This has recently become one of my favorite photos.
I’ve been having a difficult time lately. The baby keeps waking up too early. I like my SLEEP!! Ha! I know I’m blessed that he has slept through the night since he was born (as have all my kids), but I am not for early mornings. He sleeps in just fine when I actually have to get up early to drive the Seminary carpool. Of course…
The morning routine here is just getting to me. It seems especially hard this year with the baby. It takes 3 HOURS to get everyone out the door. 3 HOURS. It starts with the Seminary one getting up at 5:20 (Which wakes up me and usually the baby). Carpool at 6 (THANKFULLY only driving every 3 weeks). Then Middle school bus on MWF at 6:55. On T/TH, It is a carpool to middle school and elementary school choir for kid #3 at 7:20. I drive this every other week.
Then it is both Elementary kids on MWF or just the Kindergartener on T/TH at 8:18. 3 Hours after we start with the first kid.
My husband usually has 7 am meetings with people in Germany in the mornings too – so he can’t help much (but does help when/where he can. When I do carpool, he’s usually holding a baby during his meetings)
Now it wouldn’t be so bad if I could just get them all up at once. Like I make all their lunches at once – it is just as easy to make 4 as it is 1 when you do it all at once…. but when you are doing it all separate, it sucks…
After those 3 hours is over, then it’s time to deal with the toddler. Thankfully, he usually sleeps until that routine is all over. I am usually ready for a nap by then. HA. I just tote the baby around with me the whole time (or he hangs with dad when I have to drive carpool). Of course half the reason I don’t get enough sleep is the toddler won’t FREAKING GO TO SLEEP until well after 10pm – he doesn’t take naps either. Then I get woken by the teen at 5am. Yeah. Sleep schedules are not synced around here. I think we may need to use melatonin with the toddler.
It is wearing on me. I HATE it. I try never to use the word hate, but there is no other word for it. (it’s worse than trying to get them to go to bed every night because that is always a fight too).
I have no clue how to change the situation either. I’ve offered to homeschool them, but they want to go to school. (of course, Homeschool would bring its own stresses)
Yesterday, When the baby woke up at 4:15 am, I just wanted to cry. I couldn’t do this. It is a good thing that he is happy, sweet, and adorable when he wakes up that early.
I wanted to write this yesterday, but I was just done all day. We hung around home, in bed half of the day. It was cold, very rainy and windy outside, reflecting my attitude.
Today, He slept in well past 6:30. My day was already better. The sun is shining outside. I am pretty sure the reason moms don’t rule the world yet is extreme exhaustion. Because when I am actually rested (7.5 hours last night!!!) I feel like I can punch Trump in the nuts and rule the freaking world!!! HA!
Of course, then I had to fight with the kindergartener over getting dressed this morning, so there is that… but still better because of SLEEP!
How can I fix this? How can I not HATE every morning?? I honestly have no idea. Maybe getting the toddler to freaking sleep? Homeschool? Baby to sleep in? I don’t freaking know. (the schedule itself won’t change unless we homeschool or move)
We also are in need of a new house. I want a house where the kid’s bathroom isn’t near my bedroom (their bathroom is RIGHT next to my side of the bed), So I don’t get woken up by them in the mornings. We need another bedroom & bathroom, now that my husband works from home. We need a bigger yard. I am hoping that will happen this summer, but that just adds another layer of stress – cleaning & prepping the house, selling a house, MOVING, finding the perfect house, knowing what is right for EVERYONE in an 8 person family, etc. etc.
Want to de-clutter my house, pack, and keep it clean for me while we sell it?!?! *sigh*
So when your life is out of whack, what do you do? How do you change things?
Overall, I love my life. I love my children, my husband, our family. I love myself and where I’m at. I feel extremely blessed and grateful (don’t get me wrong there!). I am just not in love with our situation, our house, our schedule. Restless.
Which brings me back to the picture. It’s all about seeing things as a child does and the simple things in life. We are on a train in that picture and he is just taking it all in. Sitting back and enjoying it. Taking everything in, no matter the scenery. We aren’t in any exotic location. We are just on a train going through town. He doesn’t care though. He is on a train, which is LOVES, and is just taking in the world as it goes by. Taking it all in and loving every moment of it.
So when I am getting overwhelmed, I look at this picture. I know things will work out fine. I’ll just look at life and take it all in, even if the scenery isn’t always the prettiest. Enjoy it, even when it’s hard.
For some reason the windy, rainy day just had everyone on edge. My neighbors were commenting how they were all tired and grouchy that day.
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