This past weekend, we married off my college roommate/BFF. All day yesterday, I had an emotional hangover (not to be confused with a real hangover, which I did not have), partially because of feeling all the emotions and partially because everyone in my house under the age of 3 and I have some sort of early spring cold. And partially because I am an exhausted new mother.
For all those reasons, I decided to give myself a little grace today on getting it together since I'm still trying to figure out how to get myself, a toddler, and a newborn ready and out the door in less than 2 two hours.
So I cut my to-do list in half.
Somehow I managed a great amount of productivity, minus grooming myself, anyway. We grocery shopped (all 3 of us), went to the cleaners, the park, played with sidewalk chalk, and I managed to cook dinner for the first time in months. And also? I picked up my camera for the first time in ages that wasn't a holiday.
My sweet Annabelle after I gave up trying to do The Shred at 7:30 am, because being stared at
by two wide-eyed little kids while huffing and puffing through jumping jacks is a bit unnerving.
My handsome Jack with his brand new blue "lashlight,"
a treasure we found at "malmart" today.
It was a good mom day.
I'm praying for many more to come, and hopefully I'll at least have on mascara for a few of them.
(Feel free to leave your best advice on getting out the door quickly in the comments. The best I can come up with is to just sleep in the car so you're already there in the morning.)
I hate to tell you this, but it kind of does take two hours, at least there in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteA good trick is to, as painful as it is, set your alarm so you're up before the chickens if only to give you time for mascara and to share a few loving un-kid-related sentences to your husband.
AND! OH MY WORD, WOMAN! Already working out? Didn't you just have Annabelle like ten minutes ago? You are amazing!
Have you seen many pictures of me on this blog lately? The answer is no. And the reason is why I am already working out. :)
DeleteI still haven't figured it out. I get up, get James' and Will's breakfast, and then hustle myself to the shower while they watch tv {horror of horrors!}. I check on them after my shower, after I do my hair, after I do my makeup {which means that I run a dozen errands for them}. Then, I come into the living room and get James dressed and get absolutely everything else organized and by the door before picking Will up out of the Pack 'N Play and getting his diaper changed and clothes on. And then we RUN. Ha! It's easier when there's another set of hands but not by much. My biggest advice is get organized the night before {you know this, though!}. Lay out clothes, pack diaper bags, have a list if you need one. And my second piece of advice is to keep yourself from getting distracted. Don't pick up your phone and check email, don't get pulled into the tv. I'm so not practicing what I'm preaching, but I KNOW that's what makes us late!
ReplyDeleteI think the deal is seizing the opportunity to get ready as soon as it comes. Like you said, don't take a spare moment to check the phone or watch TV. If you do, most certainly one child will need something and the moment to get ready has passed!
DeleteMotherhood is go, go, go!!!!
I have no idea how I'm going to do it with two, but, right now, it's a must for me to get up before everyone else in the house. (And, yes, sometimes that means 4 a.m.) But I'm ALL about showing myself grace and plenty of it, so it looks like you're on the right track! ;) Hang in there!!
ReplyDeleteYou will do it! It's like a symphony. Except my symphony sounds like a bunch of beginners right now. But we'll get it! :)
DeleteFirst, I am still planning to come by and see your beautiful girl!!! It's been nuts at our house!
ReplyDeleteOK my morning routine: I started showering in the evening. This changed my life. So now, on a good day,I like to get out of bed, head straight to the bathroom and do the quick-get-ready routine. It involves washing my face, lots of nice smelling body splash, complete but super-fast makeup job, fixing my hair, and getting dressed. I can do this in 15 minutes. Unless there is someone bleeding or a poop disaster I ignore whatever cries/whines/demands for that 15 minutes. When I am not pregnant this happens like 75% of mornings (right now it happens more like 10%). But it makes my whole day completely different than if I face my day and the littles without this routine. Sometimes we are going somewhere (work, daycare) and sometimes we are staying home...either way on the days when I do this everything is better. I can then get the kids ready and not wonder when or how I am going to get ready. I should give the hubs major props because right now he gets them all three ready. My only job in the morning is to feed Sam. Pregnancy has it's perks.
Your babies are so beautiful, Emily!!!!!
AmyD
Please, please come by soon! I need to come by and see YOU!!!
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