Oh, hey there. It’s me again. Yeah, it’s been a little tough to blog these days.
I used to think that I had the perfect job for when it came time to be a mom. I could stay at home, save money on child care, get my work done when the baby napped and everything would be just GREAT.
I still think I have a job that is pretty close to perfect for being a mom but things aren’t exactly going as I thought they would.
Being a stay at home mom/work from home might work for 6 months but it pretty much stops as soon as your baby becomes mobile.
Yes, people told me this would happen but I totally I thought I was Superwoman and would be able to manage.
Nope. I feel like I have to choose lately between my blog or spending quality time that I’ll never be able to get back with my son. Every moment is a learning opportunity for these little guys and I feel bad relying on an exer-saucer to be my nanny. It’s not fair to Tommy, so I haven’t been great at keeping up with my work.
Tommy’s naps are unpredictable in length and when they occur. Some are 30 minutes and some are two hours long. The problem is that I never know. His next nap starts about 2-3 hours after he wakes up. If I followed a sleep training book perfectly, maybe there would be some regularity here but the excerpts that I found the time to read, have assured me that his behavior is normal.
Seriously though, why are all the sleep training book so damn long? I haven’t read a magazine in 6 months, let alone a 300 page medical book on sleep.
He is napping now as I type this. Do I have 10 more minutes or 90? This stresses me out and effects the quality of each post.
However, the real game changer was Tommy’s mobile development.
Tommy has started sitting up on his own and essentially crawling (follow me on SnapChat @OfficialSFit to see his progress). I didn’t think this would happen so quickly. I can no longer leave him unassisted. We put down foam tiles and he manages to scoot off on to the hardwood floor every time. He even managed to get his head wedged between the bottom of our couch and the flooring within a couple of minutes in his new play zone, which obviously needs child-proofing.
An exer-saucer and jumper have been my only breaks as he is too big for his swings already. But even those, he gets bored with quickly and I feel bad relying on them too much to just finish something I’ve started.
I used to take these long showers while Tommy sat in his Rock ‘n’ Play, which he’s outgrown. He used to love listening to the shower and fan… I now know where the 2 minute mom shower came from. He sits on the floor playing with a toy as I quickly wash my face and scrub the sweat off my body. Washing my hair is a bi-weekly affair when Nick is around.
The only time I have to write posts usually is after he goes to bed which is 7pm but sometimes later if he has a late nap. Do I stay up late working or do I go to bed to get some sleep knowing I will be woken up at 5:30 or 6:30 AM (and probably once more in the middle of the night, as Tommy still wakes up 3 outta 4 nights)?
I have kept up working out because it keeps me sane and is a huge part of my job that I love. In Boston, I bring Tommy to classes that provide babysitters. Here on the cape, we go for 3.5 mile runs together when it is his nap time or my mom watches him for a half hour while I work out.
This girl, who used to take 5-6 hour-long classes a week now works out for 35 minutes essentially 4 or 5 days a week. It’s a priority for me so I make sure it happens and make each minute count. If only I could put in a total of 2.5 hours a week of work and feel proud of my website.
I’ve been staying at my mom’s in Cape Cod for the extra set of hands during the day which has been helpful but I really need someone who I don’t have to feel bad asking to watch Tommy. Someone who I’ve hired and am paying. I feel like I’m phoning it in with my blog and parenting. I could do better at both but since I’m juggling the two, I’m not.
When I told people my plans early on, they looked at me and said, “Just wait…” Well, I now know what they mean.
I see a lot of moms in Facebook groups wanting jobs that allow them to stay at home with their newborns and my advice for you is that if you are looking into this, it’s not as easy as it sounds or looks. It can be done but not without Mommy guilt.
You will feel like you are never giving your best effort. Your house won’t be order. Your meals won’t be planned. But, in the end if you’re like me, you will be happy but you’ll choose your baby every time even if it means making less money or being less successful.
I know this post may not resonate with many of you who work and have a nanny or send your child to daycare. It probably doesn’t resonate with stay at home moms really either. I feel like a misfit, belonging to neither group.
We all have our struggles as parents. I’m not here to ask for pity or praise, just to share my personal experience and say to everyone who told me I wouldn’t be able to do it all, you are right.
I do feel like I have it all though and for that I’m grateful. My job is amazing for working part-time and being able to spend as much time as I do with my son. I could continue to use my exer-saucer as a babysitter but I plan to hire a babysitter/nanny a couple of days a week starting this fall.
