Today's guest post is from Shannon over at Cerebral Palsy Baby. When I was first thinking about starting a blog, I found hers at 4 a.m. one Sunday morning, e-mailed her to say hello and she was incredibly encouraging. She's also an amazing craftsperson, see her blog for some samples of the stuff she sells on Etsy. I bought a crayon roll, they're adorable.
I've always been a procrastinator, but like many of you (hopefully), having children has only worsened my condition. Having a child with disabilities means that I need to be on top of their appointments and schedules but the schedules for me and my husband have long gone by the wayside. I promised my husband six months ago I would find us a new dentist. Well, I need to make that call today. Being a stay at home mom has also really fed into my procrastination. I shower (as often as I can, which means every other day most of the time) and dress according to what we need to do that day. I can't remember the last time I plucked my eyebrows. I guess I really am becoming that mom. But right now when my girls need me so much and we're doing as much for them as humanly possible, they are my top priority and other areas will suffer, as little as possible, but there will still be some suffering. I made caramel corn last night, so there really isn't that much "suffering."
So, in your world, what takes top priorities and what gets left in the dust? If you could add an activity/hobby, what would it be? I know people who shower, dress nicely, and put on makeup every day before they can do anything else. I make a pot of coffee every morning, make sure everyone is fed, and there are adequate clean clothes (I can't ever keep up on socks, though, weird). Hair brushing comes when I remember. Luckily Elise's hair is so short it doesn't require combing. I sew and make soaps because that is my release from stresses and the daily grind. It is important for me to get that break, even if the girls are wrestling in the living room over some toy and screaming, I'm still in my zone for a few minutes.
Take care everyone.
—Shannon
I definitely put my needs on the back burner a lot. Even finding a couple of hours to dye my hair takes a lot of planning. Our lives center around the kids, definitely. I've even taken to making dentist appointments for the three of us at once!
ReplyDeleteThis vacation, though, has reminded me that I need time to do stuff for myself. I'm not one for resolutions, but I'm really going to try to carve out time in 2009!
The kids get top priority, and Addison (my special needs girl) gets top of the top. Our lives revolve around her therapies and appointments and feedings. I work outside the home, so I am presentable most days, but the house is generally a mess. I find laundry therapeutic, so I keep up on that, but everything else is random. I make hand stamped jewelry, read, and blog in whatever time I can find after the kids are in bed. And Thursday after school is my one day without meetings/therapy, so I usually go Targeting and Hobby Lobbying before I get the kids for a couple of hours. If I could add an activity, it would be taking better care of myself. My toenails are so chipped and scary right now, but no time for a pedicure, even one I'd do myself at home. :)
ReplyDeleteBefore Charlie I hit the tanning bed regularly and always had a pedicure. Now, these things and my hair are almost always last on the list. I have managed to do some shopping recently, which also went by the wayside.
ReplyDeleteI do try to draw or paint if time permits--that is my stress release.