People say to me all the “Girl, I don’t know how you do it”
I work full time outside of the house, write this blog, and attend events all while being a wife and mother. It’s not easy!
Peyton is my number one priority! I value my time with her especially since I work all day. I drop her off around 8:30 am and pick her up at 5pm. From 5pm until she goes to bed I disconnect, that is Peyton’s time. I do not touch a computer or phone. I prepare her dinner and I sit and eat with her. Then we play until bedtime which is 8pm.
As of the last few days, our little crib jumper has decided she only wants to sleep with us in our bed full time. But normally she goes down at 8pm with no problem. Once she is sleep I break out the lap top and turn on the TV so I can blog and tweet. I stay up until 12 or 1 am.
Peyton, the part-time sleeper wakes up at 3am (or 5am if we are lucky), requesting to get in the bed with us and some milk or juice. Sometimes she goes back to sleep and sometimes she is ready to start the day. She will talk, sing ABCs and Fresh Beat Band, and say Daadee about 400 times. We try to sleep through it. I usually get up for real at 6am.
I know everyone thinks I am out all the time. For a Mom, I do get out pretty often. I try to limit week night events to no more then once a week. Since we start our bedtime routine at 7:30, I try to head out around that time so she doesn’t miss me. I feel like after she is in bed she won’t miss me and I won’t miss anytime with her.
The ugly part of me trying to “do it all” is that I let a lot of stuff go. I don’t cook, then again I never have. I have managed to find easy things to make for Peyton like nuggets and fries but I need to do better. Mister is on his own for all his meals. I don’t clean as much as I should. Sleep is another thing I let go. I am lucky if I get 4 straight hours of sleep! I know that is not good but I have gotten used to it. These black Gucci bags that I am rocking under my eyes are not cute!
I am blessed that Mister stays with Peyton while I go out so we do not need outside help with our daughter.
So how do you do it all? Do you have any tips? What have you let go?
kita
April 12, 2012 at 4:27 amLol no tips with two little ones, cooking,cleaning,and hw weekday events are totally out and I don’t work outside the home so I can only imagine, you have your plate full. Hopefully she will get use to sleeping through the night some kids it takes a minute my son started sleeping around 4 straight through and get ready to wake during the night for potty training that is a whole nother set of issues. Good luck
Megan, The Frugalista Diaries
April 12, 2012 at 4:40 amI remember when aiden became a crib jumper, oy, we just got him a big boy bed and that was it, until baby came and now he insists on sleeping with us every night…while the baby sleeps soundly in his crib, for now.
TiaLou
April 12, 2012 at 5:29 amI think having that “protected” time in the evening is crucial. My aim has always been to be there in the morning with my kiddos and when they go to bed. It’s gotten a little looser since they’ve gotten older. Some days I’m Chef Boyardee and others we’re grabbing a pizza. There’s no right way, but as long as you make P your #1 priority it will all work out :).
christiana's_mommy
April 12, 2012 at 5:32 amI totally understand what you are going through! I am also a working mother and wife and have as you called them “Gucci bags” under my eyes. I found that using a crock pot will help with dinner and freezing the extras for other nights. As for the cleaning, hmmm I hate cleaning so I really can’t give any advice on that other than take it one week at a time. Now our 1 year old sleeps with us, sometimes daddy sleeps on the couch because we toss and turn throughout the night and so he can write
christiana's_mommy
April 12, 2012 at 5:33 amOh and date nights help and makes sure daddy has his time with mommy…my little momma is also my priority. :0)
Dr. Reginia
April 12, 2012 at 6:17 amYou “do it all” well. I admire mom bloggers and socialites who keep it all together.
Vanessa.
April 12, 2012 at 11:02 amDear, you’re a great mom! I totally admire the life you have, always busy but you have time to blog and, most importantly, you can have good times with your baby the hours you’re in home!
You’re amazing, it’s all I can say!
BernettaStyle
April 12, 2012 at 11:39 amMy question is what happens when you have two. One is easy but two or more is challenge. I think you do it all well and make it look easy, but you like you said something has to give, (cooking, cleaning, etc.) But in the end if hubby is happy that you are doing your thing and he is supportive > Enjoy. You will find your happy medium in the end!
Jill
April 12, 2012 at 11:53 amIts so hard juggling everything, (and I don’t work outside the home anymore) kudos to you. My only problem is that I need at least 7 hours of sleep. If I did not need as much sleep I would have a cleaner house, and make fabulous dinners. I don’t like to go out at night either until Scarlett is in bed either, totally agree she won’t miss me if she is sleeping. You do it all so well and you look fabulous doing it!!
Tiffani
April 12, 2012 at 1:31 pmI stumbled upon your blog when you were featured on fashionbombdaily. I’m not even a mom but I love your blog. Your daughter is super cute and like the other ladies say you do make it look easy. I hope you get a chance to start getting some more sleep though. That can take a toll on your health after a while.
Keep going, lady. 🙂
Chicago Mom (Heather)
April 12, 2012 at 3:50 pmI love Jill’s answer. I work full time too. I probably go out 1-2 times a month and I LOVE it when I do (and I don’t feel guilty). My house is always in need of mopping and there is always laundry to be done. I just give myself a break and do my best!! Hugs!