Are you a stay at home mom with a business? I’d love to hear your thoughts below in the comments… and yes, Tommy just woke up as I hit publish. Now, how do I make lunch for myself?
I can’t believe he’s crawling already!?!!!?! Luke (born 1-11-16) doesn’t why realize he must move his arms and legs at the SAME time in order to move. I would love to see him do it but like you’ve said when they are mobile it’s way harder on us. While I don’t work from home I really related to what you said about having shorter workouts. I used to do 2-2.5 hours at the gym and now 35-45 minutes is my max. Like you I have found that making my workouts a priority helps me keep my sanity. On days that I’m not able to workout in the mornings I feel like I’m going through withdrawal from a drug until I compete my work out in the afternoon. I assure you that you’re doing great as Tommy’s mom!
Thank you! He’s not crawling like 20 times in a row, it’s more like 2-6 max “steps” forward and then he plops on his butt and pivots into another direction. I can leave him for 10 seconds but I wouldn’t leave him on the floor not in my eye sight for longer than that.
I’m so glad you shared since I think this is something we all struggle with! I work full time and blog for fun and it’s been hard to keep up. I either have to stay up super late or blog during weekend nap time, which is hard to do!
That is a lot to handle on your plate!
I work full time from home (with monthly travel SF to BOS) and my baby is due in December. My job isn’t flexible though and I am regularly on conference calls etc. So my plan is to have my family take shifts as a ‘mother’s helper’ for the first 6 months or so (even though they will have to travel to do so, them seem enthusiastic) and then hire a mother’s helper full time during my work hours. I’m just hoping they will just mind the baby while I’m on calls or when I need to do a spurt of work rather than be a full time nanny, but we will see how that goes!
Hi Sarah I am not sure if it helps but a sleep schedule will give you a bit of freedom (and you leave baby in the room for minimum 1 hour awake or not so I always knew at least 2 x a day I would have an hour to do my thing! Babies that age have started developing a sleep rhythm and can be put down at certain times (within a range). First nap between 8:30 and 9 am , second nap between 12 and 1 and bonus nap (until 7 or 8 months) between 3:30 and 4…..bed at 6 (if no bonus nap) or 6:30 if bonus nap!! Then you for sure have 2 hours a day to work!!
Your post is spot on to how I feel! I work from home too and can generally make my schedule pretty flexible to allow for me to be mommy to my 2 year old first but it’s hard. I’ve found a church nearby that has a great Mothers Day Out program and he goes to that 3 days a week for 4 hours. It’s great because he socialize with other babies, get loved on by some awesome teachers, and it was a lot cheaper than hiring someone to just watch him! While he is there I can get a workout in along with cranking out a good bit of work. And then I’ll do some more work again when he goes down for an afternoon nap.
The mommy guilt is hard and some days it’s worse than others but I’ve also found I am my best self for him when I have something of my own going on and I get a good work in!
I definitely don’t think you’re a misfit or all alone in feeling this way 🙂 I do work full time at an office and little goes to daycare, but on the rare times I’ve attempted to “work from home” if she’s sick or a snow day or whatever, it is truly hard! And she’s in a pretty comfortable sleep schedule because of daycare, so I can imagine it being impossible with him being so unpredictable. I will say that it does get easier…mine is 2 and some change now, and while yes, she wants lots of attention, she is also capable of sitting for a little while coloring or having a tea party with her bear, allowing me to focus on something else while she’s on the other side of the room. And I’m fairly confident in her ability to get around now so I’m not panicking every time she heads for the stairs or tries to get off a chair 🙂 After my rambling I don’t really have specific advice other than chin up and hang in there! Being a mom is amazing but not always easy!
Hi Sarah! I know exactly what you’re talking about. I have a 4 month old and work at home. Prioritizing can be super hard, and while my bubs isn’t mobile yet I’m almost positive I could find ways to give my attention to him and my biz and myself and my partner. Sounds crazy maybe, but I’m thinking of starting my own blog to experiment with the strategies I have in mind. Anyways, I totally feel your pain and know that you’re not alone. There are tons of FB groups with women like us. I’d try Entrepreneurial Moms or Boss-Moms. Maybe you’ll find some WAHMs to connect with. I’d love to connect too if you’re interested!
