I Don’t Know How She Does It

I just got done watching the movie I Don’t Know How She Does It. I’ve seen it before. I didn’t like it all that much the first time. I accidentally watched it this afternoon. This time I saw it for the cute movie it was meant to be. It made me think about how chaotic life can be and how similar my life can feel.

Pre-kids, life felt hectic. Post-kids, it is more chaotic than I can imagine. No longer is it trying to do the things YOU want to do. It’s you, the baby (ies), home, work, personal, family, the list goes on. I know I’ve only seen the half of it with one kid, but my life is so much different now that Maximus is in it. And I know that if we only have one kid, it will be forever changing as he changes. I’ve already seen that happen. Life with a newborn is vastly different than life with a toddler. {They are so busy!}

Babysitters. With family around, that usually isn’t very difficult. But sometimes we can’t manage. There’s also another angle, sometimes we don’t want to do something that we’ve been invited to. The first year, I had significant ties to Maximus since he was nursing. I couldn’t do something at the drop of the hat even if Bryan was around. I had to decide what I wanted and what was easiest with Maximus. Most of the time that meant I chose to stay home with him.

Our home. It no longer belongs to us. It’s a mess of bright, bold colors. Blocks, cars, drum sticks, potato head pieces, and puzzles blanket my living room floor right now. My dishwasher is full of little spoons and forks and cups with lids. I had to reorganize my kitchen cupboards so there was room for all of those colorful bowls and cups. Little socks LITER our house. {Why can toddlers not keep socks on?!} Gloves, hats, mittens, and shoes are constantly being strewn around the house per the direction of chubby hands.

Daily routines. History. We’ve got a skeleton of a schedule, but it all teeters on the attitude of the toddler. How well the morning goes depends on giggles or tears. Being on time to work depends on how easy it is to leave the house or drop off at daycare. Nights depend on how early he wants to eat supper. Meals are hastily put together so he can eat early. Nights out are cut short so he can be in bed by 8 or home by 7 for a bath.

To someone without a baby, it may sound horrible. But, I don’t notice it. Yes, my day looks different now but it doesn’t feel like a forced change. It doesn’t feel like I’ve given up anything. I think it has made me more productive. I spend less time sitting on the couch watching network tv. I spend more time on the floor playing with colorful toys. Or rolling around on the floor with a giggling boy. I use my free time to accomplish things and be productive around the house or for myself.

Words can’t express what that little boy means to me or has added to my life. There’s no question about my purpose. Every day is about him. And at the end of each day, there are a few hours about everything else. Some nights it’s just about having a husband, others are about my house, and some are about relaxing.

I’ve talked a lot about trying to find a perfect routine. Something that involves family, personal, home, and career. I’m always working on it and trying to figure out the best approach. Sometimes I think I’ve got it down. Other times I think I’ve failed miserably. SJP said something that struck a chord. “It’s about juggling.” Don’t look up, down, or back. Just keep going.

{After I can walk again} I’m going to try this approach. Looking forward and not backwards. Loving my crazy life for what it is. Running myself hard, but also taking breaks. I’m going to eliminate the things that don’t create value for me and only focus on the important things. And most importantly, I’m going to love the life I’m living!

How do you juggle life?