J is for . . . Juggling

Juggling, a cool trick that clowns do?

Yes, but no.

It's also something that many families deal with every single day. The juggle between, being a mum, having a clean house, having a social life, working or studying and being a partner.
Some people are fantastic at this.

Me, on the other hand?

Well all it would take is a look inside my house to see that things aren't spotless. Its something im struggling with.

im at uni, every day. Somedays for 3 hours, some for 8 and its not a shock, that I miss my little man to no end when im gone. So when I am with him, I want to spend all my time playing around with him, giving him cuddles and reassuring him that ill always be here, even when i'm not.

And then with study, as soon as he goes to sleep I try and catch up on a weeks worth of tute questions and lecture notes. For those of you studying or who have studied in the past, will know, it can be never ending!

So how do I sort it out? how have I managed to spread myself among all the tasks I have to do?

Planning! I have written up a plan for housework in the past, this one is more specific that for sure.

but very simple.

Each day I write up at least 3 items that need to be done around the house. I then make sure that every time E goes down for a nap, I complete one of these. He has 2 naps a day and then bed time at the end of the night. So I complete the 3 tasks by bed time and I find myself feeling more accomplished!

I also let the little stuff go by, i'm not going to put his toys back in his toy box every time he goes to bed, because he is just going to pull them out again, and that fine! Choose your cleaning battles I say!

As for study, I do it for the reminder of his nap time. I will do some at bed time and my wonderful partner looks after E for a few hours on the weekend, out of the house. So I can have some peace and quiet study time! Which I truly appreciate.

Also coming into winter, I will be making full use of my slow cooker! Such an easy way to prepare delicious meals and so quick! Something I can leave on all day and have a beautiful meal at the end of it! Just perfect!

And lastly, I make sure there is time for Thomas and I to just be, us!
Of a night time we can sit in bed and just chat about our day. It might not be anything important, but just getting back to basics and really talking to each other.
And then on he weekend we might get a bottle of wine or some chocolate and watch a movie in bed together. Just really simple things, that help us to reconnect. I think this is such an important part of relationships after children.

So it might not be perfect, My house might not be spotless, we might not have gourmet dinners every night, we might not get to enjoy romantic evenings anymore.

BUT

Im studying hard, and getting good marks, we do eat, the house is clean enough and my little man gets as much one on one time as I can possibly give him.
And to me thats a juggling success.

So my key points?
-Plan, (Meals, chores, and friends)
-Enjoy (every little moment you can, with kids and partners)
-Be proud (of everything you do, no one is perfect)
-Prioritise (MOST IMPORTANT, if your having one of those days, and just need to spend a little extra cuddle time with your kids, then do it! the cleaning will always be there tomorrow)

What tips do you have for the juggle of life?

Today, for the first time in a long time, Im linking up with the lovely Jess For IBOT.
Go ahead and link up!

O is for . . . Organising

This is something I fail at. I find it way to difficult to try and organise my time. It seems that looking after a little person as well as myself, as well as keep the house clean, as well as provide dinner, as well as have an attempt at a social life. . . Is just too much effort.

Or it was anyway.

As stupid as it sounds, and as blantantly obvious as it seems, all I needed was a diary. I had never kept anything like a diary before. You see, before baby brain infiltrated my mind. It was a secure place that kept everything in perfect order. I never forgot anything, I remebered dates months in advance and even working and being out of the house 12 hours a day, I managed to keep a neat tidy house, and a warm steaming meal on the table for Thomas every night.

Then said baby arrived, and it was as if I let him loose with all the files, neatly filed away in my head. And he ran wild, pulling files out and throwing them all over the place...hence the baby brain im not (still) stuck with. I'm now at the stage where everything goes in one ear....and falls out my mouth somewhere along the way, im pretty sure it doesnt even make it to my brain.

So a diary I have invested in, simple solution really. But isnt that how life works? you end up overlooking the most simple of scenarios trying to be a super hero with a brain that doesnt work? Well here it is!

I try and plan all my social stuff a week in advance, so I can make sure im not doing something every day of the week. And the rest I slot in nap spots. Obviosuly this works better with E decides to stick so some form of a schedual which doenst always work. But this is how my week worked (last week)

 As simple as it seems, I personally find having it right there in front of you and being able to tick off items slowely as you do them, makes the horrid task of cleaning, just that little bit smaller.

It takes a number of small steps to climb a mountain, you cant do it all in one giant leap.

It really does work great, and you get the added accomplishment of being able to see exactly what you have done every day. Its like a little ego booster.