Oh my God, PREACHHH. I have an 11 month old (who actually is just starting to crawl so I’m super impressed with Tommy!) I also work full time, and one of those days is from home. Before my maternity leave I was SO happy with this schedule I worked out with my manager. I thought it would cut down on child care costs and also let me spend time with my daughter…cut to me months later ending every single WFH day in tears thinking either 1) I was going to be fired or 2) I was the worst mom ever! Often both. As it turned out, the day I had looked forward to so much actually ended up being my most difficult day of the week. I ended up getting a nanny to help me on that one day. I thought about a mother’s helper too but ultimately went with what felt like the best fit. Whatever we choose comes with its own set of challenges, so you just have to do you! The mom guilt is so real though. It’s easier said than done, but try not to let the guilt get to you! There is no doubt that your baby is so loved and happy. Tommy will just know that his mom works hard doing what she loves. That’s so special! As long as mom is happy too- that’s all that matters. Good luck!
I work full time from home. This is my last week of maternity leave for my 3rd child, so I am starting work again on Monday. I feel your pain! I was hoping working from home would make me feel like a good mom and a good employee, but instead I feel the opposite. I never feel like I do either part as well as I would like. And forget about having a clean house.
Anyway, that is why I am so grateful for your YouTube exercise videos. It is nearly impossible to leave the house now (they don’t really make triple jogging strollers!)
I work from home and have a three year old and a 4 month old, and girlfriend, it’s hard. There’s no way to sugar coat it. By the time I have one kid down for a nap, the other one is waking up. So, my work time is VERY limited. But, one thing that I’ve found that helps, with the baby, since that would be your age range, is putting Holly on her play mat and actually turning on the Baby Development Channel on TV. I don’t let her sit and watch it for hours, but a good thirty minutes of her being entertained with the TV is enough for me to get a blog post written, or at least mostly started, or work on chores, or make a work phone call. We have a play mat, a saucer table, and a little baby jumper to help keep her entertained. Also, to help with naps, and make them last longer, I use the Magic Merlin Sleep Suit [I did with my son too] and it’s AMAZING!! Logan used to nap for three hours with the suit on, and Holly naps just as long now! With all that being said, you are doing an amazing job!! To be a work from home mom, is double the work, because you’re trying to manage a business, and parent! So don’t be too hard on yourself!
I started my own business 1 month before my daughter was born. Like you I thought I would just figure it out or family would be able to help and didn’t plan to hire any outside help. By about 6 months I realized I needed more help. I remember when her naps got shorter and feeling anxious the whole time I was trying to work and not really being able to focus.
Around the time she was crawling at 10 months I found the perfect part-time nanny. It has been great because I am able to have dedicated time to work and still spend plenty of time with my daughter. I mostly work from home so it is nice to be able to hear them playing and know she is in good hands. It has been good for her too because she has a great relationship with our nanny.
My daughter is now 2 and there are days I wish I could just shower and nap when the nanny gets here (especially with another baby on the way!) but I feel very luck to have her and it is the right fit for us right now!
Good luck finding the right nanny!
I really relate! I work from home full time for a big company. Kept my son at home as long as I could. Lasted until 5 months, then put him in daycare 3 days a week. I’m sure that sounds like SO MUCH when you don’t have any childcare. And it is a lot but even with that, my two days with him are tough. He just started crawling and I SO feel you on the mom guilt, keeping him the exersaucer. Our napping schedule is also all over the place. My blog has totally suffered but my blog is just my hobby, not my job like yours. Anyway, caving in and getting childcare is really hard but if you can afford it, even a little help (without feeling bad about asking a friend or family) will help you feel balanced. I hate dropping him off at childcare but it makes my time with him when he gets home so much better because I can fully focus on him. Anyway, you aren’t alone in your feeling. Hope you can find the right situation for you.
I love these type of posts because it helps me realize what is on the horizon. My baby is one month younger than Tommy. I stay at home with her and find it is hard to even get chores some days! Maybe a regular baby sitter that can help out a few hours a week would help. When you find time to read the healthy sleep solutions book it really helps with scheduling naps so you can better plan your days!
I followed it for falling asleep but haven’t figured out how to get Tommy to fall asleep for naps in his crib… Only stroller 🙁
Thanks for another great post Sarah! Hang in there- you sound like you are a freaking awesome Mom to Tommy and like you are making so many good choices for your family.
My little guy is 11 months old and I’m full time at home with him… I’m in awe of people who add in anything extra! I found the month of Baby J learning to crawl (and all the subsequent baby proofing) was very stressful- I ended up cancelling play dates/outings/workouts and just sat on the rug and helped him touch and crawl over / around a lot of the unmovable/unprofable objects until we both got a bit more comfortable with his skills. Helped me feel less concerned, and I feel like he quickly got more capable!
