Having a 'Take it Easy' Day

Yeah. Cause man, do I need to.

I'm not sure if it's because Baby B is such an AMAZING baby (because really she is more patient than any baby has a right to be) or what but I've been doing WAY. TOO. MUCH. For real, yo.

Example: Yesterday.

Got up at 4:50 am to feed the baby. Didn't get her back to bed until about...6:15. Heard Peter get up around 7:00, drifted back to sleep. 7:45 Peter woke me up to tell me he was going to work and that Miss A was awake (I know I'm tired when I don't hear her get up) and watching her new favorite movie on the couch. I got up and made us both breakfast. Did the usual morning routine of getting the two of us dressed and presentable and then dressed and fed the baby. Packed everyone into the car and drove A to daycare. (she's still going one day a week to maintain routine, to hold her spot and to give me a break) Went to the gym and worked out for an hour. Took Bella to the photographers to have her two month portraits taken. Went to my mom's for lunch. (Pretty much my only downtime for the day) Went to the bank, and a couple of stores (I had to get one of these) and then went grocery shopping. I then came home, unloaded and put away the groceries. Sat at the computer for five minutes. Went to pick up Miss A from Daycare. Came home and helped make supper. Ate. Packed the kids up again and went back to the YMCA for my two hours of volunteer work, 6-8. (* Okay, I need to emphasize that this is not the kind of volunteer work that I'm doing out of the goodness of my heart. I am doing it to get a free membership. And also because I like the idea of financially benefiting from something I enjoy doing. For now I am simply showing new members around and explaining how the cardio and weight machines work but soon I will be teaching classes which is what I really want to be doing.) The kids had a great time, well Baby B slept but whatever. Came home put pajamas on the kids, put Miss A to bed. Had more down time at this point (9:40) while simultaneously feeding baby, watching 'The Sarah Connors Chronicles' (Did you know Shirley Manson is on that show now? She is!) and having my feet rubbed. (11:15) Put Baby B to bed crawled in myself hoping that she would stay asleep. (She did until 7:30 am. Thank god!)

Anyway. That was a stupid day. Ridiculous. I was so tired and sore and did I say tired? Yeah. And this was just a little busier than my usual days have been. So today my mission was to take it easy. So far, so good. I had two cups of tea this morning. (Mopped the kitchen and bathroom floor, whoops.) Watched for Beth in the audience on 'The Martha Stewart' show. Spent quality time with the girls. Walked with them to drop off Miss A at preschool. (Cleaned the bathroom. Whoops again.) And I'm planning on having a soak in the tub before either the baby gets up or we have to go pick A up from school. I have plans to continue having a relaxing day.

And look how beautiful my street looks. I love fall.

Did I Mention...

How much I miss naps? Not naps of my own (I'm not much of a napper) but I really wish Miss A still took them. Especially since she's been getting up a lot at night these days, which I hope is due to the cutting of two year molars and not just a habit she's getting into. Last night at around 4:00 am she called from bed "I need Dada to take me to the Doctor!"

The previous night was actually worse and then we were out of town the following day and I managed four hours of driving, miraculously without even the urge to fall asleep at the wheel. I did however have what I call a 'fatigue headache'. So actually, I could go for a nap these days. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only tired one. We settle for quiet time on the couch together. I take what I can get.

Me Time?

I mentioned some time ago that Miss A had decided to quit having naps. In addition to this she has now started getting up about an hour earlier than usual. This hour was valuable to me. I would use it either to catch up on needed rest or to have some quiet time to myself before having to start the day. It's not simply the getting up an hour earlier, it's the yelling "Mama! Mama! MAMA! It's wake up time!" that comes along with it. And if I don't haul my butt to her room pronto she catapults herself out of the crib herself, which I try to discourage telling her to "Wait for Mama!"

I've already had some difficulty sleeping through the night even when Miss A does. This lack of sleep is catching up with me. Not to mention the whole, eight weeks spent on my bum with people looking after me (I'm not complaining) followed by suddenly jumping right back into work and housework and everything. Sigh. Just feeling a bit rundown.

When you are feeling rundown it's a bit scary trying to imagine how much more rundown I'll feel once this new baby arrives...

I guess when you sign on for this mom business you are signing away things like rest and me time. I do look forward to the day when I will have those things again. And I except that the choices I have made make those things nearly impossible to have at the moment. That's okay. I'm going to make it.