Sharing is Caring

If you don’t live under an internet rock, you’ve probably heard a lot of these buzzy words lately:

Intentional

Self-care

Mindfulness

Journey

Progress

Blah, blah, blah.

But I get it.

They are buzzy for a reason.

Before having kids, I was getting good better at the self-care game.

I would go for long walks through the woods, bike rides around the city, read for an hour before bed each night, prep and cook my food for the week on Sunday, and do yoga at least three times a week.

I tried to make those things fit into my life after Sadie was born, but it was either exhausting to do them or I felt bad about myself for not getting them done.

When Reese joined the crew, it was obvious that I was going to have to rethink what self-care looks like.

Gone are  the days that I can listen to a podcast for two hours while I peddle my bike through Amish country.

But I could still manage to sneak in podcasts in the shower (if I get up before everyone else to do it, and yes, it is COMPLETELY worth the 20 extra minutes of missed sleep to enjoy a hot shower by myself).

I stumbled upon the Thought for Food Podcast which had a show with an author who wrote  a book called Raising Healthy Parents.

The episode was life changing.

It was the reframe I needed to discover how to be more flexible in this season (another buzz word!) of my life.

So what does self-care look like for me now?

Mostly a hot, interrupted mess but I’m so mindfully intentional on my self-care journey that I know it’s about progress, not perfection.

See what I did there? 

Self-care with a 2 year old and a four month old: 

Squats at my desk after I’m done pumping at work.

In another life, a workout didn’t “count” if it wasn’t at least 45 minutes long.

10 minutes of yoga, if both kids are asleep by 7:30

In another life, I would laugh at the suggestion of just 10 minutes of yoga. But those 10 minutes literally restore my soul. 

In bed at 7:45 (if the kids are asleep)

We went over this last week. Adequate Sleep is my number 1 self care item.

15 minutes of reading in the evening

BUT I WANT AN HOUR!!

A  sip of hot pumpkin spice coffee before I talk to people

Excuse me while I have a mindful moment. 

Waking up early to take a shower by myself (sometimes that means 4:30 AM on the weekends). 

SO WORTH IT.

Taking short cuts from the grocery store and using more prepackaged foods

The perfectionist in me cringes. The new me says “EFF OFF and just get the kids fed.” 

Eating the same meals in heavy rotation

The secret to healthy eating when you have no time? Find your staple healthy foods/meals and eat them on repeat. And then repeat. 

Eating REAL food and eating enough of it to keep up with the energizer bunnies children.

It’s non-negotiable. I HAVE to eat enough REAL food (not sugary cereal and granola bars) to have enough energy to do my job as a Mom. I’m quite happy with my progress on this one.

Becoming “Un-busy”

I’ve always liked an Un-busy life, but I felt bad about it. I felt like I should be doing more. Now I’m embracing the slow movement and letting go of unnecessary guilt.

Listening to podcasts that make me think about what I want my life to look like. How can I be more positive and productive? 

When Facebook became a political nightmare around the elections, I realized that it is up to me to surround myself with things that make me happy or make me a better person. Listening to podcasts exposes me to ideas and philosophies that get my brain thinking in new ways. As a lover of learning, it quenches that academic thirst. 

I HIGHLY recommend the book Raising Healthy Parents because it has nuggets of wisdom that will help anyone looking to find a way to make changes within themselves that are both realistic and attainable.

But I bet you’re just here for pictures of the babies.

Reese is four months and a bundle of fun!

I say a bundle because we still put her in her straight jacket swaddler on a pretty regular basis.

She’s learning to:

Lean on her side (I can not in good conscience call it rolling over)

Grab clumps of big sister’s hair

Sleep all day and party all night

Pick pumpkins

Gain weight like an MMA fighter (12 pounds!)

And Sadie is THE BEST big sister!

She loves to hold up objects and tell Reese what they are

Bring Reese her favorite toys

And tell everyone “It’s not that serious” when we have our mad faces on.

In the end, the buzzy cliche is true.

My kids make me a better person.

But they better not interrupt my shower.

Just kidding.

No I’m not.