A Watched Pot Never Boils?

 

 

 

 

I preface this by the admittance that many of my posts may be about two or more weeks after the time from which I was either inspired to write, or from the time in which the event(s) occurred, as being a family of six I just have limited time to write in a timely manner anymore much less even proofread; but hopefully you will still enjoy my experiences.

 

Two weeks ago, I embarked on my first full week back in full swing as a mom of four with no meals being supplied by my church family and no actual days off for the Holidays on Scot's part anymore.  The Holidays were over and the meals were done and our regular schedule was back into full swing again.  For the most part, it was a good first week back; however, at differemt points through out a given day, I really did find myself running in circles and circles and circles.  Moments of calm were often followed by moments of absolute craziness and chaotic multi-tasking to say the least.

 

For example, one late morning that week, Little Man wanted to go outside and play in our tiny plot of land we call our backyard.  I thought that it was a perfect idea since colder temps and rain were expected the following day, and as I have learned with my crew and my rather small house, getting them outside to run off energy is VITAL!!  So I got Little Man ready to embark on his adventure outside, but I needed to stay inside with Big Boy to nurse him.  Luckily, our yard is small so I can sit from my glider in the living room and pretty much see our backyard and children with out a problem. 

 

At first, everything was going smoothly.  Little Man was playing and Big Boy was nursing and I was basking in the unsuspected ease of it all.  Then Little Man decided to become a daredevil on our play set, and so I had to quickly had to place Big Boy on the floor and run outside to address that going-ons.  Then I burped Big Boy and proceeded to nurse again when Little Man took a tumble.  I once again had to place Big Boy down and run outside.  I then came inside finished nursing Big Boy and then went to change his diaper.  Then Little Boy had another something go on and I ran back outside to just come back inside where Big Boy spat up all over himself.  Then Little Boy was crying because he couldn't get going on the swing so being a mom who wanted to let her two-year-old know that he wasn't forgotten and to give him attention, I ran back outside to push him on the swing.  As I was out there I realized that it was lunch time and ran inside to retrieve Little Man's lunch.  After I placed his lunch on the table, I cleaned up the yard quickly and retrieved Little Man, washed him up, fed him, and put him down for nap.  Then it was time to feed me and after I quickly threw food down my throat, it was time to feed Big Boy once again!

 

The depiction above was how my first week to two weeks back in the saddle have gone--a whirlwind.  The first week back, Paize's dance classes started up again.  I spent all day gearing up for this crazy outing and planned how I would approach the very busy and crazy parking lot with three kids walking and the fourth in the carrier.  I decided that in order to over come that obstacle, we would leave extra early and planned exactly where I wanted to park.  The plan started off extremely well.  At 5:15 PM, we all huddle into the van (note: our usual departure for her 5:45 PM class has  been usually 5:30 PM mind you) and we all headed down the road.  We pull in and I was able to park the van where I had planned.  We exit the vehicle and all headed to the sidewalk in the manner in which I had planned: Sky Baby and Crazy Paizy holding hands while I carried Big Boy in the carrier with my stronger right arm and held Little Man's hand with my left hand as we journeyed out of the parking lot to the sidewalk.  SPLENDID!  That too went according to plan.  The kiddos and I walked briskly down the sidewalk with Little Man trying to stray here and there from course, which I had anticipated that I would have a few course corrections with him.  We make it to the studio door, and me and my crew headed right on in.  Got Crazy Paizy in her dance shoes and looked at the clock Phew! We had just a few minutes to spare!  And then I kissed her cheek and told her I loved her and began planning our exit when they announce that today was costume fitting day.  COSTUME FITTING DAY!  How did I miss that!

 

Now my mind starts trying to figure out how to proceed on to the unexpected change of plans.  We all huddle into the studio and I quickly fitted Paize in her costume while listening to the instructions that were being given while trying to keep track of Little Man who was meandering around the room and sending Sky Baby on an occasional recognisance mission to retrieve her wondering brother.  Fitting quickly came to an end and I then kissed Paize on her cute cheek, threw her costume into Sky Baby's arms and retrieved both boys and headed out the door.  As we made it to the van, my mind was on the next task--dinner. 

 

My dinner making was now fifteen minutes behind schedule!  We pile in the front door and I start running around to make dinner--a dinner that I thought would be simple.  A dinner for which I had planned earlier in the day.  I grabbed the frozen breaded chicken and threw them in the oven, I got my frozen veggies boiling but I didn't expect Little Man and Sky Baby to be hungry and demanding snack!  I also didn't realize that by being fifteen minutes late to start my dinner meant that I would be starting dinner as Big Boy is whaling for his because he was now due!  I scoop my screaming baby into my arms and proceed to give Little Man and Sky Baby the what for as certainly couldn't they see I was trying to remedy the problem!

 

By this point, I am on mommy overload trying to do this and that with a screaming baby in my arms who needed to eat.  I shove food in a bowl for Little Man and Sky Baby because I just needed  quiet and then I seized my opportunity to feed Big Boy.  It was the perfect opportunity I thought.  I had just started the water and such boiling for my Pasta Roni (Yes, this was a meal of flexibility I had described to you in my last post!) so I grabbed my kitchen bar stool and actually started breastfeeding while sitting upon that with fourteen pound Big Boy in my arms.  If you can imagine, breastfeeding for anyone on a bar stool is not the easiest task much less for an infant the size of Big Boy!