We have a large indestructlable Bluetooth speaker that Baby J loves to hold onto and dance next to- often I set it where I can see him from the kitchen and he will dance (Electro Swing is our current fav station on Google play- good rhythm and minimal words) for 10 min while I get things done.
One thing that we caved and bought was a sleep consultation package from The Baby Sleep Site. Seriously the best thing we have purchased- helped us reduce night wakings and increase nap times and has been a bit of a sanity (and marriage) saver. They talked us through a plan and what level of crying we were comfortable with and have followed up to see how it went.
I have been researching that very thing! Good to know you had a good experience with it. We have tried everything. My baby was born 1/7 and he still wakes up several times a night. We are going crazy. We are currently trying the Sleep Lady’s method, which we have seen SOME improvement with but we are still nowhere close to sleeping through the night. I may just have to cave in and buy the baby sleep site service. Thanks!
The Sleep Site has come up a bunch for me when researching help. So interesting that it worked so well for you. If he’s still waking up at 8 months, I’ll look into it! You should get referral money!
Tommy is young to be moving so much, I think on average they start crawling 7-9 months but my nephew never crawled at all! He went straight to walking. But he is so alert and gets sad when I leave a room BUT happy when I return 🙂
I’m a full-time working mom. My kids are 5 and 14 months. I am allowed to work from home 2 days a week but I have to go elsewhere to work otherwise I would not get anything done. It was tough coming to the realization I could not actually work from home and be productive. It was a major reality check. I feel your pain. Three days a week I commute 2 hours each way. I hate missing out on time with my kids because I am on a train. I say enjoy the time with your little guy. It goes by so fast. Before you know it, he’ll be seeking independence. I know that sounds crazy because he is so little right now. It’s such a great opportunity you have now to take in every moment. Enjoy it
Yup, you essentially have two full time jobs! Of course you are feeling pulled in a million directions. Being a “stay at home parent” is no joke. Good for you for having your own business at the same time. It’s ok for you to pull back on your blog for a while. It’s something that can ebb and flow. Your readers should understand that the blog might look different in different stages of your life. Ultimately, try to look ahead five, ten, or twenty years from now. Where do you hope you will have spent your time and energy- blog or baby?
You are not alone!!! One thing I always remind myself is that things change SO fast with babies and kids -- whats tough right now won’t be in a few months, and then a few months later it’ll be something else, and so on. Some of those times are HARD to work from home and sometimes it’s so amazing you couldn’t imagine anything else. Just remember those good times when you’re in the tough ones. It all ebbs and flows -- parenting, working, success, slow times, etc.
Thanks Heather, congrats too on your new little one! I can’t imagine two at this stage but I hope Tommy will be in school by that time!
This is me exactly! I work part time (mostly from home) and have a 10 month old. He crawls around everywhere, gets into everything and it’s impossible for me to get anything done. My house is a complete disaster and I’m way behind on paperwork for my job. I set up his pack and play in the living area and it keeps him a occupied for a short time. Hardest job ever being a work from home mom. But of course it’s worth it. I didn’t read any sleep books either. I need Cliff’s Notes!
I work from home two days a week with my 2 year old. She goes to daycare 2 days a week and stays home with her dad one day a week while he works from home. It works out well -- the days I start home a re hard, but we make it work. I get up before her and get as much as I can get done -- it’s not unusual for people at work to be getting 5:30am emails from me -- and then I power through her nap and often work later than I would if I were in the office. I wouldn’t trade it for the world though. It not only saved us on daycare costs, but I get to be home with her during the week. And she loves daycare, she had a lot of friends there and learns a lot. Have you considered sending him for one or two days a week where you could get the majority of blog stuff done and scheduled to post and then be home the rest of the week? Or even someone to come stay with him a few hours a couple days a week so you can focus on work? It’s so hard and I feel torn between work and my daughter often, but I think our set up works well for us.
You are lucky. That sounds ideal! I would love to send him a couple day a week to daycare but the costs are astronomical in my neighborhood, and the reasonably priced centers have year long waits. I’ve put him on a few of the wait lists but going to hire someone a couple days a week in the mean time.
I totally understand. My daughter goes to daycare in Brookline -- I can imagine your costs in the middle of the city are even higher. And I remember looking at daycares at 14 weeks pregnant and many had long waiting lists. Once they are a little older, the waits are so bad. You will figure out what works best for you and your family, moms always find a way to make things work, even if it’s unconventional.
