Well, I am writing a new Blog post which means one thing! I survived my first week a lone with the twins!!! I was a little worried about this week. There were some tears (by all of us), some times when I wondered how I would keep going, but I did it, and I am still standing and still loving every second of being a mom (even the frustrating ones). Although, this was just my first week alone with the boys I quickly learned that were some things that needed to happen in order to survive this new role! So here are my top 5 survival strategies!
5 Ways to survive being a mom!
- Treat it as a job, which it is! The most rewarding, most challenging job you will EVER have or do! I have heard so many moms talk about how they lost themselves while looking after their newborns, and some days I am right there with you! What I have find works for me is to make it a point to shower! As soon as my babies get down for a nap that is the first thing I do. It wakes me up, makes me feel alive, and makes me feel like I am ready to tackle the day! I also refuse to sit around in my pyjamas all day. Would I go to work in my pyjamas? No, absolutely not! So, I get dressed and do my hair (if you consider a pony tail, a braid, or thrown on top of my head “doing” my hair). Getting dressed makes me feel good, makes me feel human, and feeling good about yourself goes a very long way when starting your day with little ones!
- Set Goals to get things done! Every day I set a few (3 or 4) goals of what I want to get accomplished during the day. This list usually consists of cleaning and tidying up. I try to keep my days easy, so only one major cleaning thing a day, and the rest are simple small tasks like emptying the dishwasher or putting a load of clothes away! By the end of the day if I have even accomplished one thing off my list it feels good knowing that I did something (even if it is unloading the dishwasher) to keep my house looking somewhat decent.
- Take time for me! Every day I try to take some time for myself. Some days this has been as little as 5 minutes or as long as the babies are napping, whatever I feel I need at the time. Although looking after the babies is my top priority I have learned that looking after myself is just as important. I need to keep myself healthy and energized as much as possible for these babies! My times for me have consisted of napping, working on my little side business “Little Design Line”, working on my blog, online shopping (shhhh! Don’t tell Joel lol), or just sitting staring into space and actually drinking a HOT cup of coffee!
- The all important sleep! I’ve been VERY fortunate with pretty good sleeping babies which I know is totally saving my life! We have heard horror stories of twins only sleeping 20 minutes at a time all day/night, or babies who just have trouble sleeping. We honestly kind of thank the NICU for how well the boys sleep. They started them off right from the beginning on a schedule and they have pretty much stuck to that, although now they are sleeping longer through the night, and have even slept through the night a few times already! That being said sleep is precious! I think back to my University days of pulling all nighters- totally taking advantage of the option of sleeping at a reasonable time! Now, if I’m not in bed by 9:30pm I want to cry!!!! Early bedtimes are a must. Even though once the boys are asleep part of me would rather watch Netflix or browse Facebook, but it is time to sleep!
- Find a routine that works- This is the thing I have been struggling with. These boys have me on my toes! What works one day, sometimes wont work the next day. This is our first week together and we are still finding our way. It has been a lot of trial and error to figure out a schedule, but I know once we have one it will be well worth it! Every one needs a little routine in their life! We are struggling with naps, they don’t like to nap for very long, but then they are BEYOND exhausted and cranky because, well, they NEED their naps, and as much as this Mama loves them, she NEEDS a break! So, right now we are taking this schedule making one day at a time. As they say “Rome wasn’t built in a day!”
So with that, it is now time to begin week two! Also, on a side note, My boys turned 4 months old on Saturday! I can’t believe it!!! They are getting so big and cuter and cuter every day!
Harrison (left) Hunter (right)
Twins for the Win 
Every time you write I swing between how proud I feel to be your friend and wanting to hug you and laugh with you! It is such a blessing to read the things you write so well about. Your little boys are blessed by God to have been given you as their Mommy. Every day that you were parented by your beautiful parents God was preparing you to be a mother. You have learned well.
I have read with much feeling when you have shared about your hair! I always had thick, curly, full of body hair – UNTIL pregnancy! My hair became lifeless, dull, straight, limp, and unmanageable! I finally resorted to a “little body perm – just to give it body”. My father-in-law burst out laughing when he saw me, David just grinned, and the next day I went back and had it straightened!!!!! It finally became healthy again – unti next post pregnancy event.
Love you Em. Keep writing. Enjoy every moment of motherhood. Being “elderly” and alone
sure doesn’t measure up to the joy of full days and sleepless nights!
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