On Motherhood

So, the bathtub is filthy again and the laundry is piling up...I don't seem to be able to check things off my "to do" list quite as quickly as I used to. After Cal was born and the post partum period ended, I had to figure out how to put some kind of routine back into my life. It became very obvious that my time is no longer my own--Cal needs it even more than I do. It's tricky trying to balance giving enough attention to him and doing enough around our home to keep it from falling apart. I think I figured out a system that works...for the time being.
It was inspired by the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation to make sure your baby has enough "Tummy Time" every day. Though his "Tummy Time" has now evolved into "Rolling Around the Floor Time," we still try to do it each day along with five other "times": Toy Time, Outside Time, Music Time, Story Time, and Silly Time. The idea is that none of these things needs to take very long, but I need to try to do each one every day. On some days, they work well with other things I need to get done. For example, on some days, "Outside Time" consists of going on a walk or going to the park, but going to the grocery store or to do the laundry (since it takes several trips back and forth to the laundry room) also counts. Sometimes "Music Time" finds Cal on my lap at the piano while I play primary songs for him. Other times, he sits or rolls on the floor during my cello lessons (silmultaneously taking care of Floor Time...and Toy Time).
The one exception is Silly Time, which is the most important and the most fun. That consists of trying to make him laugh, by whatever means possible. (Today he fell for the ole' Nozgul voice/peek-a-boo combination.)
The point of this system is to make sure that his needs are being met first, forcing me to prioritize whatever's left. I'm not perfect at it by any means, but it feels better knowing that it's possible to get some things done while still trying to create a stimulating, well-rounded day for him. It's true that your time is no longer your own after you have a baby, but it's not a bad thing. It's a welcome challenge that forces you to be less selfish...about your time, and, well...everything else. As a wise man once said, "Love those babies. In all eternity, they're only babies once!"