There are so many green and interesting and kid things I want to write about in the course of a day. That’s why I started blogging– so that I could get these thoughts out that I think aren’t half-bad– eventhough I’m not organized enough to be pitching many of my ideas to magazines and freelancing for more than just the Fayetteville Observer. Not that I don’t love freelancing for a newspaper.
It keeps me busy, gives me something to make me feel like I am continuing a career that’s important to me while I nurture my children the way I want to and I enjoy the types of stories I write.
Actually, if I wasn’t writing 3 or 4 articles for them a month I’d probably make more blog posts!
That’s what I’m thinking about today. Nurturing these little needy guys and getting my work done. It’s something every mom has to figure how to do, whether its housework she needs to do or if she works outside the home or what have you.
I am learning to work in small, digestible chunks of time the past month. Ada is almost 4 months, the household is adjusting well to having two kids.
I’ve told many of my friends, when asking how we are handling it all, that it is much easier for me to have two children than it was for me to have one and complete my Bachelor’s degree. Atleast now I can focus on one main thing. And I don’t have to stress about homework and articles and whether or not Azita is waking up from her nap before I’m expecting it and pumping her a bottle for her sitter the next day. I wouldn’t change any of my decisions the first time, but it’s so much easier having a little one and, choosing to parent the way I do, just being at home with her.
The few articles I do a month have been hard to get out on time. So like I said, I’m learning to simply switch my brain when a free moment arises. With Azita, and no other kid to worry about, it was simply the housework that got sacrificed and I did nothing but write for UNCP’s Pine Needle and do homework when she slept. And of course, the house was a wreck!
Now with Ada, when Azi is sleeping she needs me. They don’t often sleep at the same time. And when Ada is asleep it is hard to resist just turning on the TV for her and doing my writing or housework. But I usually don’t. She needs me too.
I finished my last article by simply telling her that I needed to work but that we couldn’t watch TV and she could play by herself on the floor– and much to my delight, she did. I’m afraid that TV teaches her not to be able to entertain herself, because she “zombies out”, as one of my friends put it.
So whether or not Azi is sleeping, if Ada is happily scooting around the floor for 20 minutes, I’ve learned to take that 20 minutes and write what I can. And now she is asleep on my chest, I’m taking these few minutes to write. She doesn’t take nice, long 2 hour naps the way Azi did. She likes to sleep for 45 minutes, give or take, at a time. (But she sleeps through the night well, so it’s a trade off I’ll be happy with).
I was very resistant to this grabbing a minute here and there philosophy, but since accepting it, I’m much more relaxed. I just do what I can when I can. I’m sure that’s what just about every other mother out there does. And I make it work with my parenting style too.
Anyone who knows me or has read my blog knows I’m not often going to leave Ada to be unhappy in the swing and on the floor so I can clean the kitchen or write an article.
I’ve become quite the babywearer this time around– more than with Azita. It helps me to have more time with Azi too. And no, its not going to end up “spoiling” the baby. Research supports that babies cry less when worn and it helps a baby’s development.
That’s where my slings and wraps come in. This kid lives in ‘em. I wrote almost a whole article with her happily (for the most part!) snuggled up to me. She’s getting held and thinks she has most of my attention, and I’m accomplishing something.
That’s how I manage to attachment parent and be a work at home mom. But of course, because of my work, the house is still a wreck and a half!
You know, the house will always be there, whether there are dust-bunnies or not. The kiddos, however, will grow up soon enough.
I say, do what you can and let go of what you can’t. Being a parent is a big job.