In my pre-baby, pre-pink slip days, I was a busy professional who managed large budgets and multiple projects. I took pride in my work and I was known for being the go-to person to get things done. It was a role that I thrived in. But since the little one arrived nine months ago, it seems like the wheels have fallen off my A game.
When I went back to work, I had more than my fair share of bad days. There was the day I showed up wearing a shirt with spit up on the shoulder, then there was the time that I pulled a pacifier out of my pocket in the middle of a meeting, and of course the creme de la creme was the day that I noticed at 3 PM I only had on half of my makeup. Fortunately, nobody said anything to me and they probably didn't notice but I did and it bothered me. At time, I just chalked it up to the sleep deprivation and adjusting to being back at work after 12 weeks.
Now here I am four months into unemployment and it seems as though I'm going through another one of these phases where nothing I can do is right. In the last week, I've washed my iPod (for the record, it doesn't survive the delicate cycle), showed up a day early for a playdate, and locked myself out of the house (fortunately, the baby was with me and not in the house.)
Even though I don't have the day-to-day stress of getting up and going to a job. I am just as stressed today as I was four months ago. It's just different stress and different guilt. When I was working I was stressed out about being late to work, stressed about spending quality time with my husband and baby, and stressed about getting dinner cooked and the house cleaned.
Now I'm dealing with the stress of having a very busy crawler on my hands who always needs to be watched and entertained, the stress of juggling nap schedules and babysitters for interviews, the stress of job hunting and the lack of quality jobs, the stress of having too much week and not enough money, and the stress of finding the time to do it all. Actually, I might be more stressed out now than when I worked and that makes no sense at all.
What is it about motherhood that I can't manage? More importantly, am I the only new mom out there that can't seem to get it together? I don't know why or how but I hope I find my groove soon and get my A game back because at this rate there's no telling what will happen next.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thankful Friday: Former Coworkers
Last weekend, I had a girls lunch with my friend and former coworker - T. Unfortunately, she lives and works across town so we don't see each other nearly enough. I always have a great time hanging out with T and it was nice to get away from the house for a few hours.
Like most people that live in Atlanta, I'm not from here but I've been here now for over 11 years. In the decade plus that I've lived and worked here, I have changed jobs on average every two years. I know its not for everyone but I think I'm pretty lucky that I've had a lot of jobs. I've been very fortunate to work with a great group of people. In a lot of ways, my former coworkers are my community here in Atlanta. When I have a project that I need help with I know that I can call on any one of them to help me out or recommend a vendor. I've been passed along job leads and freelance opportunities from many of them as well over the years.
Now with Facebook and Twitter, I am able to keep up with many of them and it has been such a pleasure to see how their lives have changed both personally and professionally. We spend most of our days at work so its great to have a work family that you enjoy being around and who inspire you to do good work. I'm optimistic with the track record I have had that there is another great team out there somewhere waiting for me to join them.
Like most people that live in Atlanta, I'm not from here but I've been here now for over 11 years. In the decade plus that I've lived and worked here, I have changed jobs on average every two years. I know its not for everyone but I think I'm pretty lucky that I've had a lot of jobs. I've been very fortunate to work with a great group of people. In a lot of ways, my former coworkers are my community here in Atlanta. When I have a project that I need help with I know that I can call on any one of them to help me out or recommend a vendor. I've been passed along job leads and freelance opportunities from many of them as well over the years.
Now with Facebook and Twitter, I am able to keep up with many of them and it has been such a pleasure to see how their lives have changed both personally and professionally. We spend most of our days at work so its great to have a work family that you enjoy being around and who inspire you to do good work. I'm optimistic with the track record I have had that there is another great team out there somewhere waiting for me to join them.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Homemade Pesto
This summer, we've been eating a lot of pasta. Its easy and pretty simple enough me to whip with just a few ingredients. A few weeks ago I went to a local farmer's market and one of the vendors had a orzo, chickpea, and tomato salad with a spinach pesto. I'm not a huge fan of pesto but this pesto sauce was delicious. Maybe it was because it was made with spinach I don't know but I loved it.
