his afternoon drink, then it’s tea and bedtime.

Saturdays and Sunday are Gavin’s day with the family.  We are either doing DIY at home or heading out on an adventure.  Every day is different. Emergencies can arise but the great thing about living on a farm is unless we need something or there’s an appointment we have to attend, we don’t actually need to go out.

However since lockdown has happened things have changed so this the new version and we (just like the rest of the UK) don’t know for how long.  Instead of going out on a morning now we go out on the farm and help with jobs.  After lunch Tobias will go out with his dad, Hamish and Seth will sleep and it gives me a little respite.  After Gavins afternoon drinks we go out and help with the jobs on the farm and then I come in and it’s business as usual with tea, bath and bed.  The boys are needing more baths per week currently (lots of playing in muck) and I’m trying to occupy them more so with structured activities.  On Mondays we make jelly, Tuesdays we bake, Wednesday I go food shopping, Thursday I do a craft activity with the boys and on Fridays we do ‘schoolwork’ looking at phonics, learning numbers, shapes or colours etc.  We do not see family, only on FaceTime and the boys aren’t attending nursery (even though we’re classed as key-workers).  

Overall, I think once this is all over and we’re free to do what we want again, I would like to think that I’ll review what we do and see how much we do actually need to go out.          

Much love
Rebecca