Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Where is a mom's sick day???
It seems like I have been sick for about 5 weeks now. Just when I started feeling better from a horrible 3 week flu bug I got sick again, and this time it was a sinus infection. I really think I had the sinus stuff weeks ago as well, but I fought through it. Thankfully I am on antibiotics now. I am not a fan of taking drugs but I was getting desperate! I had been sick long enough, was not getting better, in fact I was getting worse. Moving in less than 2 weeks, have a week to the new place and a lot of work to do prior to moving everything over. I knew that I could not get away with ignoring this any longer or I would be much worse off. So I took myself to the clinic on the weekend, sat for hours waiting to be seen by a doctor to be told that I needed an antibiotic. I happily took the little piece of paper that was going to make me better, and proceeded to laugh at the doctors orders... "take this for the full 10 days and get lots of rest"... I told him I had 2 small kids at home and was moving in 2 weeks, he looked at me with these sad eyes like he knew I was in trouble!! So it comes to me, where is a "mom's" sick day? We work the hardest job (don't let any man tell you that his job is harder) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We have no 2 weeks of vacation, statutory holidays off, or sick days. We have to scrape our sorry butts out of bed each and every day whether we feel like it or not. We try to go to bed early to get a good nights sleep but that always seems to be the night that our kids won't allow it. We push through wanting to be taken out back and shot because we have to, we are MOM's and sometimes I think this world would not function without us!! Okay maybe that is a little much but forgive me I have been sick for over a month now :)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Junk Email...
Do you ever wonder what these people get out of creating this junk email? I know there are times when I do. This week has been one of those times, I have received 91 junk emails in the last 24 hours and it takes up so much of my free time. As a mother of 2 under 4, a business owner, and having to take care of my home I certainly don't need to spend the little bit of free time that I have looking through that many junk emails. I have to though, I have to make sure that customers emails don't get lumped into my junk folder.
Now I always get them, I have an online business, it is inevitable, but I hate when I get these spurts of a huge amount. I am not interested in enlarging my penis, seeing naked pictures of Paris Hilton, or great deals on drugs. I don't want all of these but I can't set my control panel for my site to just delete them because I might miss a customers email. I can handle the few that come in during a normal day, but this is to much...
So in all of this frustration I hope that this is not showing me that I am going to have issues with my email, it did the last time. There is nothing worse than not receiving important emails when you have a business like mine. Please bug me if you have sent me an email and I never responded because maybe yours got missed when I was scanning over the 91 emails sitting in my junk folder from just one day!
Now I always get them, I have an online business, it is inevitable, but I hate when I get these spurts of a huge amount. I am not interested in enlarging my penis, seeing naked pictures of Paris Hilton, or great deals on drugs. I don't want all of these but I can't set my control panel for my site to just delete them because I might miss a customers email. I can handle the few that come in during a normal day, but this is to much...
So in all of this frustration I hope that this is not showing me that I am going to have issues with my email, it did the last time. There is nothing worse than not receiving important emails when you have a business like mine. Please bug me if you have sent me an email and I never responded because maybe yours got missed when I was scanning over the 91 emails sitting in my junk folder from just one day!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
She is on strike and the girls are not happy about it!
So I am going to share one of the joys I face being a mom! I sit here sore, why you might ask, well my daughter has decided she is on a nursing strike and after 5 days of almost dropping it my girls are very full and sore. I had plans to wean her slowly at about a year, well she had different plans and wouldn't take anything else so as I tried each and every day with some water or milk in a cup she declared that she was having nothing to do with my plan. So I still nursed, more for my sake then hers. I was not looking at trying cold turkey. I was planning the slow method like I did with my son, drop one feed a week and after a month it could be done.
So I sat down on Sunday night in the chair in her room as I have done for the past year to nurse her and then put her in her crib. Well she bit me! I remember bitting from my son, he had teeth at 5 months and a full mouth by 10 months so when he bit it hurt. I screamed, she cried and then just wanted into her crib so I put her there. She woke up in the early morning and wanted to nurse so I did. Then she wanted nothing to do with me again other than a quick sip in the late afternoon. That evening I sat down not sure what to expect and she said no again... I was stunned! She has nursed once a day for the past 5 days and even that has not been a real feed.
