Things haven't been fantastic lately in our little chicken coop. The kids have been driving me insane with all their demands, and I've been feeling so overwhelmed with everything. I'm sure most people don't think that having 4 kids under 5 is hard, but let me tell you - it is. I feel like I can never meet everyone's needs, and everyone needs me at the same time, and its awful having to pick and choose between your children and upset one (or two) of the others. I know it will get better, once The Baby gets better at sleeping during the day and doesn't need so much of me. I'm not sure how long she will need 2 hourly feeds during the day, or have 20 minute cat naps, but I'm hoping that she will work out soon that sleep is bloody fantastic, and she really should do more of it.
Speedy is awfully needy (haha speedy is needy) at the moment. Plus she has quite the temper on her, and lets fly at anything and everything. The Coo has an awful screeching thing going on, whenever something is being done to her, or someone is taking something off her, instead of talking like we know she can - she screeches. Its an ear piercing, blood curdling, mind numbing screech. And it drives me up the wall. She was doing well with toilet training, with the exception of one thing - she would never poo in the toilet or potty. Poo had to be done in her undies, 2 - 4 times a day. Another thing to drive me crazy.
Sparrow loves playing games - computer games, playstation games, explorer games - but drives me up the wall when he is playing the playstation and he wants me to get through a level for him because its too difficult for him. I just don't have enough of me to go around, which is funny to say, considering I'm the size of a house.
So I've made some changes, some that some people won't understand, and some will think I'm crazy - but I'm coming to realise that other people's opinions shouldn't matter to me, unless they are in exactly the same position I am.
So my changes. I've put Coo back in nappies. I just couldn't do it any more, couldn't change her undies several times a day, and it was something that had to be changed then and there, and she had fantastic timing, usually it was when I was rocking The Baby to sleep or feeding etc. So, she's back in nappies.
And nappies - all the girls are now in disposables. I was finding it so hard to keep up with the washing for the girls in cloth, plus all our clothes. Less work for me will hopefully help me not be so overwhelmed. I hate that it is so much landfill, but I think I need a few months break to find my groove again.
Also, I've packed most toys away, so I don't have so many to clean up and the house never looks like a bomb has hit it (except for my bedroom at the moment with all the washing waiting to be folded)
My "size of a house" problem. I've decided to try and wean myself off junk food, because to be honest, I'm not good at following diets. I always say "thats it, no more junk food" and then I have an absolute shit of a day, and Elf Man gets me stuff on his way home to drown my sorrows. So I'm working on changes there too. This week, I didn't buy chocolate. Next week I won't buy lollies. The next week I won't buy chips. The next week I won't buy sweet biscuits. And then the next week, I won't buy maccas/take away.
I'm a work in progress at the moment - but I'm hoping by taking little steps - I'll get to find myself (....and my waist.....?)
Yup, the opposite of "if it's not broke then don't fix it"... is exactly this. And we keep changing stuff until we find what does work (but by then the damn kids change it up again and we have to find something new again!!) lol... kids eh! One of my new changes was to change how/when I did washing... I now try to do it much more often so it's not such a mountain and more manageable smaller "chunks"... that helps :)
ReplyDeleteMy lovely friend - you just do what you gotta do! Of course 4 under 5 is hard work!!! I can't even begin to imagine. I think you're doing fantastically coping as well as you do, and also to be continually assessing yourself as a person, a parent, etc - striving to be better is a wonderful trait to have :)
ReplyDeleteI love ya Mel :)
Love reading your blog... So honest and a true reflection of life as a SAHM.. well done on the changes you are making for you & your family :)
ReplyDeleteHey Melly I love the way you see things Xxx natty
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