I should be resting right now. I know this.But what do you do when your 18 month-old isn't utilizing her amazing opportunity to nap? but has instead chosen her allotted rest time to try out the full range of her vocal abilities. (for those not acquainted with 18 month-olds, you can read that as "she's screaming").
So here I sit. piddling.
Honestly, this transition to four hasn't been hard. In fact, I'm truly loving it. But it has required a lot of my doing Nothing. ...something that I don't feel "good at" or emotionally comfortable with.For I'm the type of person who likes to be up and running around. getting things accomplished. projects finished. items checked off my illustrious Things To Do List.
But I'm finding that my mental to-do list has had to drastically change. Because there can no longer be 'big ticket' items like "Paint Upstairs Hallway" or "Clean Bathroom".
Nope. It's all about the small things now:
Brush teeth. Nurse baby. Change diapers when you notice a lingering smell. Make sure girls get out of pajamas before 5 pm. Sing ABCs to create pseudo-atmosphere of home schooling.
I'm finding that in order to preserve my sanity, I must change the way I approach my lists. And not because of the girls. Honestly, they're almost as easy as they come.
But rather, due to my own expectation of what will and can get done during the day.
Because I'm finding it's all about perspective right now. And depending on where my perspective lies...that determines how my entire day will play out.
If I go into a day feeling that TUVWXYZ must happen in order for me to be a good mom, then I'm pretty much setting myself up for frustration. And then Mean Mommy comes out of hiding.
Which is never pretty.
So these days, I'm trying to adopt the mindset that if something gets "done," it's a bonus. If nothing gets done, but I'm a joyful mommy then...*Hallelujah. Let's Rejoice!*
The atmosphere I create in my home over the next month or so will be what my girls remember. Not the clean floors. Or the pristine execution of school work. I figure right now, they're learning about life with babies. And yes, even Math and English happen, too.
You know, like when they take notice of the fact that there are 1-2-3-FOUR dirty diapers sitting in a pile on the floor. And they form an intelligent complete sentence to inform me of such. ;)
