Saturday, July 24, 2010

Patience is a Virtue

Most mothers will tell you that they have somewhat of a routine when it comes to their day to day activities with their children. Although I do not consider myself a very rigid person with a tight schedule, having a routine is what keeps me sane. For the past month or so Sophia and I have had a routine that goes something like this:

7:30- Wake up, have breakfast
8:00- Get dressed, clean up the kitchen

8:45- Head to the gym, Sophia plays in the kids' club and mommy exercises and charges up for the days' activities.

10:30- Come home, Sophia takes a nap, Mommy does laundry, takes a shower, usually reads for a few minutes.

12:00-4:00- This is the time when we eat lunch and then run any necessary errands. Otherwise we can usually be found at home playing with Sophia's beloved bunny chair or other fun toys.
4:45- Sophia goes down for nap #2. Usually Mommy uses this time for herself or to spend with Daddy if he is home.
5:45- Start thinking about preparing dinner and usually eat around 6:30 or 7:00.

8:15- Story time and night night time for Sophia.

Yesterday, this routine did not exist! Sophia woke up at 8:15 which is late for her. We went to Einstein's Bagel for breakfast, dropped Daddy at the airport, and went to the gym. When we got home at 11:00, Sophia had a lot of energy, so I decided to let her play more. When it was 12:45 and she still wasn't tired I started getting frustrated. I made several attempts to calm her down such as reading, rubbing her back, singing, and rocking her in the pitch black bathroom. I have truly never been so frustrated since having Sophia. I started feeling like a bad mommy because I was so angry. I never actually yelled at her, but in my heart, I was so so angry! I actually started praying, begging God to calm her down. Being home with a child all day can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Sophia's nap time is my time to recharge and be somewhat productive (if you can call it that). I must have made 10 attempts to get her to take a nap. Around 4pm I actually sat her in her crib and shut the door. She amused herself for a good 15 minutes and then started screaming. The only time I left the house yesterday, was so that I could pick up an order of Chili Cheese Fries to drown my sorrows away. It didn't help... Sophia finally decided to settle down and go to bed at 9:00. I thought to myself, at least she will sleep well. When I heard her crying this morning, I was sure it must be at least 8:30am. When I looked at my phone and saw that it was 5:50am, I almost cried. She woke at 5:50am and played until 9:30am when she finally crashed and she is still sleeping! Finally Mommy can have her time to recharge and relax. The house is a mess, the trash actually smells a little, but I need to just relax right now. Being a mother is rewarding in so many ways, but can I just be honest for a second, and say that sometimes it is downright exhausting!

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