I've gotten so many comments and messages lately about how I'm, "super mom" and asking how do I, "do it all?" which is in reference to my work load with a one month old, if you follow my social media accounts. So, I just wanted to clear the air really quickly, while I listen to my baby cry in the next room.
I am super type A. I like things the way I like them and that's just the only way I function. Monica on friends...that's me. I'm black and white 100%. I like schedules, I like neat and clean. I hate messes and things not going as planned. My personality is not naturally suited towards parenting. I am not empathetic. I am not flexible. Parenting has obviously been good for me in this sense. It has taught me to go with the flow and to not be so serious but still...it's a battle.
With all of that being said, I've learned what I can handle and what I can't. And, I'll be the first to say I cannot handle a lot. I get stressed out and stretched thin very easily and very quickly. I'm one of those people who is good at multi tasking but I don't like doing it. I don't pull all nighters. I carefully plan and schedule. I've come to terms with the fact that what other mothers can handle, their work loads and lack of sleep, I just cannot. I'll be a terribly mean and unhappy person if I don't have help and if I miss a lot of sleep.
With newborns their main priorities are eating and sleeping. At one week old we switched Barrett to formula. For a variety of medical reasons nursing is just something I cannot succeed at and mentally is something I just do not want to combat. Also, Jonathan has a schedule we've used with both Milam and Barrett. He takes Barrett at 9 pm and does anything Barrett related until 2:30 am. Then I take Barrett after that. That way, we both get more sleep. We have a spare twin mattress in Barrett's room and the other person sleeps on that so that the monitor and bedroom door don't wake the other person. (He also sleeps swaddled and in a dock a tot and we only change his diaper at night if he poops so he's been generally sleeping really well at night)
Currently, Jonathan is on Thanksgiving break so the weddings I've shot and edited and the other sessions I've done are all due to the fact that he's been home to help. In addition to Jonathan helping my mom and her sister help me out a ton. They carry most of the burden of getting my kids to and from school, preschool, speech, and gymnastics. They volunteered to do that and my kids love their time with their Nana and YiaYia.
So, I'm spilling the beans. I'm no super mom. I have a lot of help and my baby boy takes bottles. I can't do it all and I'm not perfect. Honestly, most days I feel like a total failure. I can't breastfeed. I've never had an "angel" baby. All of my kids have required sleep training. I get frazzled far too easily. I yell way more than I should. I care too much about things that don't matter. But, I love my kids, and I love my husband, and I'm doing the best I can (even if that is far less than what other moms do) so I think I fall into the "normal mom" category. No shame there ;)
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