Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Motherhood - Chapter 11 - Juggling

With every new baby, or even every new major schedule change, we mothers have to relearn the art of juggling. I have been engaged in that tiring endeavor this week. The first ball I have been trying to keep in the air is my older kids regular schedule. I prepared well for that by planning other people to do their driving so that one has been pretty easy.

The second ball I have been trying to keep in the air is an important one -- Sleep. This has been tricky. With a baby who likes to sleep all day and spend "quality time" with mom in the middle of the night, and a two year old who has figured out how to escape the crib at 5:30 a.m., and girls who like to read in the night and rarely go to sleep before 9:30 or 10, well lets just say the windows for my sleep are narrow.

Luckily both boys have still been napping. They are both asleep right now in fact. And I SHOULD be in my bed snoozing with them. But we have a workman here putting in overhead recessed lights and he is making too much noise for me to sleep. I would put in ear plugs but then I wouldn't hear the boys wake up. Hmm. Maybe I will get a nap later???

And then there are all the balls that are laying on the ground that I haven't even attempted to throw into the mix again yet. Among these are a few I HAVE to throw in soon - like laundry (need to do some today), grocery shopping, play dates or outings for Noble and Lauren (they are bored of being at home and want to "go, go, go" as Noble says), and then there are other kind of important things like showering regularly and all that. :)

But somehow we do somehow figure out how to eventually get all the "essential" balls back up in the air. Because, hey, we are mothers. That is just what we do. And quite frankly... we are amazing.

8 comments:

Diana Lesjak said...

Keep juggling!! My little gems are moving 3 hours away and my house will be so quiet without them around to play! Enjoy the craziness of motherhood~ It really does fly by! What will I blog about now?? Get some rest!

Anonymous said...

You are downright inspirational, Stephanie!

Catherine Noorda said...

i LOVE hearing you say "my boys". now we can relate to each other. and by the way, i have a few fun boy things and my house and noble and tanner had a blast last time...let's do it again soon.

chercard said...

and some balls just drop away and it's okay because they aren't essential :)

Sarah said...

I just had my 4th bby a month ago and I know exactly what you mean! It is so much harder to have a new baby when you have older kids who have places to be and things like homework! I'm starting to get the hang of it but it's taking while!

Anonymous said...

I always repeat what a wise person told me - after you have a baby your are just treading water for at least 6 months and that's the most you should expect from yourself. You probably already know that. Anyway, it made me feel so good to know I could put away my overachieving self for awhile. Good luck to you.

Mom of 12 said...

Sleep is the first thing to go for me. My sweetie has to be at work at dark-thirty, so I have to get the kids out the door for school. But is is also my responsibility to get homework and activities done for the older ones in the evening. Then there is the middle of the night feedings...and sick kids...
I never get enough sleep.
Sandy
www.twelvemakesadozen.blogspot.com

The Lucksters said...

Congratulations!! I know its allot, but I am jealous. I just got one. He is an absolute joy. The years are passing much to fast. It sounds awful, but enjoy it.
Kellie