Procrastination or Time Elimination?

I don't know why I'm always late getting things done for my personal life. I am constantly asked, and am able, to meet deadlines at work with nary a slip-up. However, when it comes to my personal life...things never get done. For the last few months I've been meaning to:

• clean up my house
• get the SweetPea's crib up - she's been sleeping in our room for just long enough now
• mail her birth announcements - finally done today thus the inspiration for my blog!
• get a certified copy of her birth certificate - luckily I have an inside woman on this one so it shouldn't be too hard once I finally fill out the form
• find all the rest of my non-maternity clothes
• organize my closet
• get my maternity clothes packed away
• change over the SweetPea's clothes from newborn and 0-3 to 3-6 - she's really growing fast!
• organize the office so I can do our taxes
• do our taxes!
• solve world peace
• make a million dollars...

The last two may as well be on there considering they are just as likely to be accomplished as the rest of it!

See how long my list has gotten? Where are my little elves that are supposed to swoop in and do all these things for me? Oh, they don't exist? Damn.

You'd think that I could bang out a few of these things over a regular weekend, but no. This last weekend I laid on the couch cuddling with my little girl, napped and watched the Olympics and my favorite TV show on DVD. I justified this because the Prince was off with his Daddy on a boys day, and I hadn't gotten more than two hours of sleep at a time all week. Plus, the Olympics are only on every two years so I HAVE to watch right?

To be honest, I really hit the ground at 60 miles an hour at work. We have two really big events coming up in Feb and March and I've been really busy trying to do all of the items for them. Therefore, when I get home I really don't want to organize an office or play with a drill gun (that's a lie, I would love to play with the drill gun but my husband can never seem to remember to bring it home from his job site!) After work I just want to relax and coo at my daughter, play puzzles with the Prince and hang out with my sweetie. Of course, dinner, bath time, and diapers can never wait. Calgon take me away!!

My issue is how to define my state of mind. Am I procrastinating? I DO plan to get all of these things done at some point. Or is my time eliminated too quickly? Are there just not enough hours in the day? Hmmm, procrastination or time elimination (or perhaps lack of education?!)
I think right now cuddling with the wee one, to me, is more important than doing laundry. Of course, come Monday morning clean laundry really seems like a necessity!

Mid-Night Suck-fest

Alas, the little SweetPea has her first cold. I whisked her to the After Hours Care with dread in my heart when she started a very wet, productive cough. A cough for an infant under 4 months is usually not a good sign. Lucky enough she was checked out by the doc and seems to be fine. No fevers or wheezing so we are just waiting it out for now. She can hardly breath out of her nose and sneezing sends her into a coughing fit that usually ends with her gagging. That makes my heart skip a few beats!
Once the ol' ticker returns to a normal rate I really get into her face with the BSD (bulbous-sucker-doohickey) that we swiped from the hospital - I'm sure they don't reuse those things, but I like to think I'm stickin' it to 'em after the bill I received! I named it this after asking a dozen times in one hour for "the blue thingy that sucks the gunk out of her nose that we got at the hospital". BSD is much easier, descriptive and succinct! This thing is truly amazing. I can't imagine how she feels about it (I'm sure it's not a good relationship!) but it helps a lot! I get a weirdly gratifying sensation when a long string of green goop comes out of her nose. {sorry if you happen to be eating while reading this!} She usually cries and whips her head side to side, but when I'm done and she can take a good deep breath she looks at me like "oh, thank you!"
Needless to say I haven't been getting much sleep. I have to suck the gunk out at least two or three times in the middle of the night (usually before she's able to nurse). She sounds like a little piglet rooting for its mother at night, and I've been a very light sleeper. Every movement or sound I hop up and check to make sure that she's still breathing. Once she's a sleep though, she seems to do just fine.
I really feel for her. There's not much you can do for a child that small. At least us adults can take OTC drugs to treat the symptoms and feel better if not for just a few hours during the day. I haven't even tried Tylenol as I'm afraid it might mask a fever (we were told to bring her in "right away" if she develops a fever or gets lethargic). Otherwise it's just a waiting game. If she hasn't gotten any better by Friday morning I'm making an appointment with her doctor again. But for now it's a blur of days and nights living with the BSD, humidifiers, and crumpled up tissues littering every flat surface.
I know that this will not be the last cold she ever gets, but it's certainly one that I'll remember for awhile!!
Stay healthy everyone!

Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's Day today.
It's a day for love, laughter, and a healthy dose of family. Yesterday we went to my Auntie-in-laws house and had brunch with the whole extended family. I got to see all my favorite little people and big people. I was also able to share my little SweetPea with a few people who haven't met her yet. It was a lot of fun. My husband turned to me at about 2:30 and said "we have to go". I was ready (you really can only take so much!) But as anyone who's ever tried to leave a family gathering knows, it took a reeeeaaalllly long time. After searching for some toys and a hat, we were finally in the car at about 3:00. My husband then turns to me and hands me a business card with 4:15 written on it. He had bought me a foil and cut at a local spa for Valentine's Day! Just about two weeks ago I had been in a rampage complaining that I never have time to take care of myself and I just want to get my hair cut professionally and pampered a little! Wow...he really listened! Good work honey!!
Today we are settling down for some heart shaped pancakes, and some wonderful coffee with Blue Agave sweetener (its a luxury in our house since we can only find it at Trader Joe's). I'll be cuddling with my kiddies today and the husband is planning to take me to dinner and a movie tonight. He may be sucking up for some reason or another, but for now I'm going to enjoy the heck out of it!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Two Months

I can't believe that my SweatPea is two months old today!
It's hard to look back and find where the time went. It seems like just yesterday my mom was here, my house was clean, and I had a brand new baby to look after. These past two months have been so rewarding, crazy, tiring, trying and of course full of firsts. SweatPea's first smile! The first time I left her for more than an hour. My first day back at work. The first time she told me a "story". The Prince's first time giving her kisses. He is a great big brother. I haven't had much time to look retrospectively. With two kids and a full time job, it's hard to even find time to use the restroom (and even then I'm not alone!) As I write this, she is sitting next to me coo-ing up a storm. I am so in love with her. I remember being able to sit and stare into the Prince's eyes, and my SweatPea isn't any different. I can stare at her for hours, of course that is only if she doesn't need to be fed, changed, the Prince is not whining or running around...I love my family.