Last week, I got a wild hair and took to the internet to find a pesto recipe. I had some fresh spinach, arugula, and basil - the perfect ingredients for pesto. I found this recipe to use as my guide.
I started by toasting my pine nuts on the stovetop. I was afraid they were going to burn so I didn't toast them too long.
Once I got the argula, spinach, and basil washed and dried, I put it in the food processor with the pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese.
This is what my final pesto looked like with ravoli from Trader Joe's. My husband loves pesto so he thought this was the best pasta we have had in months. I'm not a huge fan of pesto since it can be too oily or too garlicky. I loved this recipe since I could control the amount of garlic and oil. We even had a little bit left over so I'm freezing it for us to use in another dish. I will probably end up making a few more batches while the basil in my garden is still thriving. It will be great to have such a light and summer dish this winter.
Last week, I got a wild hair and took to the internet to find a pesto recipe. I had some fresh spinach, arugula, and basil - the perfect ingredients for pesto. I found this recipe to use as my guide.
I started by toasting my pine nuts on the stovetop. I was afraid they were going to burn so I didn't toast them too long.
Once I got the argula, spinach, and basil washed and dried, I put it in the food processor with the pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese.
Then I just hit the puree button, once it got to this consistency, I put the lid on and drizzled the oil olive in while it blended.
This is what my final pesto looked like with ravoli from Trader Joe's. My husband loves pesto so he thought this was the best pasta we have had in months. I'm not a huge fan of pesto since it can be too oily or too garlicky. I loved this recipe since I could control the amount of garlic and oil. We even had a little bit left over so I'm freezing it for us to use in another dish. I will probably end up making a few more batches while the basil in my garden is still thriving. It will be great to have such a light and summer dish this winter.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thankful Fridays
Recently, a friend turned me onto the blog thxthxthx. I read that the blog’s author just had a book published based on her blog, so I think I’m a little late to this party. I’ve been struggling over the last few weeks to remain positive. As a veteran of unemployment, I know that this is a funk that every job seeker faces. Money is tight and employers aren’t calling. I also know the worst thing to do it is to give into this mood.
I decided to start “Thankful Fridays” as a way to remind myself that despite my current circumstances that I have a lot to be thankful for. Why is it always so easy to focus on the negative and never the positive? So here it goes, my first "Thankful Friday" post.
Today, I am most thankful for my new role of mother. In our lifetime, we have a lot of titles and roles. I was born with the title of daughter, granddaughter, then I became a sister, a friend, a student, a writer, a high school graduate, a world traveler, a college graduate, an employee, a co-worker, a colleague, a volunteer, a wife, a boss, a blogger, a marketer, a documentary filmmaker, and now I’m a mother. Motherhood was never a role I thought I would take on but I’m so thankful that I have been blessed with it. It really is the hardest role I have every had but everyday I know that I have been trusted with such a precious gift.
What are you thankful for this Friday?
Monday, August 15, 2011
The Great Cloth Diaper Experiment
While I was pregnant, I seriously considered using cloth diapers. But once the little man arrived and I had a few diaper changes under my belt I decided I wasn’t hardy enough to try it. Once W was on solid food I revisited the idea of cloth diapers. Fortunately, cloth diapers have come along way – or at least that is what my mom says - and they are super easy to use.
I thought about using a diaper service but I decided to save my money and go out on my own. I purchased six Bumkins contoured diapers and a Thirsties diaper cover. Right now, I use the cloth diapers a couple of times a day since I only have one diaper cover. I am about to order another one but I was hoping to find a Bumkins brand cover.
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| Bumkins contoured diaper |
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| Thirsties cover |
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| Diaper inserted into the cover |
My only complaint so far is the bulkiness of the diapers. It might be because I'm using the contoured diapers. Even though I've only been using them for a few weeks, we haven't had any leaks. Which is great because W is crawling and pulling himself up - he never stays in one place too long. It has been a pretty hot summer here in Atlanta so I feel like the cloth diapers are better for W's skin since they should breathe easier. Plus, it's been pretty easy to dry them outside on a drying rack. As far as care goes, I just wash the diapers using Dreft and when possible I dry them outside or run them in the dryer.