Sarah,
I feel the same way!!! I work three days a week at work and three hours a day from home on Mon and Fri. Onthe days that I work from home I have to wake up early to get what ever work needs to be done and then check back in around nap time. Some days when it’s busy at work those two days stress me out. But when it’s slow I enjoy my little boy so much. The three days I work in the office he is in daycare and we love it. They do so much with him. Those days I get a lot of work done. Getting a nanny will be great. You will be happy Tommy will be cared for and his mind will be stimulated and you will get work done and meal prep and workout longer. You will find your balance and what works for your family. Every mother does. If they didn’t they wouldn’t have more kids ????. Now you know a good workout idea…
Sorry to say it gets much harder (like a thousand times harder lol) when they start to walk and run, my daughter is 1 year and 8 months and it is impossible to get anything done productively unless she is napping (and the older they are the less they nap). It’s super exhausting!! It’s so true that it takes a village to raise a child!! 😐 Definitely worth it ofcourse but so hard! I have my job from 9-3, not from home so even though I really miss her no matter how busy I am at work its usually the most relaxing time of my day! LOL! So I can imagine how hard it is for you, but would definitely do the same if I had the choice, would love to be with my daughter all the time -- no matter how crazy she can drive me haha 🙂 xxx
Hang in there! It really does get better. I agree with Heather. Life with kids really moves in phases. Sleep (mine and my kids) has always been very important to me so we did a sleep schedule pretty young. Just think about what you and Tommy needs the most and prioritize those things. My youngest had colic for three months and it was hell, but we survived by just taking care of ourselves (exercise, eating well and sleeping as much as we could) and we got through it. Now she’s 3 and still raising hell 🙂
Hang in there Sarah! It does get easier…but even with older ones, working from home can be a challenge! My boys are 7 &9 and home on summer vacation. They STILL don’t grasp the idea that I am working when I’m at home sitting in front of the computer. But, no matter what their age, it’s totally worth the sacrifice. And in a few years you get to stop worrying about them trying to tear the house apart or put things in their mouths while you are typing away, haha!
Nodded my head the whole time. I remember those days!! This is about the time when I hired a sitter one afternoon a week while I worked downstairs at my desk. I got soooo much done those few hours! And all the moms who said “just wait” are still saying it -because it gets soooo much easier! Just wait until he’s in a preschool a few mornings a week. It makes all the difference. You’re doing a great job!
Yes! All this! I own a business with one other person and I’ve been bringing my baby to our little office since she was three weeks old. Now that she’s nine months old and practicing walking, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to get anything done. She’s bored in the Pack N’ Play and bouncer after five minutes and just wants to crawl around and get into stuff. Lately, I’ve been setting her up with a huge plastic box of blocks and I sit on the floor with her with my laptop, but even that’s tough because she gets interested in my lap top and wants to play around with it. Day care is out of the question due to budget issues, so I seriously have NO idea what I’m going to do between now and the time she goes to preschool. My husband takes her during the morning hours, which is huge, but not nearly enough. If you come up with any great solutions, PLEASE let us know! Hang in there!
Hi Sarah. I left a comment before on how I managed. Look through your comments. Basically I had 6 and 1 year olds when I started my blog. I worked out 20 mins during his naps. Oldest one was at school. Then I sent my youngest one to a trusted daycare 1-2 days a week when I worked. I could never work at night or with kids. It was too much. Only paid help saved me. Now they are 10 and 5 and only now I can work part time without guilt while they play outside together or are at school in summer and full time during school year. Until now I paid. There is nothing to reinvent. And yes I do not experience guilt. I am happy as a mom and as an entrepreneur. Also I passed many blog opportunities what single or child free bloggers could do and still I am fine and run a successful business. It is possible. Just gotta seek help with kids. Good luck. You can do it. It gets better if you plan it. Sorry I had to smile because it is amazing how kids change our lives. I am still in awe myself haha. I remember your kid free posts. Was very nice free life with no rush. Hahahhaha. Niw I know how you feel. I feel like I am in a race lol. You get used to it though because there is no return policy. And then you have another kid on top. Hahahha.
I remember! Yes, I need to hire the help but now I need to take the time to tour and research day cares (that don’t have waits) or interview find a good sitter!
