Go to A Serenade For Solitude to link up your own list for the week! And stay and read her amazing, inspiring blog!
-Scouty's Birthday. She was so happy to finally be four years old! She got to pick anything she wanted to do, and so we went to the mall. It wasn't what I would have picked for her special day, but it wasn't up to me.
She also wore her new Jake hat.
-Cheesy is really crawling all over the place. She was late to roll over and late to crawl, but I knew she would get it eventually. She just works at her own pace.
-Getting all of the kale seedlings transplanted to containers and our garden plot. Some of them were munched by caterpillars over their first night! Now, there's a struggle going on between Amanda and bug. It's fun, like a cartoon about a fly that won't leave you alone while you're sleeping. I'll let you know who wins.
-Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but I just can't help it. I bought a few tomato plants. They have to come in at night. I like thinking about them, down in the foyer staying warm until the sun comes up tomorrow. They're cute.
-A long bike ride alone after a particular stressful (PMS) day.
-Happening upon a baby story time at a library we don't usually frequent, and Cheesy loved it. She was such an attentive little girl at her very first class!
-Going to the nursery at Simmons farm for an easter egg hunt and seeing the prettiest flowers ever.
Let's talk about this last picture, for a minute. This is pretty much what I look like all the time, since I became a mommy, and ESPECIALLY since having a second baby. I get out of bed and rush, rush, rush, to get everybody fed and cleaned and dressed and I'm always the last thing I think about. By the time we have to run out of the door or else, I've barely had a chance to brush my hair, let alone pick out clothes that aren't black or grey or made for jogging... or wear make up or anything.
It's not necessarily a big deal in the scheme of the rest of my life, but I feel so... just UGH.
There are so many things like this, now. I'm ugh about the house and it's level of cleanliness, I'm ugh about the time I don't get to spend with my husband, I'm ugh about changing and washing diapers. I'm ugh about cooking meals. I'm ugh about the rain. I'm ugh about laundry. I'm ugh about waking up before I'm ready. I'm kind of just ugh about our daily routine.
There are tiny glimmers of hope, like when my husband secretly books me a hotel room with a jacuzzi for the night, or when I ride my bike so far that I'm sure I'll never have the energy to get back, but then I do. But, mostly, I feel like everything is just... well, black yoga pants and a grey sweater and ugh.
What if I tried to rearrange everything so that I considered myself on the list of things I need to consider to get through the day. Scouty is four and Louise is nine months old. Is it even possible to rearrange everything so that I'm a priority? Do I really want to wear make up after going this long? Do I even know where my stash of make up is? What do you think?
Mommies, or busy women who aren't mommies...
How worthwhile is it to you to do things to make yourself feel good, about yourself?
Do you use your creativity to get yourself ready in the morning? How do you make/find the time? What are the things you're sure to do, to make sure that you don't just feel like a big old pile of ugh?
This will get easier, right? I mean, I already know that it gets easier as kids grow. I remember when Scouty was a baby and I thought I'd never be a person again, just a mommy machine with so discernible self. It's not that I don't know that things change, and even quickly.
It's just... having two little kids is so exhausting. I feel like I push myself to the absolute limit every single day, so that I'm basically falling down every night at bed time. I never ever feel like I've had enough sleep, even last Saturday when Kurt and the girls let me sleep in until 10:30am. (Did you read that? TEN-THIRTY! What am I? Seventeen?) Sometimes, I feel like it simply isn't possible to pay any more attention to myself than I already do, which is absolutely not at all.
So, help me out. What are some little things that I must do for myself to give my daily self-image a little boost? What are your secrets? I'm bored of feeling like a walking, talking blah.
Things that work for me:
ReplyDeleteUnder-eye concealer and mascara - it literally takes 1 minute and it makes me look like I'm well rested, even when I'm not.
Taking the longest hottest shower after Eliot is in bed.
Accessorize: even if I just put on earrings or a scarf with my yoga pants and gray sweater, I feel a little more put together.
Occasionally painting my toenails (when I can reach them) or getting pedicures. Nice feet make me feel like I have it way more together than I do.
Doing something crafty after E goes to bed. Even if it's just knitting something simple. Making things makes me feel more productive.
Hope you are feeling un-Ugh soon! XO
I'm ugh right along with you. It will get better. It has to, right? Right?!?!
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys! I've decided that it's pointless to try to go all out on days where it's just me and the girls, but maybe some mascara and if I try not to wear anything stained. However... on days when I have a few extra minutes, like when Kurt is home, I'm totally going to start wearing makeup and trying to at least make an effort to look semi-not disgusting. I've gotten some tips from facebook and Feather that I'm totally going to incorporate. I think I might also have to break down and buy some new clothes, maybe. And mama, I think it totally has to get better! When our kids are at school all all day, maybe! haha, who knows, but it can't go on like this forever!
ReplyDeleteHang in there sweet sista!! I know the feelings! I love your list as always, and I am jealous of your plants. ;) I CANT wait to have tomato plants to tend to. For now, we are waiting on a good stretch of dry weather so we can till the ground.
ReplyDeleteI love that you took yourself on a bike ride after a particularly stressful day. That's what I need to do--hash it out; run it out.
Things I do to make myself feel a bit better amidst the kiddie chaos--hit the gym, get fully ready, pinterest always inspires, think about or read good books...and talks with the sisters always helps.
Hope you and your sweet family have a fabulous Easter weekend!
Cassie
what heather said - mascara does wonders. and pink eye shadow. i make an effort to look like ME in the mornings. i don't own sweatpants/yoga pants (okay, i lied, i do, but i never wear them). it's my way of feeling human, i guess. i feel so BLAH in a tshirt/jeans that i just don't wear them. that said, i also don't get fancy - i have my red mary janes and wool socks and that's what gets put on with whatever nice shirt i grab to wear with jeans. :)
ReplyDeletein the morning, grace watches tv while i have some computer time or reading or knitting or whatever. you shouldn't feel guilty or bad for taking time for yourself - i mean, essentially by rebuilding your whole world around our kids, are we not reinforcing the thought that the world does revolve around them? and i get that there's a certain air of childhood that we want to preserve...and you can! but you SHOULD take time to nurture yourself so that your girls can see how wonderful and strong and great their mommy is!!!
buy yourself new clothes if it helps. you do not have to be a sweatpants lady every day. <3
You look gorgeous without make up.
ReplyDeleteI loved Heather's comment.
On a good day it's concealer, mineral powder, gloss, and mascara. Most days it's powder and gloss, if that. The sum total of my make up bag these days is that stuff and some cool little flippy one color eyeshadows. They make me happy even though I don't wear them very often. The only other thing I hung on to in defiance of my frumpiness were these little vials of tiny glitter that remind me of pretty girls.
I napped with Brennan when he was a baby. The same thing now is my hero. Nap when I can. Those extra stolen hour or twos can save a week. Sleep is a commodity I don't get enough of. Sometimes I just have to take a minute and Zzzzz.
I am always busy. Five extra minutes in the shower to just stand there and enjoy the hot water is win.
If my hair looks good I don't care so much if I have make up on or not. I got bangs so the rest of my hair could be a wild curly mess. Pretty no fuss hair goes a long way for me.
I cope by allowing myself the joy of little things. In the slog of my day I try to do at least one thing that I enjoy. Read for a few minutes, listen to npr in the car on the way to work, five minutes in the shower, some good music while I'm doing other things. Music is a soul saver here. Stuff like that. Those little stolen minutes add up and make this tired Mom easier to live with.