Over the past few months, I discovered that there are
many activities one can accomplish while nursing a baby. These include: reading, journaling,
texting, phone calls, eating, clipping baby’s fingernails, writing a blog, online shopping, walking around the house, directing dinner preparations and putting on make-up. When little E was small
enough to fit fully inside my K’tan carrier, I could nurse while taking a walk,
watering plants, mixing cookie batter and more. Now that he's bigger I am actively seeking out a new carrier in order to continue this.
Like many Americans, I tend to feel most successful when my to-do list is complete - until I write the next list, that is. And I love bragging to my husband about how many things I accomplished in a day on top of taking care of the baby! But sometimes my mind becomes so consumed with tasks that I can miss the more important things.
A friend recently told me "there will always be another dish to clean or another load of laundry," and in light of this to make the choice to get outside and enjoy creation instead of always trying to finish the task in front of me. Gradually, I'm learning to re-orient my priorities and learning to put love and laughter on top of the to-do list. My Heavenly Father is inviting me to delight in my everyday moments.
So, when I plan my day, I try to keep my list of essential tasks short and include those things that bring life to my soul - like today's afternoon walk. On some days, I need to schedule my nap into the day! And whether I'm sitting and singing to my baby or bustling about to prepare dinner, I want love to be the goal.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Monday, August 31, 2015
Three months: Wonder and Logistics
Sometimes no matter how much you want to get done, you still don't want to put your baby down. And no matter how much you delight in each new skill, expression, discovery or milestone, you can't get over how quickly he'll outgrow being able to sleep on your chest. It has been one of those days. For the first time this morning, little E slept in his crib for a nap unaided by the familiar bassinet (that I'd placed inside the crib a few days ago for nap practice). And I as watched my growing boy sleep, I celebrated . . . and grieved a little bit too. Chesney's song "Don't Blink" ran through my head. How do I avoid blinking?
It's especially hard to avoid blinking when you are constantly thinking ahead, planning, re-working plans and trying to flex with the ever-changing seasons of your baby's life. This morning as soon as E was sleeping I had to make several decisions: Will I bake my healthy sunbutter cookies? Try to make brownies now for the neighbors? How much time do I have to send a few quick photo texts of E sleeping in the crib? Should I text the rest of my family too? Stop there - reality check. I have to leave the house by 9:15 to make it in time for a group walk with other Mamas - that means E needs to wake up and eat by 8:30 or 8:40 at the latest. So, as it is already 7:55, I need to get my priorities straight: get dressed, eat, finish cleaning the bottles from the pump set (so they have plenty of time to dry) and make sure the diaper bag is stocked. Mission mostly accomplished and oatmeal partway eaten when E started stirring and crying. Then I remembered I needed more wipe spray for my cloth wipes, having completely emptied the bottle this morning. So I ran and grabbed the distilled water and lavender oil and filled the spray bottle, then happily went to pick up my little boy. With him in my arms, I scarfed down several more bites of oatmeal. At 8:39, I sat down to nurse him. Between 9:11 and 9:21 I changed a diaper, ran to the bathroom, gave him a probiotic, fastened him into his car seat, took the wet cloth diapers out of the washer, put diaper bag in the car and finally grabbed the baby and drove off. We made it by 9:35, not the last Mama to arrive for the walk!
We're home again about 11:45 after stopping for gas. E didn't start crying in the car till after the gas station, for which I was grateful. 5 minutes of crying in the car is nothing like 40. Once at home there are a few quick essentials for me: run to the bathroom, drink water, take off shoes. Then he is happily nursing again. And I'm reading Stott's commentary on Romans and trying not to fall asleep - not an easy task after a 3 mile walk pushing the stroller and being up at 6 am! The much needed nap doesn't happen till 2 hours later. By then, I've eaten lunch, put the cloth diaper inserts in the dryer, made brownies and baked my cookies - not to mention playing with E on the mat and making sure he does tummy time. It has taken two bouncing sessions to help E go down for a nap in his crib. I should have about 30 minutes for sure, maybe more. But after 15 minutes, I'm awakened by a screaming baby - perhaps not at ease yet in his crib. He doesn't go back to sleep with bouncing, but falls easily back to sleep while nursing. He stays in a deep and happy sleep on my lap while I type with the computer propped up on my knees. So, that's where he wanted to nap. Close to my heart, just where I like him.
It's especially hard to avoid blinking when you are constantly thinking ahead, planning, re-working plans and trying to flex with the ever-changing seasons of your baby's life. This morning as soon as E was sleeping I had to make several decisions: Will I bake my healthy sunbutter cookies? Try to make brownies now for the neighbors? How much time do I have to send a few quick photo texts of E sleeping in the crib? Should I text the rest of my family too? Stop there - reality check. I have to leave the house by 9:15 to make it in time for a group walk with other Mamas - that means E needs to wake up and eat by 8:30 or 8:40 at the latest. So, as it is already 7:55, I need to get my priorities straight: get dressed, eat, finish cleaning the bottles from the pump set (so they have plenty of time to dry) and make sure the diaper bag is stocked. Mission mostly accomplished and oatmeal partway eaten when E started stirring and crying. Then I remembered I needed more wipe spray for my cloth wipes, having completely emptied the bottle this morning. So I ran and grabbed the distilled water and lavender oil and filled the spray bottle, then happily went to pick up my little boy. With him in my arms, I scarfed down several more bites of oatmeal. At 8:39, I sat down to nurse him. Between 9:11 and 9:21 I changed a diaper, ran to the bathroom, gave him a probiotic, fastened him into his car seat, took the wet cloth diapers out of the washer, put diaper bag in the car and finally grabbed the baby and drove off. We made it by 9:35, not the last Mama to arrive for the walk!
We're home again about 11:45 after stopping for gas. E didn't start crying in the car till after the gas station, for which I was grateful. 5 minutes of crying in the car is nothing like 40. Once at home there are a few quick essentials for me: run to the bathroom, drink water, take off shoes. Then he is happily nursing again. And I'm reading Stott's commentary on Romans and trying not to fall asleep - not an easy task after a 3 mile walk pushing the stroller and being up at 6 am! The much needed nap doesn't happen till 2 hours later. By then, I've eaten lunch, put the cloth diaper inserts in the dryer, made brownies and baked my cookies - not to mention playing with E on the mat and making sure he does tummy time. It has taken two bouncing sessions to help E go down for a nap in his crib. I should have about 30 minutes for sure, maybe more. But after 15 minutes, I'm awakened by a screaming baby - perhaps not at ease yet in his crib. He doesn't go back to sleep with bouncing, but falls easily back to sleep while nursing. He stays in a deep and happy sleep on my lap while I type with the computer propped up on my knees. So, that's where he wanted to nap. Close to my heart, just where I like him.
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