We had hubby home for the weekend but come Monday morning it was back to flying solo once again. This will be the pattern for the rest of the month – brief moments of family time followed by another trip away. To some extent, I get used to it although I’m not sure it ever really gets any easier. It’s not helped at the moment by the number of balls I’ve been juggling – planning and preparing for the last assignment on my HR course; helping to write song lyrics for, and organise, a concert at church; working part-time from home; blogging and of course, most importantly, being mummy. Accepting that I can’t do it all and splitting the to-do list into ‘essential’, ‘desirable’ and ‘if time allows’ so I can prioritise what really matters and let go of the things that can wait. Somehow the things that need to get done get ticked off the list.
There are moments when I find myself getting overwhelmed and stressed, and then there are moments when I stop and just focus on sitting and having a cuddle with my girls. Those are the moments when everything falls into place again, when I realise what is really important. The moments when I put all those balls down for a while and have a rest from it all, recharging my batteries ready for when I need to start juggling once again. We’ll get there – but I’m looking forward to when it gets a little calmer!
Things I have loved this week:
- Having a delicious brunch cooked for me in my own home by a chef (and if you’d like to have one too, you can enter my giveaway).
- Watching the girls dancing along while watching Strictly.
- Making a very yummy chocolate cake with a little help from my girls.
- Sharing a guest post about my parenting journey as part of Double the Monkey Business’ fab #ParentingScoop series.
- Going along to Jessica’s school harvest festival.
- Sophie giving me big cuddles and saying “Aww Mummy, I love you much!”
- Helping Grandma and Grandad pick apples from the trees in their garden.
- Watching Jessica reading a story to Sophie (a mixture of remembering the story and describing the pictures rather than reading the words).
- Listening to Sophie singing to herself while playing with her toys.
- Jessica being discharged from the hearing clinic and being told that her hearing is now back to normal.
- Unexpected snuggles with Jessica when she woke up wanting Mummy one evening.
It sounds like you have so much going on at the moment Louise – I really admire your juggling skills! But as you say, the hardest thing to do sometimes is to prioritise. When you have such high expectations of yourself if is difficult to accept that you can’t physically do everything, at least not without damage to health,wellbeing and relationships. It’s fantastic you take those moments to pause and just be with your girls.
It sounds like you had some really lovely moments this week and the cake looks yummy!!
I hope you enjoy your weekend x
It can be really stressful juggling and deal with multiple things in one go. But it is great you find the time to wind down with cuddles giving you time to stop and think. The food looks divine especially the cake, yummy! X #wotw
Oh my word you really do have a lot on your plate. Well done for keeping up with it all, you’re doing a fantastic job.
Nat.x
That is a lot of juggling, no wonder you’re sometimes feeling overwhelmed. Like you, I find that if I just stop, cuddle the kids and take a moment, things do seem easier once more. It’s amazing how it works like that. I hope this week goes smoothly for you x Thanks for sharing with #WotW
That cake looks lovely! I don’t think T celebrates harvest in their school, would’ve love to have gone to that too and I can imagine how difficult it must be when your hubby is away. Glad he’s back 🙂 #wotw
What a busy time. I can’t believe you are writing a song too! Cuddles do give you that important time to breathe. I love the cake. I bet it tasted yummy. #wotw
It sounds like another busy week! You are amazing finding the time for everything!
The meal you had cooked for you looked amazing! What a treat!
It sounds like a lovely week! #WotW
You sound like an expert at juggling but I know what you mean about feeling overwhelmed as I’m exactly the same sometimes. It’s great that you have prioritised the essentials and spent lots of time with your girls. Great news about Jessica’s hearing. #WotW
Aww I don’t know how you manage going solo with everything else you have to do! It sounds like their have been some lovely moments with you and Jessica. Great news about the hearing discharge too! I hope you get all your jobs done! xx #wotw
I am so pleased Jessica was discharged for her hearing. Its hard when hubby works away isn’t it, you get in a routine but its not ideal. And you are so right about stopping a re focusing when the jobs build up, life it too short to get stressed about silly things. x
What a busy week – but I am glad that you got to have cuddles, the photo of you and Jessica is super cute! It’s such fab news about Jessica being discharged from the hearing clinic.
I am trying not to be very jealous of your yummy chocolate cake!!
You might have been juggling Louise, but so many happy moments in there for you too. Nothing quite beats being able to be there for your child and giving them an unconditional love-filled, simple cuddle. 🙂 #wotw
Awww some lovely times even though you’ve been flying solo. I really don’t know how you do it. #WotW.
Juggling is a skill we have to learn very early on into Motherhood, it doesn’t mean I’m any good at it!
Sounds like you have a lot going on and I like that you’ve tailored your to-do list – that’s half the battle, identifying the essentials and putting aside the would-like-to-but-not-essential.
Glad Jessica’s hearing is back to normal and what lovely snuggles – no matter how old they get there is nothing better than snuggles!
Have a lovely week & best of luck flying solo and juggling once again
xx
#WoTW