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| W in action |
I know there is a lot of debate as to how much money you save since you are using more resource such as energy and water by washing the diapers. This is the same argument that many use for why its not necessarily better for the environment to use cloth diapers. Regardless of how much money I save or the environmental impact that I may or may not be making, it certainly feels better knowing that I'm keeping a few diapers out of the landfill.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Keeping Cool at the Georgia Aquarium
Earlier this summer, we had a friend visit us from New England. The few days he was in town it was HOT. So instead of sitting around our house, we decided to venture downtown to the Georgia Aquarium. At first, we were concerned that W wouldn't enjoy it or it would be too much for him since he was only 6 months-old but we were wrong. W loved it.
W really enjoyed watching the penguins and trying to pet them through the glass. He also loved watching the beluga whales, whale sharks and the manta rays.
I'm sure as W gets older he will enjoy the "petting" areas and the playground, but for now he enjoys just watching the fish swim by. We ended up getting annual passes so we can visit every few months. I'm sure each time we go he will take in more of the exhibits and experience the aquarium even more. I can't wait to see how well he does on our next visit.
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| W trying to pet the penguins |
W really enjoyed watching the penguins and trying to pet them through the glass. He also loved watching the beluga whales, whale sharks and the manta rays.
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| Watching the penguins swim by |
I'm sure as W gets older he will enjoy the "petting" areas and the playground, but for now he enjoys just watching the fish swim by. We ended up getting annual passes so we can visit every few months. I'm sure each time we go he will take in more of the exhibits and experience the aquarium even more. I can't wait to see how well he does on our next visit.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Picture Show
Since I'm at home now, I have been watching more TV and seen more movie trailers than I care to comment on. But there are a few movies that I'm dying to see. Since it would take a bank loan to buy two tickets and pay for a babysitter, I will either be going with a friend to the theater or waiting until these come out on DVD. These are just a few of the movies I would love to see this summer on the big screen.
The Help - I read this book last year and I can't wait to see the movie.
Crazy Stupid Love - I'm only so-so on Steve Carrell in comedies but I really love to see him in more serious roles. I also really like Emma Stone and Julianne Moore so I think this is going to be a movie that I will enjoy seeing.
One Day - I don't know much about this movie but I'm intrigued enough by the trailer to want to see it.
Midnight in Paris - I think I might be too late to see this in theaters but I love Woody Allen movies. Grant it most of his movies over the last few years haven't been his best but I think this movie will redeem him. Plus its set in Paris so it can't be that bad, right?
Have you seen any good movies lately?
The Help - I read this book last year and I can't wait to see the movie.
Crazy Stupid Love - I'm only so-so on Steve Carrell in comedies but I really love to see him in more serious roles. I also really like Emma Stone and Julianne Moore so I think this is going to be a movie that I will enjoy seeing.
One Day - I don't know much about this movie but I'm intrigued enough by the trailer to want to see it.
Midnight in Paris - I think I might be too late to see this in theaters but I love Woody Allen movies. Grant it most of his movies over the last few years haven't been his best but I think this movie will redeem him. Plus its set in Paris so it can't be that bad, right?
Have you seen any good movies lately?
Monday, August 8, 2011
My New Favorite Pasta Salad
I planted a garden this spring. I had hoped by now that we would be eating squash, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes from that garden but by mid-June all the squash had died leaving me with peepers and tomatoes. My one Super Sweet 100 cherry tomato plant has been my garden's saving grace. Every few days, I get at least 10 cherry tomatoes from the bush.
I've been using these tomatoes along with my herbs to make pasta dishes. I was excited to see a special recipe section in the July issue of Southern Living dedicated to tomatoes & basil - two ingredients I have in abundance these days. A few weeks ago I tried the Tortellini-and-Tomato Salad recipe and it has become my new favorite dish of the summer.
My husband doesn't eat raw tomatoes (I know he's weird) so before I made the salad, I just half the cherry tomatoes and put them on a cookie sheet to roast in the oven. If you want to roast your tomatoes too, just drizzle them with a little olive oil and salt. Roast them a 300 degree oven for about an hour. Roasting the tomatoes gives them extra flavor so I don't mind the extra work.
