But, you don't have to be Mom to have these thoughts. Actually, I'm sure we all have a million thoughts just like these plaguing us on a daily basis. It's so common to get wrapped up in the areas of your life you think need improving which can overshadow all of life's goodness. So, this post isn't meant to be boastful or braggy -- It's a reminder to myself that I'm doing a great job but also to you, to recognize your accomplishments and let those take up space in your mind today...it's Friday so today is all about good thoughts!
1. Making it to 8 months+ breastfeeding: I'll be honest with you, I never thought it would last this long. In fact, when I first started, I wasn't sure we would make it more than a week. My breastfeeding journey was fairly rocky in the beginning because I was overly emotional, never sure if he was getting enough milk and feeling completely drained from turning into a human cow overnight. It was SO SO time consuming, confusing and foreign to me but so many people told me that it would improve if we could just stick it out for 3 months and they really were right.
It's been one of the hardest things I've ever had to learn to do but also one of the most amazing, and things like that take patience. We eventually found our groove and now have our routine down to a science. It's become so engrained in our daily lives that I find it hard to imagine life without it and while setting up my pumping materials at work recently (which, full disclosure, I pretty much hate), I was thinking about how proud of myself I was for seeing it through. And this isn't about breastfeeding being BETTER than anything. I don't care whether you feed your baby breastmilk, formula or Diet Dr. Pepper - It's simply about conquering a huge personal challenge and feeling really good about it.
2. Working from home and keeping baby alive...simultaneously: I'll be honest, this isn't always easy. In fact, with the baby being mobile now, it continues to take on different shapes. As taxing as it can be, it is important to me to try and be "equally" present in both places. I am very lucky to have the luxury of working from home a few days a week (thanks to a supportive workplace!) and on the flip side, lucky to have generous parents who lovingly watch my son the other days. I definitely miss him when I'm there and sometimes wish I could be more productive at home but when it comes down to it, I'm getting the best of both worlds and I will remember this time with him forever.
3. Adjusting a completely new schedule: You know, things like going to bed at 9:00pm, breaking up my tasks for the day into 3 parts (aka 3 SHORT naps), fitting in basement workouts when the baby goes to sleep, doing all my blogging in bed at night, eating on the go, short showers, short makeup routines, singing mickey mouse on bathroom breaks... you get the picture.
4. Little acts of kindness: So much of my time is consumed by a single source now and it would be easy to use the baby as an excuse but I still try to my best to do little things to make those around me happy, whether it's picking up donuts on the way to my parents for their breakfast, sending someone a text to let them know I'm thinking of them or paying for the person's coffee behind me in the Starbucks drive-thru. Every person has their own struggles going on behind the scenes so even if you're having a hard day, someone else probably is too and being mindful of that can make both parties feel better.
5. Going out on a limb: I have been thinking for a long time about starting a Motherhood series here with guest contributions from the many amazing Mom's in my life. I am constantly inspired and educated by my circle of friends, both in real life and those I know on social media so I thought, wouldn't it be nice to compile all of the knowledge we have between us and share it so more Mom's can benefit? I'll admit, I was a little timid about reaching out because I didn't know how everyone would respond but I just decided to go for it and I was so pleasantly surprised by the feedback! So many of the girls got back to me right away with enthusiasm about sharing their story so stay tuned for more on that.
7. How our group of friends has accepted change: My husband and I share a longtime, amazing group of friends. Its origins go back as early as elementary school but flourished through high school, college and most of all, with the additions of spouses later in life who have made the circle whole. Last year, 3 of us girls announced we were pregnant at the same time which was SO exciting but also, really changed our time together. While weekends used to be spent swimming and drinking until the sun rose and a few years later, meeting up for craft beers at a local bar has been replaced with meeting up at someone's house at 11am (post nap-time) on a Saturday with bagels, iced coffee and a bag of baby toys in tow. Sure, I reminisce about the former activities but more often, I relish in the fact that I get to make these memories with close friends and feel thankful for those in the group who don't have kids yet and still join us for play dates, helping and pretending like they're super interested in the best way to transition to solids ;) It allows us to all still spend time together, just in a different way.
8. Starting over on my own with a new blog: I blogged alongside Lisa on Sisters Marie for more than 6 years. I always thought, how nice to have a partner to attend functions with, shoot photos with and of course, split up the workload. I loved being able to share it with her but that also kind of meant it was easier to hide behind our front as a "duo," because otherwise, it would mean putting myself out there completely and somehow that just seemed more invasive. But when we decided it had become too much work, I was suddenly excited to start my own adventure and be able to make decisions without checking in with someone else (as was she). I bit the bullet and gave up a large following we had built in order to stick with one Instagram account (my personal page) and simplify my blogging presence. Suddenly the free clothes and product just seemed less important - Still amazing, let's not be silly - but different priorities have crept up on me, making it a new experience this time around.
9. A son who never stops smiling: Because even when I think I'm doing everything wrong, I must be doing something right. This boy spends most of his awake time belly laughing - so much so, that if he is crying or even just stoic and quiet, we assume something is wrong because it's so rare to see that side of him. My Mom always says he is happy because he knows how much he is loved and cared for and in the grand scheme of things, isn't that all that really matters?
I hope this is some motivation to think about what you're most proud of lately. I feel like it's something we all could do a little more often to stay positive.
Please share with me, what kick ass things have you done recently?
Happy Weekend!
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