 

I thought that sitting on the bar stool would be perfect because I would be able to feed Big Boy and keep watch over my pot of water on the stove.  However, something went wrong!  You know the saying that a watched pot never boils?  Probably, because you are impatiently waiting for it to boil that it seems forever before that pot of water comes to a boil?  Nope not in my case.  Due to the fact that I just wanted a few minutes to nurse my child and breath, I watched that pot of water come to a rolling boil in what seemed like two to three minutes!  My mouth dropped open!  I wanted more time!  I needed more time.

 

I then got up from the stool with my nursing baby and with one hand I did what I thought would be an easy task--pour the pasta from the box into the pot.  The plan went smoother in my head because the pasta came out in one messy clump.  With my free hand I went for the fork to smash the pasta down into the pot but all I ended up doing was sending dried, broken pieces of pasta into the air!  I placed Big Boy down to tackle the problem and then just started laughing.  I needed that laugh and I kept laughing.  And yes, because of the laughter it brought, I did actually take the extra minute to grab my cell phone and take a picture of the pot!

 

 

 



Flexible

Since officially becoming a mom of four children, and well even just before hand, I have learned a new word and I have embraced a new motto for my motherhood, which is to be FLEXIBLE.  Yep, that is it.  It is simple enough for some moms, but it has not been as such for me. 

I have been learning to set my expectations low as a mom and to make my daily goals simple and reasonable (If I have any daily goals at all!).  For instance, I used to take pride on how much I was able to get done in one day, including spending time with my kids.  However, as I have learned in the recent weeks, just getting dressed and applying make-up is a feat all of its own.  One day this week, I had one (just ONE!) simple chore planned (Well, at least I thought that it was simple!), and I was unable to ever really achieve it or even attempt at working on it.  Yep, between having a newborn, and the girls home from school and trying to potty train my two-year-old son who also came down with a cold and a runny nose, all I ended up doing was running up and down the stairs all morning long.  I kid you not.  I have not been able to get into an exercise routine as of yet, because sleeping an additional hour with a newborn infant seems more important to me and to my well being as a mom, and hence to the well being of my family, than getting back into shape. Well, as of right now, just how many times I am up and down all day long, just may be all the exercise that I need currently!  It has just been an accomplishment to get lunch for all four of my kiddos during winter break!  And that is an important accomplishment!  And it took me three days to get my one simple task, though I will use that term loosely now, accomplished by the way!

I also used to try to get all my planned chores done in a specific time frame during the day so that the evening I am pretty much free.  Whelp, those days are long gone at the moment.  After dishes are put away and lunches are packed for school the following day, I have learned if I have a moment to get one quick thing done, I need to embrace it at any time.  Take last night for instance, as I was getting ready for bed, I was in the bathroom and discovered my toilet was in desperate need of a cleaning and well I ended up scrubbing that sucker at 10 PM, which used to be taboo for me! However, I have learned to seize opportunity, no matter what time!

Besides wanting to embrace my children and to spend time with them, I also thought I was a better mom for turning off the TV and doing crafts and various activities with my kids.  While I absolutely detest having the television on too much, right now as I  adjust to being a mother of four and having a newborn, I am afraid that I have used the television to babysit my children with in the last few weeks. I hate it.  I can't stand it.  But it is only for a time as I adjust and as Big Mac (cause he is growing oh so fast and he his my other big boy) is an infant on no real time schedule as of yet.  I have had to set my expectations lower and know that as things settle down, which is starting to happen, less television for my crew will occur once again.  I am just learning that while Big Boy is crying and needing to nurse, as my other kids, especially Little Man, are also in need of entertainment, it is okay to turn on the television and not to be so hard on myself when I do.  If everyone is bouncing off the walls and there just doesn't seem to be enough of me to go around at that split moment of when I am in the midst of nursing, or changing a diaper, or whatever it is, and when my nerves are to the point of exploding, it is okay not to be able to do it all.  Though I must say I am starting to use music as a good source of fun.  Regardless, I am learning that this too shall pass and things will change.  I am also learning not to be my biggest critic, which I so often am.

When I first got married and even when I became a mom for the very first time, my meals used to be simple and basic.  As motherhood took hold, I am afraid that I kept placing the bar higher and higher in regards to my meals and preparations.  I used to judge other moms who would use takeouts or frozen dinners as a means to feed their families; and I placed myself on a pedestal I am afraid as my meals became more elaborate and on schedule.  Well, I was humbled near the end of my third trimester.  First, I became a total cluts and dits in the kitchen being pregnant, that my meal times fluctuated a great deal from day to day.  Then we became so busy with school functions, and the girls' extracurricular activities and more, take outs and drive-thrus became a means of survival for me as an exhausted pregnant mom with three kids!  I had to keep telling myself that this was only for just a time and it will pass, but by God my kids needed to eat!

As I head into the first full week of being by my lonesome during the day, and back into the full swing of weekly routines and school schedules as a mom of four with out meals being supplied to me by my church family anymore, simple meals and takeouts is okay and will be what I revert to use at this time.  I plan on using simple meals to survive this week and during this time of adjustment.  If mac and cheese or Hamburger Helper with a side of applesauce is all I can get on the table, then at least my family is fed.  Perfection is not the key; flexibility is I am afraid.  I also plan on using my crockpot more.  Start a dinner going in the morning and let the crockpot do the rest!  Yee-Hah!