Dinnertime, Bedtime and Time

So I think I either need to find a different routine or just resign myself to the idea that we are just one of those families who eats dinner late and don't go to bed at a decent hour.

It is driving me crazy that the clock says 6pm and I still haven't started dinner. I am trying to cram finishing up my new part-time work, dealing with a boy who doesn't wake up happy (usually) from naps, baby needs to nurse, baby needs solids, I keep hearing "play with me", dinner is defrosting, kids need baths or want to go outside, I am hungry and resorting to cookies or oatmeal. I just feel like from 5-8:10pm the house spins into utter chaos. Wet pants lead to quick bathes, which leads to crying baby not interested in Cheerios or being contained so she won't get into the toilet, dinner is burning and there is the constant struggle to get the kitchen table cleaned off and not trip on a toys strewn all over the floor.

I am not exactly sure how to change things. Maybe I just need to accept that this is our routine and change how I feel in the midst of this routine. I feel flustered, frustrated and -well- hungry. What I want is for someone to take the kids outside and give me 20 minutes to get dinner done and assembled while still hot but before being singed.

I feel like this is the toughest time of day. When I want to yell, "send reinforcements because I am failing." I need back up. I need 6 hands and another set of eyes.

Update: Since I drafted this a week or so ago, I have actually been working on not accepting this as our routine. It is a matter of discipline and I guess I just decided that dinner is at 6pm which means I need to start cooking beforehand. Which means other things need to be set aside to make dinner start happening. It is mostly working. It is helping my frenzied head and hungry belly. I hope I can keep it up.