At first I thought teeth as she is getting her first molars, but now I am not sure. I am so glad that she started getting her teeth so much later than her brother! I was shocked she started with no nursing before bed, I thought that would for sure be the last one she dropped. She has started drinking a little milk, not much but a little bit so I guess that is a positive.
But I think the hardest thing for me is that I am not sure how I feel. I have been looking for a while for something that would allow me a little time away from her, she has refused everything but the boob for the past year so I could never go very far or even sleep through the night. I guess I just didn't plan it would happen like this, but does anything go as we plan? I am sad, I knew I would be when the time came, I was with my son too. I know this is the last time so I think I was in less of a rush to have it stop completely.... I guess she has different plans.
So keep my girls in your thoughts, and if you have any tips or advice please share, I think in another day or so I am going to be desperate!!!
Lindsay =)
So I sat down on Sunday night in the chair in her room as I have done for the past year to nurse her and then put her in her crib. Well she bit me! I remember bitting from my son, he had teeth at 5 months and a full mouth by 10 months so when he bit it hurt. I screamed, she cried and then just wanted into her crib so I put her there. She woke up in the early morning and wanted to nurse so I did. Then she wanted nothing to do with me again other than a quick sip in the late afternoon. That evening I sat down not sure what to expect and she said no again... I was stunned! She has nursed once a day for the past 5 days and even that has not been a real feed.
At first I thought teeth as she is getting her first molars, but now I am not sure. I am so glad that she started getting her teeth so much later than her brother! I was shocked she started with no nursing before bed, I thought that would for sure be the last one she dropped. She has started drinking a little milk, not much but a little bit so I guess that is a positive.
But I think the hardest thing for me is that I am not sure how I feel. I have been looking for a while for something that would allow me a little time away from her, she has refused everything but the boob for the past year so I could never go very far or even sleep through the night. I guess I just didn't plan it would happen like this, but does anything go as we plan? I am sad, I knew I would be when the time came, I was with my son too. I know this is the last time so I think I was in less of a rush to have it stop completely.... I guess she has different plans.
So keep my girls in your thoughts, and if you have any tips or advice please share, I think in another day or so I am going to be desperate!!!
Lindsay =)
Monday, March 10, 2008
Not what I expected...
So just over a year ago my little girl was born. When I brought her home I thought that I had this perfect family (everyone always said I had the million dollar family) and everything was going to be great! It was amazing, she was a great baby and my son loved being a big brother, all of my worries were nothing to worry about now. I had such an easy time, nothing like when I had my son. I think because of how great everything was I had a hard time admitting that something was just not right. It took a long time before I finally mentioned anything to anyone. I was at my doctors office for one of Ella's well baby visits when he asked how I was. I guess my answer must have worried him because he sent in the nurse who started talking about PPD (postpartum depression) and all of the avenues I can take.
Why am I sharing this? I ask myself that question as I type... but I think the main reason is a huge portion of my customers are new parents and I want to let them know what I went through and that there is nothing to be ashamed of if they might be feeling the same way I did.
I started receiving the many support options that my city offered and it was the best thing I could have done. When I first started I was not happy... I was actually down right angry all the time, I was having a really hard time with these two kids, I didn't want to leave my house, I was scared to go out with them, that I was scared of them. But I think the thing that ate away at me the most was that I had become the mother I didn't want to be... or at least I thought I had. I could only remember the bad things from each day, I remembered my son acting up, my daughter not sleeping, how all I did was yell, how I was doing it all on my own, how no one helped, how I never got any sleep, how horrible I felt about myself and never wanted to look in the mirror.
I learned that I was not alone, that so many other moms felt the same way as me. That everything I was experiencing was normal, that PPD was something, something that you should not just ignore or be embarrased about. That I was not a bad mother and I didn't act the way I felt like I did. That I was not ruining my wonderful 3 year old little boy. I learned so much about myself that I could not have learned on my own. I know that I have to take care of myself before I can take care of anyone else.
Things are not perfect now, but they sure are better than they were 6 months ago. They will continue to get better too, I am enjoying my kids and being a mom. I have things to look forward to, I ask for help when I need it and I take time for myself. Sure there are still things that could be better, but when is life ever perfect? Okay I think I have two days when I can say it was, the birth of my son and the birth of my daughter!
