Monday, October 19, 2009

Keepin it real

The other day I had a friend comment that the same day she'd written a post about some things that had gone awry while caring for her two daughters, I had written a lovey-dovey post about how wonderful being a stay-at-home-mom was. Well, that's because I try to stay positive and remember the good things. I have a tendency to be whiny that I have to fight against. But if you really want to know how a bad day looks, here goes.

I still don't have Ivey's birth certificate and I am freaking out because what if we need it? So while Ivey was sitting in her bouncy seat I went back and tried for the second time to fill out the confusing form. Then I realized I needed a photo ID so I tried to scan and print my driver's license but our printer is SO STUPID and it wouldn't work. I called Jordan at work to see if he had any insight for me. I thought I might have it working, so we hung up but then it still didn't work so I called him back and after he said we could just do it when he got home, I got a little upset because when does that ever happen? A few more things were said, the baby started crying, and I started crying too and told him I couldn't talk right now and I would talk to him later, GOOD-BYE! Suzi was asking me what was wrong, and it really wasn't anything I could explain to her. It was similar to Suzi's infamous fit-pitching, only bigger and I didn't lie in the floor and kick my feet. This is exactly where she gets it. I finally calmed down and nursed the baby, but once Ivey was happy, Suzi had to pee of course. I told her to go by herself and do the best she could, which wasn't too smart, but at least she didn't pee in the floor and I didn't have to get up. There was just a minor mess. So then in walks Jordan. He decided to come home for lunch after I hung up on him, just so he could fix the printer. Well he couldn't fix it either, but he did make me feel a little better and he said he'd get the thing printed and mail it when he got off work. The baby was asleep, so I put on the third movie of the day for Suzi to watch, which I feel terrible about, but I have to do laundry sometime and a movie is about the only way to keep her from waking the baby up. Since then, I have been running around like a crazy person working on our large piles of laundry and straightening up and whispering please don't wake up PLEASE don't wake up every time the baby makes a sound. I just took a short break to write this because I needed to.

Problems: The baby is happy in the wrap but only if I am bouncing her around or walking, and not sitting at the computer or folding laundry, etc. That's when she cries. Plus she is a really light sleeper, like me. Suzi won't pick up her toys unless I yell and lay a guilt trip, so I just pick the toys up myself. We recently put 95% of her toys away because otherwise I just spend all my time picking them up and it never makes a difference. It's like sweeping sand off the beach. Ivey's cry is SO loud. My period (or something like it) came back RIGHT after I hit six weeks postpartum and that is just so unfair because I am breastfeeding exclusively. In fact I have it right now and that's probably half my problem today. My house is a mess and I can't figure out why. I'm trying, but I can't seem to get anything done some days. I want to know how other people make this work so seamlessly.

That's about it. I hope you still like me. I feel like an ungrateful little whiner after writing that.

Now back to laundry.

6 comments:

maryanne said...

I have days like this frequently. Do you have one of those exercise/birthing balls? That's my trick for keeping a baby happy in a sling while using the computer...

Rissa said...

I just want you to know that you are SO not alone! Can I just say that yesterday, I ranted and pouted and complained ALLDAYLONG? Well, I did. I feel your pain.
Also, the period thing! I got mine a little less than 12 weeks postpartum, and my actual postpartum flow didn't STOP until 5 weeks postpartum...so I only had 7 weeks without a period! We co-sleep {even naps!} and I nurse Forrest all the time! He doesn't go longer than 3ish hours in between ALL feedings, day and night. "Not fair" is exactly what I thought to myself when I first saw that blood around 12 weeks. Again...I feel your pain!!
Just wanted you to know! I hope your day turned up after all that!

Jules said...

I know you made all that up just to make me feel better. You're such a sweet friend. ;)

I don't have a birth cert. yet either.

Theresa said...

Gosh, I still have days like that, and my kids are 27 and 29!! Just remember, you're not the only one, you're not alone, and this too shall pass. Just probably not soon enough! And even if you're totally against it, medication does help sometimes. Don't ask me how I know :)

Lauren Wayne said...

This won't make you feel better, but your post made me feel better. I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in these kinds of days — and I'm not even home alone, and we have only the one kid! (Wait, I'm talking myself out of feeling better...oh, well.)

Maryanne: Love the birth ball idea. Will have to try that with the next little one! Mikko would not let us stop walking him around for the first few months straight.

We try to rotate toys, with some success, so that there's only one bin or so out at a time. It still ends up scattered, but there's less to scatter that way. We bought those white collapsible bins at Ikea and that cube-y bookshelf and tuck them away when they're not in the current rotation.

Also, phooey on your printer, and phooey on your period. I was mad when mine came back around 7 months. I was really hoping for a couple years off!

Rebecca said...

That's not whining! It's real life and it really is discouraging sometimes!

I sent you a message with this suggestion, but I thought it might help some other people, too.

You might try playing a 3 minute song on the radio for Suzi and tell her that she only has to pick up as many toys as she can while the song is on and for starters, you'll pick up the rest. Then, after she becomes used to the process, tell her that you still expect her to pick up as much as she can, but anything left over will have to go live in a basket in the closet for a week.

Be sure to give her lots and lots of praise for all she accomplishes, especially if she does more than the day before or does something without you asking. It's hard to be the big sister.