The Power Of Tiaras
If you're not following me on Twitter or friends with me on Facebook (and you know? I would totally understand if you weren't!), then I have probably seemed a little...absent? Quiet? BORING?
It's just that since I joined up with the Clever Girls Collective a couple weeks ago, I will admit that my day-to-day life kind of went nutso. It's been great, but going from "not working" to "working" -- even just at home, even just part-time -- has required a new kind of juggling act I am only just beginning to figure out.
I've worked from home before, sure. I know how to make it work when I'm my only distraction. But, for example, I have never been on an important conference call before where I had to mute myself so I could change a poopy diaper. True story.
I've also quickly learned that just because you're sitting at your laptop doesn't mean you're actually working if you're also supposed to be watching the baby. Similarly, it doesn't mean you're actually paying attention to the baby if you're sitting at your laptop.
Meaning I've quickly learned how easy it is to feel entirely inept at being a parent AND at being a professional at the same time.
But!
This weekend was really useful. First, I got to spend a whole 24+ hours "retreating" with the other Clever Girls, getting focus and clarity around what the next several months will look like for us.
[And, by the way? Stefania, Cat and Sheila are amazing.]
[Also: At my request, The Napa Valley Marriott sponsored and took great care of us. They were fantastic, which is why I approached them in the first place, and if you are ever looking for a non-gagillion dollars a night place to spend a night or two in Napa, I can't recommend them more highly.]
Then I got to blow off some steam.
While I was sequestered, Ben and Emily had decided to come up to Napa and spend the night on Saturday. So by the time I got home to greet them, I was a bit dizzy-headed, sleep-deprived and unshowered.
Around 10 p.m. -- while laughing at my ridiculous hormone hair -- Ben joked that he was disappointed I hadn't gotten "spruced up" for him. Fueled by a few beers, I took this as a dare and disappeared upstairs.
I returned wearing the "spruciest" things I own: namely, a bridesmaid's dress and tiara.
Then we got Emily dressed up in a tutu and Dolly Parton wig that had her looking a lot less like a country singer and a lot more like Dee Snider.
Then we danced around and somehow managed not to wake up either of our babies.
Awesome! Until the weekend ended with my having another gall bladder* attack, taking a Vicodin and passing out cold at 8 p.m.
My weekend. Quite the adventure.
The point of all of this is to say that I think after a crazy few weeks and an intense weekend, I'm getting a grip on my life, schedule, priorities.
I've discovered (again) how easy it is to let "busy" knock blogging off my radar screen as a priority. But when I lift my head out of the busy for a few minutes, I remember (again) that blogging, writing, is my first love, and that doing something I love is important to maintaining my sanity. And identity.
So while I think I have a better sense of my work/life "schedule," I think I've also figured out a way to make sure blogging is part of that.
Oooh, and I think a blog redesign is coming, too.
But enough about me. How have YOU been? Did I miss anything?
P.S. Promtacular! is clean and working fine, and we're working -- once again -- on fixing it so that the RSS feed includes images.
*Yeah, I'm having gall bladder issues. My dad, mom, and sister have had theirs out, and I probably will, too. That's been adding to all the fun and excitement around here, though, lemme tell ya...
It's just that since I joined up with the Clever Girls Collective a couple weeks ago, I will admit that my day-to-day life kind of went nutso. It's been great, but going from "not working" to "working" -- even just at home, even just part-time -- has required a new kind of juggling act I am only just beginning to figure out.
I've worked from home before, sure. I know how to make it work when I'm my only distraction. But, for example, I have never been on an important conference call before where I had to mute myself so I could change a poopy diaper. True story.
I've also quickly learned that just because you're sitting at your laptop doesn't mean you're actually working if you're also supposed to be watching the baby. Similarly, it doesn't mean you're actually paying attention to the baby if you're sitting at your laptop.
Meaning I've quickly learned how easy it is to feel entirely inept at being a parent AND at being a professional at the same time.
But!
This weekend was really useful. First, I got to spend a whole 24+ hours "retreating" with the other Clever Girls, getting focus and clarity around what the next several months will look like for us.
[And, by the way? Stefania, Cat and Sheila are amazing.]