I hope that if when reading this some of it rings true that me sharing this might help you to take the next step, that you will talk to someone. A little more information:
ONE IN FIVE MOTHERS WILL HAVE A POSTPARTUM MOOD DISORDER
IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT
Having a baby can be a wonderful experience, but life with a new baby is not always what you expect. PPD or Baby Blues are experienced by about 80% of new mothers. You may feel sad, have crying spells, feel irritable, exhausted, overwhelmed, or have changes in your sleep/eating patterns.
With help from family and friends, a little self care, and support from your health care provider, most women will get through this challenging time of adjustment.
Sometimes the blues do not go away. PPD includes a variety of mental health difficulties that can affect women during pregnancy, after a miscarriage or stillbirth and, or in the first year of having a new baby.
If you have a PPD, you may experience the same feelings as those of the blues, as well as:
• feelings of hopelessness and frustration
• anxiety
• restlessness
• anger
• guilt or shame
• thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• hear or see things that are not there
• you may think that you are not a ‘good’ mother
If you have had any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, don’t wait, there is help for you and your family.
Very rarely a mother will experience a Postpartum Psychosis. You may:
• have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• hear or see things that are not there
• believe that people or things are going to harm you or your baby
• feel confused or out of touch with reality
If you have any of these thoughts or feelings, don’t wait, get help right away.
Why am I sharing this? I ask myself that question as I type... but I think the main reason is a huge portion of my customers are new parents and I want to let them know what I went through and that there is nothing to be ashamed of if they might be feeling the same way I did.
I started receiving the many support options that my city offered and it was the best thing I could have done. When I first started I was not happy... I was actually down right angry all the time, I was having a really hard time with these two kids, I didn't want to leave my house, I was scared to go out with them, that I was scared of them. But I think the thing that ate away at me the most was that I had become the mother I didn't want to be... or at least I thought I had. I could only remember the bad things from each day, I remembered my son acting up, my daughter not sleeping, how all I did was yell, how I was doing it all on my own, how no one helped, how I never got any sleep, how horrible I felt about myself and never wanted to look in the mirror.
I learned that I was not alone, that so many other moms felt the same way as me. That everything I was experiencing was normal, that PPD was something, something that you should not just ignore or be embarrased about. That I was not a bad mother and I didn't act the way I felt like I did. That I was not ruining my wonderful 3 year old little boy. I learned so much about myself that I could not have learned on my own. I know that I have to take care of myself before I can take care of anyone else.
Things are not perfect now, but they sure are better than they were 6 months ago. They will continue to get better too, I am enjoying my kids and being a mom. I have things to look forward to, I ask for help when I need it and I take time for myself. Sure there are still things that could be better, but when is life ever perfect? Okay I think I have two days when I can say it was, the birth of my son and the birth of my daughter!
I hope that if when reading this some of it rings true that me sharing this might help you to take the next step, that you will talk to someone. A little more information:
ONE IN FIVE MOTHERS WILL HAVE A POSTPARTUM MOOD DISORDER
IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT
Having a baby can be a wonderful experience, but life with a new baby is not always what you expect. PPD or Baby Blues are experienced by about 80% of new mothers. You may feel sad, have crying spells, feel irritable, exhausted, overwhelmed, or have changes in your sleep/eating patterns.
With help from family and friends, a little self care, and support from your health care provider, most women will get through this challenging time of adjustment.
Sometimes the blues do not go away. PPD includes a variety of mental health difficulties that can affect women during pregnancy, after a miscarriage or stillbirth and, or in the first year of having a new baby.
If you have a PPD, you may experience the same feelings as those of the blues, as well as:
• feelings of hopelessness and frustration
• anxiety
• restlessness
• anger
• guilt or shame
• thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• hear or see things that are not there
• you may think that you are not a ‘good’ mother
If you have had any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, don’t wait, there is help for you and your family.
Very rarely a mother will experience a Postpartum Psychosis. You may:
• have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• hear or see things that are not there
• believe that people or things are going to harm you or your baby
• feel confused or out of touch with reality
If you have any of these thoughts or feelings, don’t wait, get help right away.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Happy New Year!!
So it is 2008 and I have so many things that I want to do. I sit here late at night, because it seems to be the only time I have to myself! My kids keep me very busy and Ella is almost a year and really keeping me on my toes. It is so hard to imagine that it has been almost a year since I had her, but when I look at my son who is 3.5 years I really realize how quickly time does go. One of the main reasons why I try to make my family my number one priority... I don't want to look back and wish that I spent more time with them and less time being the big business mom. With all this time talk I decided that I am not going to put New Years Resolutions on myself, I don't want to feel bad when I don't do them. I have many things business wise and personally that I want to do, and I hope to do them, but I am not going to be hard on myself if I didn't do it because I was having fun playing with my kids!
