If I’m being honest, I barely survived June. And May too. I don’t know if it was a little delayed baby blues or if the exhaustion of having two infants 24/7 was just catching up with me, but holy hell that was a hard few weeks.
I am generally able to keep a positive mental attitude as long as I’m exercising (for me that’s about sanity and not skinny). But we started our basement remodel in May and that mixed with a string of very wet weather and I ended up stuck in the house for the better part of 7 weeks. And I went a little BSC. Our vacation gave me time to actually stop and talk to my husband (as opposed to just seeing him sporadically throughout the day and updating him on the kids) and we’ve worked out some things at home that give me downtime and I’m feeling much better.
Being a mother is the hardest job I’ve ever had. It’s rewarding, but the days can be long, lonely and thankless. No one really tells you about that part. So here I am at the end of the rabbit hole that I fell down and I’m starting to feel a bit like a person again. And, now, onto the list.
1. My Food Processor
It is at least 20 years old. My mom gave it to me when I left for college and at that point she’d had it for as long as I could remember. It’s a Hamilton Beach food processor and the model is called Emmie. They don’t even make it anymore. But man, the thing is a beast.
Weekly, Joe and I have been taking the kids to the Farmer’s Market and I’ve brought the above list of 6-8 month foods. I buy what I can from the market and whatever isn’t in season I skip, thankfully most stage 1 foods are in season right now (a small benefit to having winter babies). So far I’ve stocked our freezer with peas, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, and green beans. I’m super excited that stone fruits are almost in season. The white peaches at our Farmer’s Market are to die for, I can’t wait to make them up for the kids and let them try them in a few weeks.
I had thought I would get a fancy baby food maker or a new food processor. But Emmie is a beast so, until she dies, I’m standing by her side.
2. Beaba Multiportion Baby Food Freezer Tray
I ordered three of these off of Amazon. They make 2 oz (or 1/4 cup) food portions. At night, after the kids go to bed, I make two or three fruits/vegetables at a time, freeze them in these and then in the morning I pop them out of these containers and place them in labeled freezer bags. Then I just wash the containers with the morning bottles. They are super easy to use and clean, and getting food into them and out of them is a breeze.
I’ve really enjoyed making the kids food, I can’t wait until the start regularly eating it. I guess maybe that’s because I loved to cook before they were born? But sitting in my kitchen with a cutting board and some pots has really done wonders for me.
3. My Babysitters
I have three girls that watch the kids. One is more of a mother’s helper. She’s in her early 20’s and is a nurse working toward a master’s for her NP. She is adorable, loves my babies and fills me in on reality tv, new products that I *have* to have and the latest US Weekly gossip.
My other two are our friend’s daughters. Both are in college. They are smiley and kind and full of laughter. And they are so good with the babies.
I’ve stopped trying to play supermom and realized that even I need a break from my munchkins every now and then. The two college aged girls rotate mornings during the week and they come and play with the babies while I go to the gym. I’m gone an hour, but what a difference an hour makes. I think by the fall, once the babies can sit unassisted and drop their third nap, I’ll be comfortable bringing them to the gym’s daycare. I tried in April, and I was benefiting, but it was messing them up. Having the girls here to watch them gives me peace of mind (both that they are safe and that I can get some me time) and the babies stay on schedule and get to interact with someone other than their mom. I’m going to be so sad when they leave me in August!
If I listen to the Rainforest Playmat’s jungle music one more time I may lose my shit completely. So I’ve turned off a lot of the music on the kids toys. Unless there is a button you can hit which causes music to play (thereby teaching the babies cause and effect) the sound is gone. Instead, I put on the 80’s station on the TV and the kids LOVE it (and so does Mommy).
I’m getting my fill of 38 Special and Stevie Knicks. Although I’ve been shocked by how much Milli Vanilli they play. Anywho, the music makes my day and I get to sing and dance with the kids without having the Farmer in the Dell stuck in my head all day. Lifesaver.
