Sleep when the baby sleeps

I don't remember anyone actually giving me that advice when I was pregnant "sleep when the baby sleeps". But I do remember hearing not to worry about housework, dishes wait, etc. I have taken BOTH to heart. For awhile I felt like I did nothing BUT care for Kaelyn when she was first born. My mom did the shopping for me, I'd make supper once Sean was home and the laundry just waited! My mom actually has complimented me on this, the fact that I did little to nothing! :) Because I guess that means I'm more free to enjoy moments with Kaelyn. Ever since she was born she truly has come first and everything else can wait.

But probably more than anything else it's the fact that when she's awake I don't have time to do much but play with and care for her and when she's sleeping, I'm exhausted and want to rest myself. A lot of Kaelyn's morning naps are taken in the car as we drive somewhere, so obviously I don't sleep then! But often in the afternoon when she sleeps, I at least TRY to sleep. Sometimes I just lay there thinking of all the things I SHOULD be doing and other times I konk out and get alittle snooze in myself. And I think it's probably the smart thing to do. I want to have as much energy as I can to chase Kaelyn around! She's almost 11 months old and practically running. Or at least walking and crawling quite fast!

The only problem is, there's never any time for anything else! I LOVE to read. I never get to. I have a massage bed in the basement I used to use EVERY day. I rarely get to. I used to run 5 miles every morning. I haven't run a step in almost a year. How do parents do it? How do they find the time and/or the energy to do things for themselves? If you sleep when the baby sleeps (and mine doesn't particularly care for sleep!) when do you get to do anything else you want or need to do?

I do get a tiny bit of reading done. Not many novels, but the occasional magazine. On occasions here and there Kaelyn will be so occupied with a toy she won't be paying attention to the fact that I'm in the room. Ah ha! I think. At last! I see my chance. I grab the magazine I have handy and frantically read a paragraph or two. And then she turns my way, crawls over as fast as she can and RIP. She just LOVES my magazines. Thankfully no books have met the same fate as of yet but probably because I rarely get to read an actual book and when I do it simply canNOT be done when she's around!

I do get massages on occasion. When we've had a rough day and my husband gets home and I'm like, here you take her! Then I disappear for awhile to relax. Or when my mom comes to visit weekly I'll often get to run down for a visit to my massage table. It's definitely not a daily event, but it's something! And I love every second I get!

I do NOT get to work out. EVER. How?! I've been trying and trying to devise ways. Sometimes if I actually wake up in the morning before Kaelyn maybe I could. But then I think, yeah but she'll be up ANY second. And she is. I'd be interrupted anyways. There are naptimes, but like I said, I'm usually so exhausted by then I need a break. Not a break to exhaust myself more but a nap or at least some rest of some kind! And, like I said, Kaelyn isn't much of a sleeper. She may nap up to an hour and a half, but generally in smaller chunks between which I have to go back in to her room to calm her and get her back to sleep. So I don't feel like I can leave her on the second level and go ALL the way to the basement where the elliptical machine is and work out. By the time I'd get back up to her room during one of her wakings, she'd probably be fully awake and up for the day. Which means the rest of the day with a crabby baby.

I've never been one to claim I have it all figured out when it comes to kids, that's for sure. And before I had Kaelyn I heard lots of moms saying they never had time for themselves. I guess I didn't really know what that meant until I experienced it myself. I never dreamed I would stop working out. I never thought I'd be unable to read.

But some of the best advice I've received that I've already seen to be true is that it will pass. Kaelyn will grow up and play more independently. She'll go to school. She'll make friends and talk on the phone. Playing with me all day everyday...hanging on my lap constantly...taking up every waking second of time, will all pass. And, from what people say, too quickly! So until the time comes, Kaelyn gets my time. Even if it means I don't get much for myself. I've had a lot of years to myself to do what I please. I'll have many more years to come, so for now, I will give her my time while she wants and needs it. And try to enjoy every second as people recommend because Kaelyn will never be 10 1/2 months old ever again. She'll soon be 11 months. Then 12 months. Then 18 years! :) I just keep reminding myself that when there are things I want to do but don't feel that I can. Someday I'll have all the time in the world to do those things and will wish Kaelyn would play with me all day again! :) Maybe.