Do you know one thing that I love about my business? It is that most of my customers are just like me. I can sit down and have a conversation with any of them and at some point we will both agree on something major about our lives. I also love working with babies, kids and families. I love seeing a baby that I created a birth announcement grow up. I am so lucky to have so many wonderful returning customers that I get the chance to see these babies grow up and turn a year, two years and so on! I promise that this month there will be a program put in place to reward them.
So I really should get to sleep now, I have been dealing with my wonderful baby girl who doesn't like to sleep and after 4 years of horrible sleep I am beyond tired, I am exhausted. Most days I am lucky that I can actually function! It has made me start to try that good old sleep training with her, I am such a wimp that I make it so gentle on them (I did it with my son) so I know it will take a while but it will be so worth it in the end. I can't have a 16 year old still sleeping in my bed every night... can I?!
Do you know one thing that I love about my business? It is that most of my customers are just like me. I can sit down and have a conversation with any of them and at some point we will both agree on something major about our lives. I also love working with babies, kids and families. I love seeing a baby that I created a birth announcement grow up. I am so lucky to have so many wonderful returning customers that I get the chance to see these babies grow up and turn a year, two years and so on! I promise that this month there will be a program put in place to reward them.
So I really should get to sleep now, I have been dealing with my wonderful baby girl who doesn't like to sleep and after 4 years of horrible sleep I am beyond tired, I am exhausted. Most days I am lucky that I can actually function! It has made me start to try that good old sleep training with her, I am such a wimp that I make it so gentle on them (I did it with my son) so I know it will take a while but it will be so worth it in the end. I can't have a 16 year old still sleeping in my bed every night... can I?!
Friday, November 23, 2007
It's been a long time...
Okay I know I promised to keep up to date on my blog but it has been a crazy couple of months. I have been dealing with a lot of personal stuff (maybe one day I might share more as it is very normal for new moms) and really trying to focus on my 2 kids. This takes all my free time to work on only designing and doesn't leave a lot left to do anything else - note my website that desperately needs a slight update! I know that many of you can understand how hard it is to balance everything we deal with as moms. After becoming a mom just over 3 years ago I have had a hard time dealing with not being able to do everything. Owning my own business certainly doesn't make it any easier, but I love running Grace Announcements. I am just still working on finding my new groove with my 2 kids, my husband, my home and my customers. I know that the most important thing in my life is my 2 kids, Kal and Ella are the most important thing to me and I don't want to wake up one day and realize I missed them grow up. I became a mompreneur to be home with them and have to remind myself that I am not going to let a day go by where I don't spend quality time with each of them. I am so lucky to have such a supporting family that helps out so much with the business that I am able to do close to it all. I know that I might not be able to ever "do it all" but I can certainly do my best!
Business has been great, we are full swing into the holiday season and I am just focusing on getting my great designs out to my customers. I am looking forward to spending the holidays with my family. So please bare with me over the next month as I will continue to be super busy producing great new designs for the holiday season. Hopefully I will find a moment to share some of them here, but know that if you haven't heard from me that it means I might be having fun playing construction site with my son!
Business has been great, we are full swing into the holiday season and I am just focusing on getting my great designs out to my customers. I am looking forward to spending the holidays with my family. So please bare with me over the next month as I will continue to be super busy producing great new designs for the holiday season. Hopefully I will find a moment to share some of them here, but know that if you haven't heard from me that it means I might be having fun playing construction site with my son!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The start of school...
So my son started preschool last week (above is a picture from the drive that first morning), it has been a long time coming and not really what I expected! I hoped that the 3 hours a day he was gone would be a great time to work but I still have my daughter at home. She still keeps me busy and really misses having him around. When we pick him up at lunch she is happy to see him, all smiles like she always is! The other big problem is he has decided that he no longer naps, so I don't have that quiet time in the afternoon anymore. I can honestly say that I am looking forward to when my daughter is a little older and I can have some "me time" it really has been a long time coming. I know that I devote my day to them and work around them. For the most part that works, life is a constant struggle and always changing. I just keep rolling with the punches!!
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