Does Luke look refreshed? Well-rested? Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?
Well, if he doesn't it's because he's a little sick. Of course, he comes down with a cough mid-sleep-training. That's okay, though, because he's still on his game, sleeping through the night every night so far. He's a little champ.
Still taking anywhere from 30-60 minutes to fall asleep, though, but that's okay. He's sleeping for 12 hours so that's what really matters. AND napping, which is what he is doing now (and so is Clara!).
My house is a different place when there are no babies awake. Gates are swung open. Door are unlocked. My arms are free. My shirt is on normal.
That's been the case every night this week and I haven't exactly known what to do with myself. The first two nights (nights three and four of sleep-training, when Ryan was back at work), I spent the evening on the couch watching TV. It took me until night three to realize that I could actually do something productive (ignorance was bliss).
I'm going to take this time to admit something that might shock some of you and will definitely make you think less of my homemaking prowess: My husband has been known to do most of the laundry around here.
It wasn't something that we agreed upon. Actually, it's even worse. The poor guy would wind up doing it because he simply needed clean clothes.
In my defense I cannot fold when the babies are awake. It's just a disaster. And I had been known to leave a wet load in the washer all day long because I did not have one single second to get to the laundry room.
So finally, on my third night of lying on the couch, it dawned upon me that this would be a perfect time to do laundry. And clean. And bake. And whatever else I had been previously unable to accomplish with a baby on my hip.
I think I'm going to feel so much better about my role in the family if I can handle the basic housekeeping duties. Not that I like cleaning - because I do NOT - but I also don't like feeling useless (yes, I know caring for a needy baby isn't nothing, but still. I know most of you handle the babies AND the home with ease).
And a clean home makes for a happy mommy, which leads to a happy daddy, and happy little ones.
Thank God for sleeping babies.
K, this is the start of your new reality. Welcome, friend! It is a good place to be. Revel in it, drink it in... There is truly nothing like the refreshment an evening can bring to a tired mommy. Mine begins in 52 minutes (but who's counting?! :) Enjoy. :)
ReplyDeleteoh, this is wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteB... love your comment!
I love it!!! I am lucky that both my babies seem to be on a very similar napping schedule (Addy still NOT in her crib of course:)). But, I still suck at house cleaning chores, lol! My husband also ends up doing laundry out of desperation:). I bet this is how I'll feel when Addison FINALLY goes to bed before 10pm...aaah, what I could do with my evenings! I'll keep dreaming for now, but you enjoy your dream, girl! You deserve it!
ReplyDeleteWow, you go mama!!
ReplyDeleteDitto to what Barbie said! :)
ReplyDeleteamazing! so happy for you! we waited until 15 months to do it and are still working through it. love reading your blog...
ReplyDeleteYou've left your laundry in the washer all day long? If you're trying to lose my respect for you with that one, it's going to take a lot more! I've left mine for DAYS only to have to rewash several times to get that lovely moldy smell out. Oh yeah. You can't make my eyes widen with one day :) Haha!
ReplyDeleteAndrew did ALL of his laundry for the first 9 years we were married becasue we were both working full time so we just cleaned up after ourselves and did our own laundry. Now that I am staying home, I have taken over ALL of the housework, including laundry, which I am terrible at. Andrew wears wrinkly clothes every day because I leave clothes in the dryer for days. And I can't clean or do dishes or anything that makes noise (including running the washer/dryer) while Bella is napping because she is the lightest sleeper ever! So, my house is kinda getting neglected, but at least my baby is happy!!
ReplyDeleteSC - Haha.. But I did fail to mention that part of the reason for my new laundry kick is that the kids' clothes were getting moldy and we had to throw some away. I *think* it's because they were being left in the hamper with bibs that had food on them, in the 90-degree heat. Yuck! And Julie.. we ALWAYS leave clothes in the dryer for days too! I'm always wrinkly!
