John Lucas is one month old. The days have come and gone so fast that it almost seems like a blur. I thought I was prepared and ready to tackle this new challenge but I was wrong. My expectations were way too high. I thought I would be super mom, able to do it all while still being put together... Nope... didn't happen.... I'm more like a zombie, trying to survive each day. John Lucas and Juliet bring so much joy and happiness to my life but with that also comes a lot of stress and self doubt. Because of this I decided to put together a list of reminders that I can refer too when I'm being hard on myself.
1. Some days you won't get to shower or get out of your PJs. Your lucky if you even get to brush your teeth. I bought myself a few nice pairs of pjs to help me feel a little better and try to at least brush my hair everyday.
2. The house will be messy but who cares. With a toddler's curiousity to get into everything and a newborn constantly wanting to nurse. It's impossible to keep up with everything. I've learned to focus on one thing at a time to try and not get overwhelmed by all of the chores. I got down on myself at first for not being able to keep up but I'm getting better at ignoring the piles of laundry or dirty dishes and focusing at one task at a time. The most important thing is to be in the moment with my babies and enjoy them being little.
3. You will wish you could clone yourself. Both babies will demand your attention at the same time. The best thing to do in this scenario is tend to the child that is most in need. It's impossible to keep everyone happy all the time. It was difficult for me at first because I felt torn. I wanted to comfort both of them and I couldn't. It made me feel like I was being a bad mom to one of them... I felt better once I started thinking of this from a who needs me first perspective.
4. Learn to ask for help. I am blessed with an amazing family who offers a lot of support, but even with people offering the help it was hard for me to accept it. I still at times feel like a bad mom if I can't get it done myself. I am learning to accept help and ask for it when I need it. It really does take a village to raise a child.
My husband and I are still adjusting to life with two babies. Currently Juliet is recovering from strep throat which has made these last few weeks a bit more challenging. Sharing her mom while sick has been rough on her and we are dealing with a bit of sleep regression. Everyday it gets a little bit easier and I feel like we are starting to find our groove. I am enjoying watching Juliet grow more and more curious of her little brother.
Here's to learning from our mistakes and experiencing motherhood at its realest!
Here's to learning from our mistakes and experiencing motherhood at its realest!
Do you have any advice that can help this momma survive?
XOXO,
Iris