Last night, I halfed the recipe and used the cheese tortellini from Trader Joes. It is delicious hot or cold.
Do you have any good and easy recipes to share? I would love to hear about them since I'm always looking for new ideas.
I've been using these tomatoes along with my herbs to make pasta dishes. I was excited to see a special recipe section in the July issue of Southern Living dedicated to tomatoes & basil - two ingredients I have in abundance these days. A few weeks ago I tried the Tortellini-and-Tomato Salad recipe and it has become my new favorite dish of the summer.
My husband doesn't eat raw tomatoes (I know he's weird) so before I made the salad, I just half the cherry tomatoes and put them on a cookie sheet to roast in the oven. If you want to roast your tomatoes too, just drizzle them with a little olive oil and salt. Roast them a 300 degree oven for about an hour. Roasting the tomatoes gives them extra flavor so I don't mind the extra work.
Last night, I halfed the recipe and used the cheese tortellini from Trader Joes. It is delicious hot or cold.
Do you have any good and easy recipes to share? I would love to hear about them since I'm always looking for new ideas.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The Lazy Girl's Way to Save
I am a failed couponer. I have read all the blogs and watch the extreme coupon show. I've tried my best to cut my grocery bill in half. I save money with coupons but I've never been one to buy $400 of groceries for $40. I wish I could but its just not in the cards for me. I still check-in each day with Southern Savers to see if there are any deals that I can take advantage of and I'm happy to save money even if its just a few dollars.
I have managed to cut back in other ways. So here it is the lazy girl's way to save on great stuff for herself and her baby. Beware, all of these sites can be addictive so this is my disclaimer.
Groupon: Once just a site for big cities, Groupon is growing by leaps and bounds and adding new cities everyday. The one-day deals are great for restaurants, outings, classes, and even deals for online retailers. I just recently purchased a Groupon for a month of Gymboree classes. You never know what the deal is going to be so sign-up to get their e-mails.
Plum District: Just like Groupon, this site is expanding. I love Plum District because their deals last a few days so if get busy and forget to order the deal that day - you still have a chance to get it. Plum District deals are geared to moms and kids so they have a lot of great finds for clothes, gear, spa services, and exercise classes.
Living Social: Living Social is a discount site that specializes in experiences. Everything from fine dining, travel and adventure, to spa services. They offer some of the best things to do and experience in Atlanta.
Gilt City Atlanta: Gilt City is the newest discount site to offer great deals in Atlanta. So far I've seen deals for restaurants, concerts, yoga classes and massages. With Gilt City, you can afford to hire a babysitter and have a great night out without breaking the bank.
Amazon Mom: I love Amazon and the Amazon Mom program. Once you sign-up for the Amazon Mom program, you will get 3-months of free 2-day shipping. Then you can earn more free shipping by purchasing $25 in baby products. For every $25 order, you earn a month of free shipping. Great deals on baby products and free 2-day shipping, sign me up!
Zulily: I must confess I have a Zulily addiction. Designer baby clothes at a discount is my weakness and Zulily is my weakness. These limited quantity sales start at 9 AM EST every day and the collections change daily. The only problem with Zulily is that most items sell out early. I have bought several smocked and embroidered john-johns at huge discounts from Zulily.
Totsy: Totsy is a new site that I just started using - in fact I just placed my first order a few weeks ago and I'm in love. Similar to Zulily, this site offers a limited quantity of items for sale at a discount. Instead of offering daily sales, they have new sales every few days. So far I've seen sales on clothes, gear, toys, and women's clothes. I like both their prices and selection.
Now that I've covered easy ways to save, I've also found a few easy ways to earn money and rewards.
Swagbucks: Last year a friend turned me onto this site and I love it. Swagbucks is a search engine that you use just like google. But you earn "Swagbucks" for searching. These "Swagbucks" can be used to purchase rewards. My favorite way to spend my "Swagbucks" is on Amazon gift cards. I can't tell you how much baby gear and toys I've bought at a discount on Amazon and saved more by using my Swagbucks earned gift cards. Its the easiest way to earn rewards just by doing the things you normally do - surfing the web. Instead of logging directly onto a web site, I just go to Swagbucks and type in the site name. It adds an extra step but its worth it to me since I'm earning an Amazon gift card every few weeks. I plan on stocking up on my gift cards for my holiday shopping this year.