I totally feel your pain. When I went back to work after maternity leave, I worked from home 3 days/week. When work was slow, it was great, but when I was busy, it was super stressful. My husband would come home at the end of the day and I would pretty much hand off our daughter and would end up working for a few hours when it should have been family time. I was spread so thin and felt I wasn’t doing well as a mother or as an employee. I ended up going back to the office full time, which was a very hard, emotional decision. But now, I have that division of work and home/family. So when I’m home in the mornings, evenings and weekends, it is definitely quality time. Good luck with everything and just remember that mommy guilt happens to every mom. Tommy isn’t going to look back and remember that you weren’t there for a few hours. He will be proud of his mommy for working hard and providing for him. 🙂
We are one in the same. I just had a son in December, so very close to yours. It’s nice to hear someone else’s take on this struggle because I also feel like a misfit. I’m stuck between mom friends who stay at home and mom friends who work — I’m both so no one really understands how insane it is. I own my own business (luckily with a partner who is in another state) but still, it is not manageable. We just secured the biggest contract of our careers and I honestly don’t know how I’m going to handle it. I do not have him in childcare (nor do I want to at this point) --I rely on the help of my mother and husband when he can (he also works from home but works for a corporation so doesnt have as much flexibility).
I just feel guilty because I feel like when I am playing with my son or taking care of him, I’m either trying to check e-mails at the same time or trying to work on a project while he’s playing and it’s just getting hard. I’m not fully present in the moment and it makes me feel awful. But then I remind myself that most people do not have this luxury.. and I’m getting SO much more time than the average person. I’m not really doing anything well right now — from work to my marriage to being a mom. I’m spread so thin… I hear you. I hope that in the long run we find something that works out. Oh and add the fact that I’m 7 months postpartum and JUST starting to exercise again (15 more pounds to go.. ugh). Where is the time and how can anyone have two children?! Best of luck.. we’ll figure it out!
This does resonate with me in spite of being a “daycare mom”--I used to do a lot more lesson planning and grading at home as a teacher, and have had to learn to change my expectations and about what I can accomplish on weekends or in the evenings. My son is a little speedster and loves going after all the things he shouldn’t have (electrical outlets, breakables). It’s also refreshing to hear a perspective that’s not “whee! I’m a perfect blog-at-home-mom!”
This post was so perfectly timed for me. I’m 8 months pregnant and worried about working part time from home with a baby. I am scared I’ll try to do it ALL and end up half-assing both :/ My husband is wildly optimistic I’ll be able to handle it, but I’m not so sure (especially once we reach the crawling stage). We shall see!
I’m sure you’ve gotten tons of advice, so I’ll just give you one tip that helped me with my second. Like Tommy, she slept really well at night but her napping was non-existent. I blamed it mostly on my son’s school and activity schedule, but after talking to some moms who had gone through the baby/big kid experience they told me to try the 2-3-4 schedule. Put the baby down for the first nap 2 hours after they wake up in the morning. Put the baby down for the second nap 3 hours after he wakes up from nap number one. Put the baby to bed 4 hours after he wakes from nap two.
This worked like a charm but took 3-4 days for her to get on schedule. Now she’s a little over 1 and is moving from two naps to one longer nap and she still sleeps like a champ at night, it will always be a bit of a learning curve so what works for me might not work for you, but hopefully it will and you can depend on some time to get work and life stuff done 🙂
I feel the exact same way!! I didn’t go back to my normal 9-5 job when my son was born almost 15 months ago. I thought I wanted something I could do from home too, but you’re right…around 6 months that’s a joke!! I do have my own network marketing business so I’m generating a little bit of income, but I don’t stress over not putting in the effort. The bottom line is, I’m putting in as much as I can at this stage. You said it perfectly, it’s time we will never get back!! It took me so long to figure out a schedule with naps and what worked for us (and when you do, it seems they go and change it up again!). Mine didn’t sleep through the night until 13 months. But it DOES get easier! You’ll find what works for your little one and you!! And I occasionally hire a young teen from church to help out here and there when I just really need to do stuff. Try not to take on the guilt, you’re doing a great job! I think just being there, even while using the exersaucer, is enough sometimes!
So cute girl! I can only imagine how this might feel.
I always wonder how I’m gonna cope when I have a kid and continue to blog and see private yoga clients. But I guess you can never be fully prepared. I feel like it will get better for you soon…and you’re hiring a nanny so it looks like you’re already taking action! xo
Once my son (now 9.5 months) dropped from 3 naps to 2 naps, they both got a lot more reliable! the 3 naps were tough, because ours were the same way -- 2 90 minute naps and 1 30 minute nap, but it was anyone’s guess which nap was which!