Thursday, October 29, 2009

Catching Up to the Day

Since my parents left about ten days ago, today is the first day I've felt somewhat in control of my day. Instead of the day whipping me around by my ass, I actually felt one step ahead of it. By 4pm, I had already worked out, finished all of the laundry, had all bottles cleaned and sterilized, had vacuumed, had eaten both breakfast and lunch, and had even remembered to drink lots of fluids to help with the lactation and eat lots of fruit to help with a certain other problem. Compare that to Tuesday, when I felt like having a little breakdown for failing to keep myself well hydrated and barely having a chance to finish half a sandwich for lunch while foregoing dinner altogether because I was so tired.

It's a challenge to try to fit in all of the chores while the baby is asleep, and god forbid he awakes before I had finished going through all of the tasks on my list -- which has been the rule, not the exception. The one privilege I started allowing myself is a workout at the gym. I jump in the car and speed up and down the hills of Noe Street like a madwoman to get to the gym to fit in my 30-40 minute workout while Jeff hangs out with the baby.

It is only because Jeff has been a partner in the true sense of the word in taking care of our little Baby T that things have been as manageable as they have been. We've broken up the nights into two shifts, and I have not been sleep deprived since we started that schedule. When I fretted about failing to take good care of myself and negatively impacting my lactation, he ran out and picked up a bunch of groceries for us -- and cooked a healthy dinner for us last night. I don't know how single mothers do it -- they have my deepest respect.

So it should not be a surprise that my blogging has suffered a bit in the past several weeks. I can sit and write for an hour -- or hold my baby in that time -- or sleep. We have grand plans to make life easier for ourselves -- like hiring someone to clean our house. But it will only happen when we have time to look for someone. With each day, however, our new life seems easier. And one of these days, I will be able to post entries with coherent thoughts once again. Until then, dear readers, I beg for your patience...

5 comments:

  1. If you guys need anything at all, please don't hesitate to let me know, okay? Technically we only have the Mission between us.

    Glad you are feeling more in control, and getting sleep.

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  2. I have GREAT cleaning ladies that I can share info with. They live in the east bay but work in s.f. regularly. Let me know if you'd like their number. She charges me $80 for the whole house. they clean even inside the fridge! yay!

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  3. Oh, that Certain Other Problem... four months postpartum and STILL not sh%tting like I used to...

    Keep up with your workouts! I've been doing the same thing and it's a HUGE help w/ my mental health :)

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  4. Go easy on yourself. The chore list will always be there. Your baby being one month old will never happen again. These first few weeks of motherhood fly by in such a blur....cherish this "gentle time."

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  5. The life of a new mom, or as I like to call it the "walking zombie" phase. To actually be showered, dressed and having eaten anything before 2:00 p.m. in the day was a minor miracle for me when my children were newborns.
    Good for you, for actually working out, not being sleep deprived and taking some time for yourself, it sounds like you and Jeff are really pulling together and working as a team. Please take comfort in the fact that it DOES get better.

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