Ebates: Some days its just too hard to make it to mall or even just to go to Target. Shopping online is so convenient and with Ebates you get paid to shop. With Ebates, you are able to earn a percentage back on your purchases at major retailers like Diapers.com, Groupon, Macys, Target, Land's End, and Nordstrom. Ebates will send you a rebate check each quarter. In the last year, I have earned over $50 in cash back. Also, if you are planning a trip soon check out Ebates because a lot of the airlines and hotel chains offer rebates. I could have earned a ton of money if I had known about this site sooner.
What are you doing to cut back? I would love to know your tips and tricks for saving money.
I have managed to cut back in other ways. So here it is the lazy girl's way to save on great stuff for herself and her baby. Beware, all of these sites can be addictive so this is my disclaimer.
Groupon: Once just a site for big cities, Groupon is growing by leaps and bounds and adding new cities everyday. The one-day deals are great for restaurants, outings, classes, and even deals for online retailers. I just recently purchased a Groupon for a month of Gymboree classes. You never know what the deal is going to be so sign-up to get their e-mails.
Plum District: Just like Groupon, this site is expanding. I love Plum District because their deals last a few days so if get busy and forget to order the deal that day - you still have a chance to get it. Plum District deals are geared to moms and kids so they have a lot of great finds for clothes, gear, spa services, and exercise classes.
Living Social: Living Social is a discount site that specializes in experiences. Everything from fine dining, travel and adventure, to spa services. They offer some of the best things to do and experience in Atlanta.
Gilt City Atlanta: Gilt City is the newest discount site to offer great deals in Atlanta. So far I've seen deals for restaurants, concerts, yoga classes and massages. With Gilt City, you can afford to hire a babysitter and have a great night out without breaking the bank.
Amazon Mom: I love Amazon and the Amazon Mom program. Once you sign-up for the Amazon Mom program, you will get 3-months of free 2-day shipping. Then you can earn more free shipping by purchasing $25 in baby products. For every $25 order, you earn a month of free shipping. Great deals on baby products and free 2-day shipping, sign me up!
Zulily: I must confess I have a Zulily addiction. Designer baby clothes at a discount is my weakness and Zulily is my weakness. These limited quantity sales start at 9 AM EST every day and the collections change daily. The only problem with Zulily is that most items sell out early. I have bought several smocked and embroidered john-johns at huge discounts from Zulily.
Totsy: Totsy is a new site that I just started using - in fact I just placed my first order a few weeks ago and I'm in love. Similar to Zulily, this site offers a limited quantity of items for sale at a discount. Instead of offering daily sales, they have new sales every few days. So far I've seen sales on clothes, gear, toys, and women's clothes. I like both their prices and selection.
Now that I've covered easy ways to save, I've also found a few easy ways to earn money and rewards.
Swagbucks: Last year a friend turned me onto this site and I love it. Swagbucks is a search engine that you use just like google. But you earn "Swagbucks" for searching. These "Swagbucks" can be used to purchase rewards. My favorite way to spend my "Swagbucks" is on Amazon gift cards. I can't tell you how much baby gear and toys I've bought at a discount on Amazon and saved more by using my Swagbucks earned gift cards. Its the easiest way to earn rewards just by doing the things you normally do - surfing the web. Instead of logging directly onto a web site, I just go to Swagbucks and type in the site name. It adds an extra step but its worth it to me since I'm earning an Amazon gift card every few weeks. I plan on stocking up on my gift cards for my holiday shopping this year.
Ebates: Some days its just too hard to make it to mall or even just to go to Target. Shopping online is so convenient and with Ebates you get paid to shop. With Ebates, you are able to earn a percentage back on your purchases at major retailers like Diapers.com, Groupon, Macys, Target, Land's End, and Nordstrom. Ebates will send you a rebate check each quarter. In the last year, I have earned over $50 in cash back. Also, if you are planning a trip soon check out Ebates because a lot of the airlines and hotel chains offer rebates. I could have earned a ton of money if I had known about this site sooner.
