I LOVE BEING A MOM.
That being said, I feel like I am drowning most days. I can say that because other moms seem to concur. Being and doing everything the kids need requires more than 24 hours a day. Add taking care of yourself, being a loving wife, and having a relationship with God...it can make a woman insane! All of you working moms out there--YOU ROCK. How do you fit it all in?! I have tried scheduling, to-do lists, embracing imperfection, carpe diem... I'm out of control. I know when you have a newborn, it's all about "survival"...but how much longer can I play that card? :/
Currently, my week goes something like this:
Mondays: I hate Mondays. We are all still recovering from Friday Fun Day, Saturday Family Day, and Single Momma Sunday (see below.) I play catch-up with piles of laundry and dishes. We are all off schedule. Must run to grocery store with both kids. Let's just all skip Mondays from now on.
Tuesdays: By Tuesday, I am back in the grind. This is my most productive day. I am finishing up catch-up and feeling accomplished. To-do list is done and I'm hitting the gym.
Wednesday: I'm over cleaning, so I do things I enjoy....like writing this blog. We are eating healthy at this point in the week. We are smooth sailing on Wednesdays.
Thursday: Usually a playdate happens on Thursday. By 3:00, I am calling Peyton wondering when he is coming home. I am now going insane from lack of people in my life. I am lonely and starting to talk to myself.
Friday Fun Day: It's almost the weekend, and I'm feeling excited. Everyone has fun...all day. Cookies? Sure. Park? Of course! I plan something social because I MISS PEOPLE. We go out to eat because I have retired from cooking.
Saturday: Family Day. We make ourselves relax and enjoy each other. By relax, I mean as much as you can relax with two babes. Unfortunately, they both still need food, naps, diaper changes, and attention on Saturdays.
Sunday: Church Day. I love love love my church, but I'm a single mom on Church days, so it's a pretty exhausting day for both me and Peyton. (Shout out to single mommas: YOU ARE SUPERHEROES.)
There has to be a better way...
Which leads me to my newest idea:
The Perfect Mom Schedule
It goes like this:
Sunday: The Budget Mom Meal plan. Grocery shop with cash under budget. Cook 10 Freezer Meals that EVERYONE loves. Pay bills. Clip coupons. Do not pay full-price for anything. Put money in savings.
Monday: The Clean Mom Finish Laundry. Clean out fridge. Vacuum. Dishes. Mop. Sweep. Dust. Organize things into bins. Get rid of things we don't need. Give kids baths. Take a shower. Light a candle so the house smells fresh.
Tuesday: The Healthy Mom Feed kids organic food (they will eat all of it, of course.) Cook fresh fruits and veggies from farmer's markets. No sugar. Drink 8 bottles of water. Workout. Go on long walk with kids. Make kids play outside. Get adequate amount of sleep and rest. Feel energetic all day.
Wednesday: The Crafty Mom Spread out markers, paint, and Elmer's glue. Make wall decor. Put together goodie bags for church nursery workers. Sew baby an outfit. Have kids make crafts for daddy. Take pictures and post on facebook.
Thursday: The Educational Mom Don't let kids watch t.v.--it will rot their brain. Teach them songs, hand motions, letters, and sentences. Do flash cards and puzzles. Read books. Sit during meals and have conversations. Teach kids how to do things for themselves. Answer all of their questions. Visit the local library or museum. Incorporate life lessons into discipline.
Friday: The "Fun" Mom Watch t.v. Eat dessert first. Then pizza. Go to park. Eat food dropped on ground. Make a mess because, "Who cares if you are healthy or clean or crafty or educational or pretty, these are fun memories for the kids." Dance in the living room. Let kids be naked. If they pee in the floor, think it's funny! Smile when toddler throws food off high chair. Start a food fight. Enjoy each moment.
Saturday: The Schedule Mom: Plan day the night before. Set alarm. Wake up an hour before kids do. Have a quiet time and workout. Accomplish to-do list. Naps happen just like they are supposed to. Say "no" to anything that may disrupt your peace. No snacks between meals. Dinner at 6. Everyone eats together and enjoys the meal. Bath at 7:30. Lights out at 8:00. Go to bed by 10:00.
Bonus (Because in "Perfect Mom" schedule, there must be extra days):
The "Trendy" Mom: Tease and fix hair in cute style. Iron clothes. Wear something other than a tshirt and yoga pants. Dress kids in matching outfits. Take selfies and post on facebook.
The "I-know-who-I-am-and-feel-like-a-real-person" Mom: Read. Write. Sit outside. Spend time in prayer. Watch a movie. Eat chocolate. Blog. Do a hobby. Hike a mountain. Meet with a friend. Rediscover who you are. Go on date. Get lots of appreciation from others. Dream about what you want to be when you grow up (Vanna White, anyone?)
The "Thoughtful" Mom: Write in kids' journals. Scrapbook. Encourage. Teach kids how to be kind to others. Have patience. Greet husband with kiss. Spend time with each kid. Buy gifts for upcoming birthdays. Write a "thank you" note.
In all seriousness, every mom has her "thing." I will eat fresh veggies and workout every day, but please don't make me paint or glue anything. I love to have fun but when the house is a wreck, my mind is a wreck. Also, I'm a "you cook, I'll clean" kind of mom.
Unfortunately, to have a functioning home, every mom has to dip into each area multiple times a week. If not, we would have dishes piled up for a week, not to mention kids who are dysfunctional because their mom has 10 different personalities. But let's be honest, NO ONE can do all of this, all of the time. Yet, we often expect ourselves to. If I have an extravagant meal made, but I forget to brush my teeth or even look in the mirror, I might deem the day a failure. If I spend the day doing laundry, but I haven't spent playtime with my kids, go ahead and pile on the guilt.
Why do we put these standards of perfection on ourselves that we would never cast on another mom?
Can we all agree that sometimes our kids need a scheduled bath and some veggies, and other times, they just need some ChikfilA and "Frozen" while you scroll through Twitter and read blogs like this?
If you don't tell, I won't.
