Balance.

How do you find balance? I know that I cannot be the only one that struggles with finding time to do all the things I need to do and want to do. Whether you are a Mom or not, it’s so tough to find time to do “all the things”.

As for me, I want to be put together at all times, on the inside and out. I want to have a better post baby body than pre baby body.  I want people to show up at my door unannounced and be in awe of how pristine our house is. I want Truett to have had maximum naps and stay clean with no scrapes and scuffs. I want the puppy to be trained and listen and not chew up the basket that is by the back door or PEE ON OUR BED!!!! I want a lot of things but let’s be honest ” it ain’t happenin’ “.

As a new Mommy that works 4 days a week and commutes 20 miles each way, I have a hard time finding balance. I feel like my house is never clean, the laundry is never done, my workouts are few and far between and we could really use a date night. I get scared to even start a TO-DO list because of how long it will end up being and how unlikely it is that things will get crossed off.

I know that as a working Mom I find it hard to balance it all and I know a few stay at home Mama’s that feel exactly the same as I do. We wake up looking forward to going to bed that night. I tell myself, as soon as Truett goes to bed, so am I! But that NEVER happens! Like NEVER! There’s a million things that need to be done or a show I really want to watch or I randomly have energy that I would have killed for during the day. Or there’s social media, I need my daily fix.

Adam and I do not have any family close by. We typically have to pay for sitters when we need “help” or a date night…. it can really add up. We said pre baby that we were wanting to maintain our social lives and have a baby that fits into our norm.  HA. Easier said than done. I find that we hire a sitter for group date nights or events instead of time for just the two of us. Truett currently goes to bed around 7pm so for now we can have one on one time after he goes to bed, when Adam doesn’t have to work a home stand (he is VP of ticket sales for the SF Giants Triple A team, the Sacramento River Cats). Fortunately, I have a neighbor (s/o to Erin) that we take turns watching each other’s little ones when we need a helping hand. Her daughter, Charlie is two months younger that True and they play great together. Erin has been a godsend on my Fridays when I need help and many other times!! But for the most part in the evenings during the week when it’s just me, I’m going through the motions. I find myself trying to do 3294873298 things at once and getting lost in “what was I just doing”. But hey, I figure as long as the baby is fed, clean and in bed at a decent hour and the house isn’t on fire, it’s a win!

So, with all of this being said. I have decided to prioritize things that have to be done regularly, things that I want to do, time as a family, times as a couple and time for myself. I’m also learning that it’s okay to say NO to things and miss out every now and then. As much as we love having a social life and being on the go, we can really use a night in or a plan free weekend. I have started to make a daily, weekly and monthly to do list that includes household chores, personal goals and things to make the work week less hectic like meal planning. I am going to make sure that I make time for us and for myself. There will be days and weeks and months that not everything is checked off but as long as I try to stick to it for the most part, I think I’ll be happy and feel like my life is a little less chaotic. I feel extremely fortunate to have a partner that helps with as much as he can, when he can. I also am blessed to have friends (and patients) that are willing to help when we need them to, they have become our California adoptive family (s/o to Hillary, Alexis and Megan and SO.MANY.MORE). Love y’all!!