Amber
April 12, 2012 at 3:51 pmI think I’ll be honest in saying thank you for this post, because I was one of the wonder-ers wondering how you managed it all! I feel you on having time dedicated to Peyton when you get home. Some of my non-mommy friends don’t understand that on weeknights, I can’t be reached on my cell. That’s family time – period! Like you, I do my “all” with help from my husband and my mother-in-law. I work two jobs, blog, and a whole host of other stuff that I’m too tired to remember right now! LOL
Mrs. Collins
April 12, 2012 at 4:09 pmYou are one busy Mama!! I love that you keep it real when it comes to your daily/weekly routine. You’re so motivated and ambitious and your blog is inspiring. It’s great that your hubby supports you which is so important! I don’t know if I could do it all if I didn’t have my hubby. Kudos to you for keeping it together.
Carissa
April 12, 2012 at 6:42 pmI was just writing a blog on this same topic…it should be up soon! But I was thinking the same thing its hard to do everything. I agree with the others that have commented that you need to get more rest because it will cause a toll on your health eventually and we don’t want that! But I will also say thanks for posting this because as a new mommy you really feel bad when you don’t get something done whether its for the baby or the man lol! But its impossible to do everything!
YUMMommy
April 12, 2012 at 6:47 pmSleep is the biggest thing I’ve let go. Some nights are better than others with getting the kids down. Then I often get caught up answering emails, following up on writing leads, etc. I’ve got to do better because it’s starting to make me super duper cranky!
Cam | Bibs and Baubles
April 12, 2012 at 7:11 pmYou are super busy but it sounds like you’re pretty organized about it with your priorities in place. For me, I do what I can when I can. I’d love to have more time to clean. Many of my friends have a cleaning lady to come a couple times a month. Maybe I need to get on that train. LOL!
Rhonda
April 12, 2012 at 7:21 pmYes! I love this post because they aske me this all of the time too! But I think you are better organized than me! I have a cleaning lady but I still have to do the dishes, cook, and laundry! I get it done but I am so tired and then I want to travel and do fun stuff! It’s hard! But I make it happen! You do too!
Alicia xoxxo
April 12, 2012 at 7:43 pmWow! You go momma! I don’t know how you get by on so little sleep! I NEED my sleep. I am a SAHM which you know, and I try hard to juggle everything, spend QT with hubs, etc…but one thing I have let go is my love of reading. I just don’t have time for it anymore!
D WWAHHMpreneur Johnson
April 12, 2012 at 8:01 pmWhen my kids were smaller, I just didn’t do the kinds of things I do now. They just depended on me too much, and my 3 kids are close in age (18 months and then 2.5 years apart). So, for many years, I just did the mom thing and gave up on the other things … but while I was doing the mom thing, I was training my kids to be self-sufficient. So, now, they’re able to help me in the home and now I have time to pursue my blogging, writing and other biz/ministry endeavors.
Aisha G of HartlynKids
April 12, 2012 at 10:07 pmHaving a supportive network is key. I would love to live outside of New York but I won’t leave because my mother is here as is my MIL… so I stay. They help with date nights and childcare which is great. I also have a cleaning lady and I’m not ashamed
Splendor
April 13, 2012 at 12:13 amIt’s good that you’re making time to Do you… I just learned that concept after 17 years of marriage and 3 kids. I am now on a mission to make ME a priority after sacrificing so much for my husband and children. I have a wonderful support system and make sure I spend quality time with my children so that I have no guilt when I let my hair down and DO ME! 😉
http://doingmemindbodyandspirit.blogspot.com/
~ Y
April 13, 2012 at 1:00 amI can relate. I manage to “do it all,” but some things are definitely not the best they can be. I do cook dinner for DH and the boys, but it’s very, very simple (lol – i need to do better)…. and I really dont clean at all. lol. The boys are in bed by 7:30 pm, which frees me up for social media stuff. So yeah, everything gets done, but it’s not all done superbly. lol. I need full-time live in extra help, but who can afford that?!
Rose's Daughter
April 13, 2012 at 4:29 amI don’t know why, but I was SURE you were a stay at home mom!! Guuuurl! I don’t know how you do it, but you do it well!
LA Lynn's
April 13, 2012 at 4:34 amOMG!!!!! I totally assumed thatbu were a stay at home Mom!!!!! Kudos Mama because I truly don’t know how u do it & I don’t have any answers… SORRY!!!!
BTW, you are an awesome Mom & Peyton and the Mister both knows this!!!!! Blessings to you & yours!!!!
Julie Strieter
April 13, 2012 at 2:46 pmI am glad to hear that I am not the only mama who doesn’t cook. I always give myself guilt trips for that but I just don’t want to spend my time that way. I am so with you on this post. I have to have a lot of sleep or I cannot function though. I wish I could go on a lot less because it would give me more time. My little one’s won’t stay in their beds either and it doesn’t matter how much I try to cajole them it is just not happening.
Power to the busy moms of the world. It is one of the toughest jobs out there and the sweetest as well.
Julie
All Glam Things
April 16, 2012 at 9:38 pmI’m not a Mother yet but extremely short on time. Seriously, how do you do that?)
Xo,
Yelena,
GlamThings
BossyGirl1980
April 17, 2012 at 2:11 pmTruthfully…an area always suffers.. One day I’ll get it together…