ReplyDeleteOK, promise you just take some of that *alone* time and embrace it, kick your feet up, and do some "scheduled nothingness". This is what I LIVE FOR....mine is during the afternoon rest/nap time when I absolutely refuse to do any work at all! Heck, when else can I read your great blog??? :) Housework in moderation. Rest and relaxation in excess!
ReplyDeleteAshley - I LOVE it! I'm very good at doing nothing ;) In fact, I may have spoken too soon about doing housework. I'm currently sitting on the couch watching tv and just can't seem to drag myself to the laundry room!
ReplyDeleteJulie it's that way here too, I can't do anything when Alana is awake right now (teething) and I can't do anything when she' napping! haha!
ReplyDeleteK, I seriously think your amazing. I am dealing with a crazy teething baby right now thinking wasn't Clara around this age when K had Luke? HOW do you do it?
AYWH... haha, I think we have a similar temperament. My dh does his own laundry. And mine. And he cleaned the tub yesterday. And he made dinner. And I have no babies to give me an excuse!!! (Okay I do have two jobs but... yeah, if I had a free evening cleaning prob wouldn't be the first thing I jumped to do). But I think you're right... whether we love cleaning or not, it feels so good to accomplish that homemaker stuff. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so awesome!!!! I'm so glad it's worked out so well for you!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of wondering what would come to pass if I have a child or (gasp at the very thought) children under 3. I remember (not with fondness) the very worst days of infertility being the ones when I was barren, unemployed, and a useless waste of oxygen on the couch eating potato chips watching Lifetime and A Baby Story. I could not even manage getting up to do the basic household duties.
ReplyDeleteNow, interestingly enough, I have literally NO TIME at my house while the sun is still out, and yet I find myself willingly doing laundry if it's before my necessitated bedtime, and/or taking the trash out, cleaning the bathroom (which I actually enjoy doing, I know, I'm weird)... I still rarely cook, but would you if you were married to a chef? ;)
Anyway, I guess my point is that when I manage to work those duties into my routine, it somehow gets done, but when I had all the free time in the world, it never got done. I think the more productive you are, the more productive you can be. (I know how that sounds, and yes I meant it to sound that way.)
Ummm... so I just read through the other comments, and clearly I'm in the minority here in advocating for you to keep up the newfound productivity with your free time ;) What do I know?
ReplyDeleteObviously I think you deserve rest and relaxation. But it is cheaper to get laundry done than continue buying new clothes to replace the thrown out moldy ones, right? ;)
See this is the real treasure of having 2 babies under 2. For the REST of your life, "doing housekeeping", especially without a baby on your hip, counts as a vacation. Soon you'll be not only keeping up with your own house but cheerfully cleaning the house of other Mama's with newborns and no sleep.
ReplyDeleteI'm always happy when I read that other people have a hard time getting laundry etc done...because I am so bad at it! And then when they have a "turn around" (like TCIE with her busy schedule, but who now gets things done) I have hope for myself, that someday, I will actually be a productive person. haha.
ReplyDeleteAhh free time is the best...truly changed my life after he started sleeping at night :) I don't think I've ever done a load of laundry during free time- it is too precious! Am I the only one who feels like doing laundry during the day helps break it up so I can take a break from playing, lol!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think about trying for #2, but then I think of how much I love free time and can't quite bring myself to jump onto that wagon yet :P
I have phases and moods. Sometimes I need order or I can not rest. Or like now, I could care less.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I know for sure, is if this house is gonna get clean and in a respectable way, it's gonna be done by me. ;)
My husband used to do laundry, somehow I think he has forgotten. ;)
When H was just a new baby I was doing a load a day, even if it was an extra small load. It was so easy to keep up with. I'm slacking on that and wish I could get back in that habit. The folding and putting away took me seconds.
Oh well...God's not gonna ask us how clean our house is but how much love we put towards are tasks...I loved blogging God, I absolutely loved blogging during nap time! ;) Thanks for asking! ;)
When I talk about a clean house on my blog its because I actually have the energy to do it.... ;) hahaha