The last few weeks have been crazy.
Work.
Home.
Emma.
And I think I've got it pretty easy since she's such an easy and good baby. I get almost 6hrs of sleep a night. Sure, it's actually broken into 2-3hr chunks, but we are up, eat, and go right back to sleep. I don't think it is a lack of sleep that makes it all feel so hectic, though.
I'm THE primary care-giver to all living things in our house. I oversee the pets are fed, watered, pottied; Hubs may do the grunt work for some of it, but generally at my "request". I pay the bills, do the shopping, etc. Add onto all that working no less than 40hrs/wk, feeding a darling daughter, keeping on top of her clothes and diaper laundry as well as our own, trying to make sure there will be something for dinner, and trying to keep up our stock of expressed milk.
My typical day goes as follows:
- Wake up for the day when the Boy leaves for work at 6:30a and feed the babe
- Get dressed while she's still milk drunk and sleepy
- Put her bottles for daycare in a cooler (her diapers and wetbag were re-stocked in her daycare bag the night before)
- Eat something, make a lunch and pack snacks, pump and accessories
- Feed, water, and corral the pets for the day while we are gone
- Feed and change Em one last time and load her daycare bag, my pump bag, purse and carseat all into the car.
- Drop baby off and head to work.
- Work 8-10hrs, work in 2 pump breaks/snack/lunch into my unpredictable schedule.
- Head home and feed the pipsqueak upon my arrival.
- Possibly make, but at least eat dinner
- The next 2 hours are spent doing bills, email, prepping bottles and diapers for the next day, pumping again, cleaning bottles and pump parts, (a bit of computer free time), dessert/snack
- Get ready for bed, last evening feed, and turn in until our 2a-ish meal, followed by the 5a meal
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I don't know how women with multiple little ones are even remotely able to function. I don't have a clue as to how women that have twins, triplets, etc survive it.
I love the time I get to spend with Em, but the evenings after work seem too short and her too sleepy. Mornings are just too hectic for real quality time, which is probably why we stay in bed until the last minute! Returning to work definitely has made me more appreciative of the time we do have together. Those 8 weeks home had me yearning for a "break" and me time. Now, I seem to be watching the clock at work, counting down the minutes until I'm able to leave and snuggle my munchkin!
I really don't know how woman manage to go back to work that early. I know it has to do with benefits and not choice, and that makes me sad. In Canada we get a year for maternity leave and most women that I know who have used it say they aren't ready to go back at that point. Depending on if this cycle works for us, I'm considering going back when our baby would be 7 mnths old (just because it works better for the school year) but even the thought of that makes me worried.
ReplyDeleteYou sound incredibly busy! I'm sure she's worth every second! :)
I would have loved the option to go back part-time, but I was luck I had vacation time to cover me those 2 extra weeks! The US's parental rights/privileges is a completely screwed up system.
DeleteI hope this cycle works for you! Motherhood is truly a priceless gift, one I hope all women who want it can experience.
Yep! Not much to say except your schedule sounds similar to mine, except Alex has recently started sleeping through most nights, which makes life SO MUCH BETTER. Keep it up, my friend! It's a crazy life, but those little moments in the evening make it all worth it. I try to do my best to focus on her in the bath or while feeding her, and let the rest of the world pass me by...
ReplyDeleteAnd I've discovered cereal isn't a bad dinner. :)
Oh my goodness! That sounds so intense. I don't know how you do it and I commend you for doing it! (You just made ME very tired...). :)
ReplyDeleteChildren are what turn common people into the equivalent of navy seals. Stay strong!
ReplyDelete