[Also: At my request, The Napa Valley Marriott sponsored and took great care of us. They were fantastic, which is why I approached them in the first place, and if you are ever looking for a non-gagillion dollars a night place to spend a night or two in Napa, I can't recommend them more highly.]
Then I got to blow off some steam.
While I was sequestered, Ben and Emily had decided to come up to Napa and spend the night on Saturday. So by the time I got home to greet them, I was a bit dizzy-headed, sleep-deprived and unshowered.
Around 10 p.m. -- while laughing at my ridiculous hormone hair -- Ben joked that he was disappointed I hadn't gotten "spruced up" for him. Fueled by a few beers, I took this as a dare and disappeared upstairs.
I returned wearing the "spruciest" things I own: namely, a bridesmaid's dress and tiara.
Then we got Emily dressed up in a tutu and Dolly Parton wig that had her looking a lot less like a country singer and a lot more like Dee Snider.
Awesome! Until the weekend ended with my having another gall bladder* attack, taking a Vicodin and passing out cold at 8 p.m.
My weekend. Quite the adventure.
The point of all of this is to say that I think after a crazy few weeks and an intense weekend, I'm getting a grip on my life, schedule, priorities.
I've discovered (again) how easy it is to let "busy" knock blogging off my radar screen as a priority. But when I lift my head out of the busy for a few minutes, I remember (again) that blogging, writing, is my first love, and that doing something I love is important to maintaining my sanity. And identity.
So while I think I have a better sense of my work/life "schedule," I think I've also figured out a way to make sure blogging is part of that.
Oooh, and I think a blog redesign is coming, too.
But enough about me. How have YOU been? Did I miss anything?
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| Eve outside in her Pop-a-Tot |
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| Baby Max, Up Close & Personal |
P.S. Promtacular! is clean and working fine, and we're working -- once again -- on fixing it so that the RSS feed includes images.
*Yeah, I'm having gall bladder issues. My dad, mom, and sister have had theirs out, and I probably will, too. That's been adding to all the fun and excitement around here, though, lemme tell ya...
Hey! How do you like the Pop-A-Tot? We do a lot of beaching and festival-going over the summer, and our baby will be 6 - 9 months old over the summer. It looks like it would be perfect... Does Eve seem to mind it?
ReplyDeleteLOVE your posts! I understand a busierthanhell schedule, but love it when you do get a chance to update.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the gallbladder situation; those are NOT fun.
OMG...Baby Eve...ADORABLE!!!
ReplyDeleteYou and Emily seem like my kind of people. That close up shot of Max is so ridiculously cute he doesn't even look like a real baby, but a straight up doll.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're doing something you like, even if juggling it all is making you a little nutty. Eve is just gorgeous.
You look smashing in the bridesmaid dress.
ReplyDeleteSee, that is why you're fabulous!
ReplyDeleteWhen a friend of mine started working from her home office when her first child was a baby, she wound up having to get a babysitter to keep the kid entertained so Mommy could get some actual work done. There's another blogger (Tertia from So Close in South Africa) with 3 little ones including a set of twins who has a nanny and works from home but has to trick the kids. If they know she's working from home they won't leave her alone. Every morning she makes a big production out of saying goodbye, gets into her car, drives to the end of the road, sneaks back to the hose and goes into her home office from a separate entrance, keeping the door into the rest of the house locked. Very cloak-and-dagger.
Tiaras...adorable babies...in one post? Does it get any better?!?
ReplyDeleteGosh what fun and cute pics! Beautiful family. :-) I think everyone needs a tiara! Came over from Steph's link on Totally Together Journal--love Steph! ;-)
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the gall bladder issues. As someone who had my own gall bladder out years ago, I just wanted to mention that gall bladder issues can be related to celiac/gluten intolerance. It's not that the gall bladder issues run in the family per se, it's that what's causing them runs in the family (even on both sides). Almost everyone on my mother's side of the family has had their gall bladder out, plus many other issues related to gluten problems. Of course, I didn't know that until I was diagnosed ... then everything made sense. You may have other gluten symptoms and just not know. I lead a celiac/gluten intolerance support group and have a listing on my sidebar of 20+ issues that are signs one should get tested. Worth checking out. :-)
Best,
Shirley