What are you doing to cut back? I would love to know your tips and tricks for saving money.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Shopping Queen Turned Penny Pincher
Oh retail therapy, how I have missed you. And with the last few weeks I've had, I really could use a little retail therapy about now. The first friend I made when I moved to Atlanta was a girl I worked with, Anna. At first she and I would run out on our lunch hour to the mall or TJ Maxx. I loved shoes and she loved purses. It was a shopper's match made in heaven. When I first got married, my husband worked weekends so Anna and I would go shopping on Saturday mornings and have lunch. We bonded over Coach, Tory Burch and Michael Kors. Even though we don't work together anymore our friendship has continued and our shopping days have dwindled.
This week, I got a text from Anna asking me to join her for her shopping day on Saturday. Of course, I had to decline. Not because I didn't want to go, I would love to go but these days money is tight. I know many Americans have cut back over the last few years so I'm not the only one watching her pennies closely. In my post-pink slip days, I don't have the extra money to buy anything non-essential. With an infant, I have enough extra expenses with diapers and formula.
Every afternoon, I spend with the little man I am reminded how important this time is with him. Even though I'm not home by choice, I am enjoying the time we are spending together partly because I know it won't last long. The time with W is fleeting and with every passing week, we are learning to live with less and thrive despite it. I'm not a great couponer but I've figured out a few tricks and I will share them later.
In the meantime, I am wishing Anna happy shopping at the mall. As for me, I will keep my shopping trips limited to the grocery store and my afternoons full of playdates with a very special little man.
This week, I got a text from Anna asking me to join her for her shopping day on Saturday. Of course, I had to decline. Not because I didn't want to go, I would love to go but these days money is tight. I know many Americans have cut back over the last few years so I'm not the only one watching her pennies closely. In my post-pink slip days, I don't have the extra money to buy anything non-essential. With an infant, I have enough extra expenses with diapers and formula.
Every afternoon, I spend with the little man I am reminded how important this time is with him. Even though I'm not home by choice, I am enjoying the time we are spending together partly because I know it won't last long. The time with W is fleeting and with every passing week, we are learning to live with less and thrive despite it. I'm not a great couponer but I've figured out a few tricks and I will share them later.
In the meantime, I am wishing Anna happy shopping at the mall. As for me, I will keep my shopping trips limited to the grocery store and my afternoons full of playdates with a very special little man.
Friday, August 5, 2011
The World's Most Expensive Baby Mirror
We are an Apple family. It started several years ago when my husband was in graduate school with our first iBook and an iPod. We knew once Apple released the iPad 2 with the camera, it was time for us to add another product to our collection. It didn't take long before W became fascinated with the iPad.
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| W taking his picture with the iPad |
Initially, we used the it to Skype with grandparents. Like most babies, W loves looking in the mirror. So we had some fun turning the camera on him and taking pictures. Then one day, as W was starting to crawl, my husband started a new game..."chase the iPad." It's a game that goes something like this: turn the camera facing your baby and with any luck he will follow his reflection. After a few weeks, he was crawling all over the place.
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| Playing chase the iPad |
Now W's 8 months old, and he stalks our iPhones, the iPad, and loves to pound the keys on the laptop. Like most children of his generation, he won't know a world without global communication. Skype allows W to connect with grandparents and relatives hundreds of miles away. Distance isn't a barrier to him, and it never will be.
Now I'm just waiting for the day when he masters the iPad interface, and no longer needs me to set-up Skype so he can talk to his grandparents. I have a feeling it will be here sooner than I think.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
An Organized Mess Seeks Relief
My big secret is I'm very organized and on top of projects at work. However, at home I'm a mess. I've been able to manage my mess and keep it all together until recently. I guess once you add a baby to the mix it gets harder to keep things straight. Of course, the sleep deprivation doesn't help.
I've always used a Franklin Covey planner at work to keep my to-do lists together. Since I was on maternity leave at the beginning of the year, I put off purchasing the 2012 pages. Once I went back to work, I had every intention of getting to the store but I never made it. And well before I knew it, I didn't have a job to go to so I didn't need a 2012 calendar - or so I thought. In my post-pink slip days, I've been using the calendar on my phone to keep up with appointments but I knew it wasn't really working.
