Monday, February 25, 2013

Just another manic Monday


Happy Monday to you all! Of course, it's even happier now that it's nearly done - for the workin' folk! For the mommies and daddies... it's only half way through! :P Today on my way home from work, I heard an interesting theory on the radio. The DJ was talking about how there is a statistic out there somewhere that says that people tend to take more time to get ready and dressed for work on Mondays than they do the whole rest of the week. If I'm correct, it was that folks take close to an hour and a half on Mondays, compared to nineteen minutes on Fridays! That's quite the difference! But I realized that it's true. Now, while I may not take that much extra time in minutes, I do take the extra time in thought, because (let's face it) what mom or dad actually has an hour and a half in the morning to throw away just to put on some clothes!? Anyway... the theory is that people do this to make a good impression going into a new week. The DJ then questioned whether it was to make a good impression, or because you were out too late the night before, are hung over and still wearing the same clothes you did when you left the house Sunday night? lol Now... I thought about this for a minute, because, again, I realized that this really is true. I do tend to look nicer on Monday than I do during the rest of the week. I started to wonder why, and realized that it really just makes me feel good. Nobody likes Monday unless they work a non-traditional work shift and suddenly get Tuesday and Wednesday off! So, getting up on Monday is a bummer for most. But when I put a little extra planning and thought into my outfit - and then when I actually execute it well - I feel so much better about it being Monday!
----- What about you folks? Do you dress better on Monday? Do you take longer to get ready? Why do you think that is? OR... do you go the opposite way? Do you just roll out of bed and throw something on? Why do you think that is? 

On that note, I would like to share my OOTD (outfit of the day) with you. Shannon, Kailly and I came up with the idea of sharing OOTDs while I was still on maternity leave. Though I'm not sure who came up with it initially, it has continued to work as a motivator each day. Especially during my maternity leave, it encouraged me to just get dressed. Even if I didn't have the time or energy to take a shower, getting dressed and sometimes putting on even a little makeup would make me feel like I had accomplished something for the day. 


This is my "I tried extra hard today" outfit. The "extra" can't be seen, but I'm wearing skinny jeans with short boots, which are also 3 inch heels! :)


I thought I would share a bit about "a day in the life". So... here goes.

Any given day, I'm awake by 5:00am, feeding baby C, but I usually try to catch a few more Zs before we actually need to be up and getting ready for the day. By 7:00ish, I'm awake and MH is finishing getting ready for work. I go to the kitchen, throw my K-cup into the Kuerig and then go wake up baby C. I feed, change, and dress him and then I grab my cup of coffee. I try to shower the night before, so that I don't have to waste that valuable time in the morning. So... at this point, I approach my closet with my new post baby hips and boobs, and hope to find something that fits appropriately enough to wear in public... let alone work! After I finally find something and squeeze into it, I face the mirror to find a hairdo that will be convenient, yet cute. Usually, it ends up in a pony tail, with a tease, or a bun. (This is why I cut my bangs... with my hair up, I still get at least SOME dimension!) Eventually, I finish my makeup and by then, I'm rushing (no matter what, it seems) to start the car and let it warm up, before I load a diaper bag, my pumping bag, my purse, the car seat, baby C and myself into it! Then we are off to the sitter's! We are so fortunate that we have friends who have volunteered to watch C for us and they live nearby, which makes it all even better! Knowing that I'm leaving C with friends who we know and trust, makes it so much easier for me to work. Once I drop him off, I am off to work, one town over where I work as the Administrative Assistant for the City Parks and Rec department. It's a fun job, and all of the staff gets to wear so many different hats. Really, there isn't just one job that any one of us does! We all help each other out and do it all! I won't go into the tedious details of my job... especially since I just recently got back from maternity leave - right after the start of a new fiscal year (yay) - and there is a lot of catching up to do. Also... I throw in my pumping schedule at work, which is time that I'm not used to setting aside at work, so that's a whole new challenge. However, I am so lucky in that I am able to work part time! So... I start my day early(ish), and then I'm left with a good chunk of the day to spend with C, though I always have a good list of things to be done once I get home. 

--This list includes physical therapy twice a week. It's something that really is difficult to continue. You see, because of my EDS, I required physical therapy throughout my pregnancy. With EDS, loose ligaments is a normal every day thing, which leads to regular slipping or dislocation of joints, and chronic pain is an ever-present, unwelcome guest. So, after having C, my  joints and bones are just a MESS! After having the hormone relaxin released during pregnancy, my joints were loosened even more than they usually are already. So now, I have a lot of work to do to get things back to where they were before. (Which wasn't ideal to begin with.) It's hard work, but I will continue to try my hardest!--

Moving on...

I'm still getting used to this whole schedule, so I still feel as though there just isn't enough time with my little man each day, but I don't know that I'll ever feel differently. I constantly deal with this internal battle. I love my job and I really do enjoy being at work, but then I start to feel guilty for being happy to be at work, because what good mom enjoys being away from her baby? But then I remember that I'm doing this all for him. I have several pictures of him around me on my desk at work, so I just look at one and imagine the vacation that I want to take him on and calculate how much time I have to save and how far away that first goal is! That always motivates me to work as hard as I can while I'm at work. 

Anywho... once we're home, there's a little time for playing, chores (mostly laundry... cloth diapers, etc.); then Daddy is on his way home, so it's time to start dinner. Once MH gets home, I always try to make sure that he gets enough time with C, since he works 8 hours a day and doesn't really get much time with C before the weekends! I absolutely love listening to my boys play together. They really do have a special relationship that I will never have with baby C; then again, C and I have a special relationship that he will never have with Daddy. This is so beautiful to me! 

Now, in my day to day, I have a few specific "tools" that I rely heavily! My three most important possessions these days are: My Keurig - which provides me with the "water of life"; my baby swing - which almost instantly puts baby C to sleep when he's fighting naps... it always  soothes him, even if it doesn't put him to sleep right away; and last but ABSOLUTELY not least (this is really two, but they count as one thing to me) my Moby and my Wallababy. The Moby and the Wallababy are my baby wearing accessories. The Moby is best if C wants to feel more swaddled or be in a constant cradle hold. I can basically strap him to my chest and be hands free to still get stuff done around the house. The Wallababy is a bit faster than the Moby, and is a ring sling. This one is best if C wants to be right up against my chest, but not be held so tightly. The Wallababy is also wonderful to take with me when we go into town to get groceries, because then we don't need the stroller, and we can avoid taking the car seat out of the car and this is just invaluable! 
----- What are some of your most valuable possessions as a mommy? What can you just not survive without? 

Here are some random facts about me:

1. I love dance! I actually did ballet when I was younger, and then cheered in High School AND in College. When I watch any dancing on TV, I get goose bumps. It is such an emotional experience to me! 

2. I am 5' 2" and my husband is nearly 6' 6"! :P

3. I am nearly completely fluent in Spanish. 

4. I play the guitar... just not very well.

5. I play the French Horn - it was my main instrument for about 12 years.

6. I secretly always wished I could be a model! (Perhaps this is why I enjoy photography so much?)

7. I sincerely believe in the power and healing qualities of breast milk! 

8. I'm kind of a bit of a hippie. 

9. I love Hockey! Matt Duchene is my MAN! :D

10. I shiver uncontrollably when I'm nervous or emotional... my chin quivers and everything! 

Well, folks, that's all from me for today! It was fun sharing with you and I hope to hear from you soon! Share with us... we want to get to know you too! 

Zebra hugs! 
Love, 
Ashley

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