So what’s up ladies? What’s been going on?
I have no real excuse for being absent other than that the usual “I’m so busy” story. It’s a lame excuse, I know. But it’s So. Very. True.
Life with 2 kids is busy. And dirty. And exhausting.
But why am I telling you this? You know this. You live this. Your fingernails are encrusted with this.
And while I love mostly every minute of it, I’m still a firm believer in the idea that something has to take a back seat. You just can’t do it all.
(We all know this – I know this is nothing new to you. But the real question is – what takes the back seat? How do you decide?)
Your personal trainer will tell you that you have to make working out a priority, and your dentist will tell you that your teeth have to be the priority, or your hairdresser will tell you that you can’t let your hair get all “Mom-ish”, and EVERYONE on your social media feeds will remind you that your blogging and tweeting and general social media savvy can’t go by the wayside…
But something’s gotta give.
And so I find myself just getting the bare minimum done.
I do the laundry, I tidy the house, I go to work, I play with the kids, I snuggle my baby to sleep, I bathe them and put them to bed. And then I start all over again the next day.
And in between, if I can find time for personal relationships, returning a few emails, getting the odd run in and getting my eyebrows shaped – I am feeling f’n golden.
Is this enough?? When will I feel on top of my game again? Will I ever look at my laundry basket and see the bottom of it?? Will I ever be able to walk by my tea-stained kitchen sink without feeling my eye start twitching?
Fellow control freaks – do you feel this way as well?
I was so used to feeling organized. On top of everything. Task-oriented. Clean. But now I just can’t get to it all. Which is REALLY hard for me to accept.
And, therefore, I reach out to you – my wonderful community of Moms who seem to have their shit together.
Any tips? Advice? Suggestions? Commiserations?
Help me Obi Wan(s)… you’re my only hope.
"I'll take over the task of covering the baby's forehead with stickers, Mommy."
Such a helpful toddler.
I know how you feel. But I think we should acknowledge that nobody really feels like they have their s**t together.
ReplyDeleteI am still learning not to be utterly frustrated when things go missing or I forget to do something. That would never have happened to me before 3 kids. I'm still really organised - I mean, you have to be. But with a busy household, exhaustion, and laundry that never goes away, things slip. I think it's inevitable.
As for 'feeling on top of things', also probably not going to happen again for a long time.
But I am allowing my standards to drop. I have to. In order to save my sanity, and probably my marriage, I have to accept that it's okay for the dishes not to get washed on Friday night, that the basement play area may not get completely tidied each evening, that tea cups and hats might go missing, that the stains on the carpet might be there for a while.
I don't like it. But I have to accept it. I don't see any other way.
BTW - love the photo!
Laurel - when I first met you, I remember thinking "How does she do it with three???" I'm in awe of you. :)
DeleteBut you're totally right - I can't tell you how many times I've looked into the disaster that we call a play room and thought "Oh eff it. It's staying that way tonight." I don't like it either. That's what bugged me. But - like you said - I just have to learn to accept it. Thanks for the awesome reminder to allow myself to be human! :)
Right on Laurel! Totally agree with the "accepting less than perfect" route. It is so hard to do, but I have learned that it is impossible to do everything "right" and something (or most often, several things) have got to give. It might be overlooking the filth in your bathroom, or throwing several pre-packaged items into your kids' lunch. It looks different for each of us. My biggest struggle isn't the decision to "let something go", but the guilt that follows. It is a mental battle to force those guilty thoughts from my head and just bathe in the imperfection of it all...
DeleteAlso, I too am always in amazement that you can do it with three. If it is any consolation, from an outsider's perspective, you totally seem to have your sh*t together!
Cleaning lady! Worth every penny, in my opinion :)
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