Its hard to say exactly when I realized I wasn't doing a great job of keeping it all together. There was the interview that I thought was at 11 but really was at 9 - thank God I confirmed it before I went. Then there was the day that the pest control man showed up as I was eating breakfast (PJs and all). But as they say with addicts, the first step is realizing you need help.
Just as I was I thinking I needed to invest in a calendar, I saw a post by a blogger I have followed for years, Blue Eyed Bride. The Blue Eyed Bride was creating a home organization notebook for herself and she shared on her blog how she did it. It looked simple enough and I had most of the stuff needed to start it. So I did. I've been working the system now for a few weeks and I'm happy to report its working.
I just used a simple 3 ring binder and divider tabs. The Blue Eyed Bride was generous enough to include links to the pages she used. Most of these sites have several versions of the pages, so its easy to find the lists to fit your needs.
This is how "My book" looks.
Since I'm trying to get back into shape, I added a Workout worksheet so I can track my workouts (or at least I have the reminder to workout).
So what are you doing to keep to yourself organized?
I've always used a Franklin Covey planner at work to keep my to-do lists together. Since I was on maternity leave at the beginning of the year, I put off purchasing the 2012 pages. Once I went back to work, I had every intention of getting to the store but I never made it. And well before I knew it, I didn't have a job to go to so I didn't need a 2012 calendar - or so I thought. In my post-pink slip days, I've been using the calendar on my phone to keep up with appointments but I knew it wasn't really working.
Its hard to say exactly when I realized I wasn't doing a great job of keeping it all together. There was the interview that I thought was at 11 but really was at 9 - thank God I confirmed it before I went. Then there was the day that the pest control man showed up as I was eating breakfast (PJs and all). But as they say with addicts, the first step is realizing you need help.
Just as I was I thinking I needed to invest in a calendar, I saw a post by a blogger I have followed for years, Blue Eyed Bride. The Blue Eyed Bride was creating a home organization notebook for herself and she shared on her blog how she did it. It looked simple enough and I had most of the stuff needed to start it. So I did. I've been working the system now for a few weeks and I'm happy to report its working.
I just used a simple 3 ring binder and divider tabs. The Blue Eyed Bride was generous enough to include links to the pages she used. Most of these sites have several versions of the pages, so its easy to find the lists to fit your needs.
This is how "My book" looks.
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| My tabs at a glance |
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| Monthly calendar |
Since I'm trying to get back into shape, I added a Workout worksheet so I can track my workouts (or at least I have the reminder to workout).
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| Workout tracker |
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| My daily list of to-dos |
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| My weekly planner to keep track of blog ideas |
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
My Love/Hate Relationship with "Babywise"
Before I even entered the third trimester, I had received at least 3 hand-me down copies of the "Babywise" book. Each giver said to me, "This is a must-read and do if you are going back to work." Well, I knew even before the baby was born I going back to work. You see we had two major life events occur last year, we bought a house and had a baby - all within a few months of each other. Being house poor and baby poor at the same time isn't the best thing for your savings account.
So I sat down with the books and started reading, it sounded great. Get your baby on a schedule will make your life and the life of your baby a breeze. It made parenthood seem like a dream! Well, I'm now 8 months into parenthood and we've only been on the "Babywise" plan for 2 months. I'm not saying that you can't get your baby on a plan during the first 6 months, I'm just saying that I couldn't.
In my experience, it was impossible to get my son on a eat, play, sleep schedule. Especially since he would fall asleep as soon as he finished a bottle. I was on FMLA for maternity leave so I returned to work exactly 12 weeks after giving birth. Since we had to leave by 7:00 A.M. and I had to get us both ready for work/daycare, I started waking W up at 6:00 A.M. for his first bottle. This was the first time in 3 months that we were on a feeding schedule and it was a great start to "Babywise" plan. While he was at daycare, they continued feeding him every 3 hours.
