How Does It Survive, You Might Ask?

 

This past Friday I did something I never do. I took the day off to be with Belle and relax. I have never done this before. We were going to go to a wedding in Kansas City that night so I thought this would be a great day to try it. Now, I want to go into early retirement. I can't believe how much I got done while still having the most relaxing day ever. 

I woke up and fed Annabelle and played with her until her nap time. Then I vacuumed the house while David vacuumed the pool. Oh yeah, did I mention he was off of work too? It was like Christmas! After that I made a grocery list and planned meals for the week.

After all of that, it was about 10 a.m. Seriously? So I grabbed my book and headed for the backyard, video monitor in hand. And I sat there, and read. It was wonderful.

I am reading (for the 7thish time) The Life of Pi. It is so good. In one of the beginning parts, the main character is describing the three-toed sloth and his sloth-like ways. It was perfect timing. I was lounging and trying to slow down and was reminded to be at peace in my environement.

Lately,  I can’t fight the nagging voice in my head that chirps at me all day to slow down. I know everyone is busy, so this isn’t intended to be a rant about how busy my schedule is. But let’s be honest, I am one crazy busy momma. I wake up and jump in the shower to get ready for work while Annabelle sleeps, I scarf down a quick breakfast which my adorable, perfect husband (APH) prepares, I get Annabelle up and nurse her, I hand her off to my APH, jump in my car, rush to work, pump the minute I walk in to hoard anything Annabelle didn’t drink, negotiate contracts (this is no small feat in itself…most of these are intense, high-dollar, crazy contracts), rush over to spend my lunch break nursing Annabelle, rush back to negotiate more and meet with vendors or customers, jump in my car and drive like a mad woman to pick up Annabelle so I can steal every possible minute with her, get home to nurse her and lay her down for one quick nap before the evening starts. Then somewhere in the next two hours our evenings include feeding Belle some solids that I made because I’ve convinced myself I can do that for her (enter your own working mommy guilt lines here), playing with her, reading to her, bathing her, cuddling her, wearing her, trying to make her laugh, on and on in the short time we get with her before it’s time to start laying her down for bed, packing up her bags for the next day, washing bottles, and then pumping again…all before 8:30 or 9 when I try to sit down, try to not check  my work email, and try to not stare at the video monitor and think…”Hmm is she really old enough to sleep on her stomach…when should I go flip her back over…is it the day to change her sheets again…I wonder what she’s dreaming about…okay I will go flip her back to her back…” and on and on. Did you notice in there I didn't wiggle in room to eat, make dinner, grocery shop, take a breath, touch base with friends, or anything like that?  Hopefully you didn't notice and skimmed that list instead of reading it word for word anyway.

All of this is just to say I need to learn a thing or two from the sloth (and the books I read), and probably so do you. Like I said, I know I just described pretty accurately the day to day life of most women out there….the majority of them doing this with multiple children (God bless Sister #1 pregnant with twins), or on their own, or without amazing husbands and family to help.

Honestly, all I meant to say was, here’s to Summer 2013. May you all take a deep breath, slow down, snuggle your baby, kiss your husband, and take a Friday to lay by the pool and read.