Rhythms of the home

There’s so many parts of your day as a Mum that are the same day in, day out. The mundane tasks we do each day to keep things ticking along that make up the rhythms of our days.

In the mornings the light is bright, the air cold and the pace fast. Starting slowly as we wake and rise, checking the fire, adding wood, sweeping away the coals and mess from the hearth before feeding Maggie, having a coffee. Then it’s breakfasts, lunches for the girls, uniforms out, beds made, hot water bottles dug out of from the bottom of endless piles of blankets, floors swept, benches wiped down, bags packed, fights over hair and teeth being brushed and a rush out the door.

Then there’s quiet. Sleeping dogs and babies, work, tea, pottering.

And then the afternoon comes. The light is long and warm even though the air is getting colder.

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The westerly sun streams into our living room, warming the room and marking the wind down of the day.

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Bags are unpacked, lunch boxes emptied and lamented over (why do we try every day to have so much untouched), notes put away and afternoon tea seen to. There’s homework and constant requests for food, more food, always food.

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There’s a brief lull before the business starts up again. The fire gets turned up, wood pile stacked for the night, any last minute washing bought in and put away.

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Then it’s dinner, and baby rocking, homework questions answered, wood added to the fire, tables set.

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There’s dinner where we pause and eat together, have a natter about the day and what we’re doing. Squeals as they run to the bath, tired baby screaming.

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Baths and pyjamas placed in front of the fire, clean up after dinner, washing up done.

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Blinds drawn to block out the cold that’s starting to creep in. Lamps turned on, candles lit, fire stoked.

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The day is done. These precious, busy, loud, messy days are filled to the brim with life. And love.

What are the moments and rhythms in your days right now that you will remember?
Those that you cherish the most?

Comments

  1. Chiquita says

    Thank you for the reminder to cherish a day.
    My girls are way , way bigger and I miss these moments, esp fresh lil bodies out of the bath smelling like lavender, all warm and chubby, hugs and reading stories.
    Stay warm and lay low.
    I make Anne or your mum’s Lemon Meringue to cheer myself you have me all teary!

  2. Yvonne Duke says

    That is just beautiful x

  3. I can’t believe you’re still making the beds with a newborn – you’re a wonder Beth!

    My favourite part of the day is those early morning cuddles when the girls make their way one-by-one into our bed and we chat about their dreams and the day ahead.

    Love this reflection Beth. Its a good reminder to be mindful today, thanks. x

  4. Josephine says

    At this point in time the rhythm of my days is constant repetition within each day! I have 2 boys, 5 and almost 3, and levels of cooperation are pretty low. Right now, over breakfast, they are flashing bare bums and using each other as bongo drums, despite my repeated request for them to sit and finish breakfast (we have to leave the house within an hour)! I work three days a week out of the house, so our rhythms change halfway through the week and keeps us all on our toes. It’ll change again next year when my eldest starts school, so I am trying to be mindful of all the things I do enjoy about this time of life, bare bums, repetition and all!

  5. Thankyou for this. Yes we have rhythm but as my kids are getting older and the schedule feels busier I’ve lost touch with some of it. Looking forward to gaining some of this beautiful simplistic rhythm back. It warms the home.

  6. Captured beautifully.

  7. Such a beautifully rhythmic post…loved reading this! I’m anticipating and wondering curiously what the rhythms of my life will be like when my little cherub joins us in a few months time. Life is going to be completely different but I’ll remember to treasure the moments and the rhythms of a new every day life.

  8. As someone who has fought routine most of my life, I now adore the routine of the school term. It’s taken me to almost 40 to crave routine. I’m thinking that perhaps the organised kid I was at school, may even come back to me as an adult!

    • I bet it does! I reckon everything you loved or did as a kid eventually comes back to us as it’s what makes us happy. Kids don’t do anything otherwise!

  9. I love the way you write! xx

  10. Beautiful. It reminds me of my daughter’s picture book called ‘All through the year’ (can’t remember author & have my own newborn sleeping on me that I don’t want to disturb so can’t get up & check – sorry) – but it’s a favourite book – & your post illicited the same pleasure when I read it. It would write up beautifully as a children’s book.

  11. I loooove this post, Beth! So beautiful and such an important one to keep and remember. Just the normalness of normal life. Beautiful!

  12. Oh this has touched me so! A beautifully written reminder that I need to slow down and cherish these days and stop to smell the roses occasionally as opposed to rushing and scrambling my way through the daily routine. Our family dynamics are a little different with me being a single parent to my little Airlie and working full time but at the end of the day us mothers are all doing the same stuff. What a beautiful life. Can’t wait to go home tonight now. Thank you xx

  13. Thank you, just thank you.

  14. Beautiful Beth. These days, just the me & him days, are so precious to me. I know these will be the days I’ll look back on fondly in the nursing home when I’m an old lady & miss so so much xx

  15. Love this Bev! I wake up in the morning and kind do a mermaid wriggle to get out of Mr Smaggle’s vice like grip on me. I make breakfast. Work for a few hours. Make Mr Smaggle’s breakfast and take to him in bed (he sucks in the morning). Work side by side all day. When we finish our work we move to the couch from our desks (we work at home) and watch antiques road show as we finish up last minute bits and pieces. I hit the treadmill, then he does, then I cook dinner, he cleans up, he makes me tea, I make him his second toast dinner. I go to bed, he plugs in all my devices to make sure they’re charged

  16. Because I time cost every 6 minutes of my day churning out legal advice I LOVE to come home and potter about with domestic minutia- so comforting x

  17. Oh Beth, I loved this, even though it very nearly brought me to tears.

  18. Love this Beth. So much love between the lines, in these busy, wonderful, here we go again days of yours. Beautiful stuff.

  19. Mate give them their leftover untouched lunch for afternoon tea!

  20. Lisa Mckenzie says

    Enjoy those moments Beth cause one day they will be gone ,though I do like the slower pace just us,beautiful images Xx

  21. This is just gorgeous. Sometimes the mundane can be truly beautiful. Thanks for sharing this lovely perspective.

  22. Such a lovely post – makes me feel like nesting.

  23. Debs Sutton says

    My rhythm changes, at the moment we’re in Norfolk for a few days with our beautiful granddaughters…nearly 7 & 4, so up early, making breakfasts, sorting out clothes and planning where to go. Precious memories.
    Enjoy every minute Beth as time zooms!!
    Xx

  24. I love feeding Lyddie, having quiet time with her while listening to my husband read bedtime books to Charlie. Once she has nodded off, I go into Charlie, tell him a story, give him kisses, and say goodnight. I love when the end of the day is easy and peaceful.

  25. One of my all time favourite bits is the last kiss as I check each child just before popping in to my own bed for the night-they look so beautiful and peaceful and angelic as they sleep:)

  26. Loved reading this. Reminds me of that saying, something about life being the stuff that happens while you’re waiting for your life to begin. Something like that x

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