Survival: Expiring Soon

Survival: Expiring Soon

Having a baby changes everything…. DUH!  As if we didn’t all know THAT one!  There is a specified length of time after having a baby that I affectionately refer to as “survival.”  For twins, that allotted time of survival is at least a year!  The goals of life include only the very basics: breathing, feeding the babies and hopefully mama too and at some point there is some amount of sleep going on (though much less than desired).  However, for a singleton, that survival time is only “allowed” to be about 4-6 months. 

                …… SIDE NOTE…. Having our 5 kids in the house…. I feel like survival mode may last for the next 18 years…. But that’s for another post….

So, here we are.  Five months post-partum and survival mode is soon expiring.  You see, this mode of operation is much easier when there aren’t other children to take care of.  During survival mode, schedules fluctuate, meals get a little junkier, the house gets a little more cluttered, discipline goes down the drain (with your energy level) and days of quality activity or accomplishments are few and far between. 

Last night, I made a decision.  I’m going to transition from a night owl to a morning person.  If you know me at all, you know that I can easily stay up until 2:00am and wake and function the next morning with no problems.  (However, this usually means I’m waking up about 8:00am…with my children #truth).  Midnight is ‘early’ for me and 10:00pm seems like the bedtime of a preschooler, BUT…… That’s what I’ve decided.

I’m kind of an extreme person.  (GASP)  I have the goal of waking up sometime before 5:00, but saying 4:30 still seems to early, so I’m not going to say that out loud yet. 

In a house full of children, the quiet is hard to come by.  I either have to stay up late or get up early. Those are the options. 

DAY 1:  Woke up at 5:45.  Folded Laundry.  Took a 10 minute power walk on the treadmill (This was not for exercise sake, don’t worry… this was just to get the blood pumping).  Showered. Make-up. Wrote thank you cards…. All by 6:30. Sounds good, right?! 

HAHAHAHAHA!  Jokes on me!  This little list doesn’t include that the three year old needed assistance to the bathroom two times during this time, then needed his “potty candy” (aka chocolate chip for using the bathroom).  Oh yeah, his blankets needed fixed too (eye roll here).  Riiiiiiii-gggghhhhhhtttttt.  And the baby woke up three times. 

This plan doesn’t seem to be going as well as hoped.  A morning of quiet, peacefulness and productivity doesn’t seem to be anywhere in sight, no matter how much I desire it. 

Back to the drawing board (probably at midnight) 😊