I got laid-off from my job when he was 5 months old and we stuck with his feeding schedule starting at 6:00 A.M. At our 6 month old appointment with the pediatrician, we got the green light to introduce solid food and a new schedule to follow. We were going to drop a bottle feeding and work to stretch out his eating to every four hours. The first week of the new feeding schedule was rough since he didn't like the baby food, but we were able to get him to eat every 3.5 hours. Once he adjusted to the baby food, we were able to get him to eat every 4 hours.
Around 7 months we were able to get him into a normal nap routine. We put him in the crib for a nap 2 hours after he eats. The more new moms I'm around, I find that every baby has a different routine. Sometimes I resent the schedule if I want to run an errand or meet a friend when they are only free during nap time. But, overall I find comfort in knowing that we have a set routine for the day, that no matter what happens nap time starts at 1:30 P.M. Having said that, there are somedays when I adjust a feeding a few minutes early so we can go out. But I try to just do it for one meal and then we are back on track for the next feeding.
Right now, this is W's daily schedule:
7:00 A.M. - Wake up
7:30 A.M. - Breakfast
9:30 A.M. - Nap
11:30 A.M. - Lunch
1:30 P.M. - Nap
3:30 P.M. - Dinner
5:30 P.M. - Nap (sometimes he will nap but most days he skips this nap)
7:00 P.M. - Bottle
8:00 P.M. - Bedtime routine begins and he is asleep by 8:30 P.M.
I've read other blogs were new moms bragged about how easy and great "Babywise" was for them. And they are right, once you get on the plan it is great. But I felt like a failure because I couldn't get W on the plan. If you are struggling with "Babywise" know that you aren't alone. Just keep at it, it gets easier to do the older your baby is.
So I sat down with the books and started reading, it sounded great. Get your baby on a schedule will make your life and the life of your baby a breeze. It made parenthood seem like a dream! Well, I'm now 8 months into parenthood and we've only been on the "Babywise" plan for 2 months. I'm not saying that you can't get your baby on a plan during the first 6 months, I'm just saying that I couldn't.
In my experience, it was impossible to get my son on a eat, play, sleep schedule. Especially since he would fall asleep as soon as he finished a bottle. I was on FMLA for maternity leave so I returned to work exactly 12 weeks after giving birth. Since we had to leave by 7:00 A.M. and I had to get us both ready for work/daycare, I started waking W up at 6:00 A.M. for his first bottle. This was the first time in 3 months that we were on a feeding schedule and it was a great start to "Babywise" plan. While he was at daycare, they continued feeding him every 3 hours.
I got laid-off from my job when he was 5 months old and we stuck with his feeding schedule starting at 6:00 A.M. At our 6 month old appointment with the pediatrician, we got the green light to introduce solid food and a new schedule to follow. We were going to drop a bottle feeding and work to stretch out his eating to every four hours. The first week of the new feeding schedule was rough since he didn't like the baby food, but we were able to get him to eat every 3.5 hours. Once he adjusted to the baby food, we were able to get him to eat every 4 hours.
Around 7 months we were able to get him into a normal nap routine. We put him in the crib for a nap 2 hours after he eats. The more new moms I'm around, I find that every baby has a different routine. Sometimes I resent the schedule if I want to run an errand or meet a friend when they are only free during nap time. But, overall I find comfort in knowing that we have a set routine for the day, that no matter what happens nap time starts at 1:30 P.M. Having said that, there are somedays when I adjust a feeding a few minutes early so we can go out. But I try to just do it for one meal and then we are back on track for the next feeding.
Right now, this is W's daily schedule:
7:00 A.M. - Wake up
7:30 A.M. - Breakfast
9:30 A.M. - Nap
11:30 A.M. - Lunch
1:30 P.M. - Nap
3:30 P.M. - Dinner
5:30 P.M. - Nap (sometimes he will nap but most days he skips this nap)
7:00 P.M. - Bottle
8:00 P.M. - Bedtime routine begins and he is asleep by 8:30 P.M.
I've read other blogs were new moms bragged about how easy and great "Babywise" was for them. And they are right, once you get on the plan it is great. But I felt like a failure because I couldn't get W on the plan. If you are struggling with "Babywise" know that you aren't alone. Just keep at it, it gets easier to do the older your baby is.
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