Well, you see what I get for thinking that I had things under control? I got on here, told the world (okay, the few of you in the world that are still reading me) that I was back on the blogging bandwagon and then...
Silence. For more than a week.
That's what I get for making plans. :) HA!
Things just get so hectic and busy and down right crazy around here sometimes. It's nutso. Though it pains me a bit to admit it (and I'll downright deny it if to some people IRL just so I don't have to listen to them tell me all the mistakes I've made and how to 'fix' them), Preslie is a high-maintenance mama...and I've made her that way. It was bound to happen when I didn't put her down for the first two months of her life. ;p And that's okay. She's my baby and I'm more than happy to put her first. Also, P has developed a major case of stranger anxiety (on top of the separation anxiety that she already had) and she screams her head off (like someone is cutting her leg off!!) if there is someone else around, or if I get out of her sight...or out of reach if it's a particularly bad day. But because she is so, ummm, high need, I don't do too much where she isn't attached to me (usually literally), thus things that aren't absolutely necessary (i.e. blogging!) don't always get done.
Who am I kidding? Things that ARE necessary don't often get done. :) That's why there is laundry to be folded right now. It's sitting right here in the basket next to me, a testament to my priorities. Thankfully, Mike and my mom helped me get SOOO much done this weekend that I've got a head start on my week, so we'll see how it goes compared to most weeks.
So, I thought I'd pose a little question to you. How do you get things done around your house in less than ideal conditions? When your little one is clingy or fussy or whiny? Do you have a routine or do you go with the flow? Any stratigies for accomplishing things one-handed? ;) Seriously, I know that there are more experienced, better organized mamas out there who can give a sister a hand, right? Or or you all living like me, with only one clean pair of underwear and a house that looks like a tornado struck?
5 comments:
About the only thing I have learned to do one handed is type, and that's painfully slow. When Ginny is having a fussy day, plans pretty much go out the window. I hope that I'm not spoiling her, but who knows...
Tornado baby! That's how we roll...
Seriously. It's even worse right now b/c we're redoing the floors in the kitchen and dining room, so tornado takes on a whole new meaning.
If they're having a bad day, they bounce in their bouncers and whine while I sit in front of them and fold clothes. If I'm particularly at the end of my rope, they bounce or play in the living room (all while whining) while I clean up the kitchen, etc.
The whining drives me friggin' insane - it's incessant... Doesn't matter if you're holding them or not, playing with them, change them, feed them, rock them, etc.; it just never stops some days!
I used to put them in my sling or the mei tai (either on the front or back) and do my thing. I could vacuum, dust, collect dirty laundry, loads of laundry, clean the kitchen, etc. All with them safely tucked away in the sling or on my back. This won't work right now (well maybe on good weather days like today) but they loved the outside so much I would bring their excersaucer outside and let them play on the back porch I could watch them through the door and windows and most days I could even leave them open. The change of scenery would entertain them for at least 30 minutes. That's about all I got though. I just hope that lil ms P develops a love for sleeping really soon, cause I can't imagine how in the world you manage. Good luck girl!
So, I am not a momma, but the best "hands free" device I have used in the past several years is the Roomba. It sweeps/vacuums on a schedule (I don't even have to turn it on!) and it parks itself. It is a life saver with a doggie and a kitty in the house. I bought mine used on craigslist for cheap.
ha! so I catch up on blogs....mmmm once or twice a month these days, but thought I would weigh in. ;)
We do a little of each...a little routine, and little tornado.
The helpful tricks (as "tornado" is pretty easy):
in the kitchen...whisks, YOUR cooking spoons, colanders, measuring cups, pots, basters, etc. AND when those get old, if I still have to tend something on the stove for a bit I put B in his highchair not too far from me and give him a snack he likes to feed himself (graham cracker w/ cream cheese, or the like).
for laundry...giving the baby a pile to "fold"...socks or washcloths mainly at P's age. a laundry basket to put them in and out of.
for bathrooms...for some reason ALL of mine love that brush that is used to scrub the toilet. At P's age (and my youngest son's age) I hold the handle above baby to make sure it doesn't sling any water out of the bowl.
vacuuming I do one-handed when I do it. love Becky's idea of a roomba, but fear that my older children might mistake it for a new toy and break it...
most helpful thing for us overall is that I plan our meals for the whole week and only shop once a week. then one weekend day (when I have help) Michael or I or both (if all the kids happen to sleep at the same time) prep everything we can. (chop veggies for meals and snacking, grate cheese, measure rice, assemble lasagna, cut up raw meat, make salad dressing, etc) that way all I have to do it throw it in the pan. It cuts down on week-night meal prep time. it's a bit of a drag on the day we do the prep, but it is really really nice during the week.
Oh. and I put a load of laundry in the washer every night and into the dryer in the morning. If Michael is home, while he does bath time with the boys, my daughter showers and I put away the clothes. from the morning if I haven't had a chance to yet, then put the wet clothes into the dryer and a new load into the washer. every day.
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