The Life of Bon: August + September goals (+ I'm losing my mind)

Tuesday, September 02, 2014

August + September goals (+ I'm losing my mind)



I was just about to take pictures of my messy house and post them on this blog so that you can all see how in over my head I am around here.  But then the battery was dead on my camera, and I am pretty sure that is the camera's way of telling me to clean the house first and THEN post the pictures.  Fair enough, camera.  Instead I"ll post an adorable picture of my baby that makes it seem like I've got my life together.  Perfect!

In many ways I feel like I have never totally recovered from June's early arrival.  I'm still scrambling, the house is still unpacked, none of the "projects" completed that I wanted to do before I go back to work next week. (Next week!) I just can't seem to get my head on straight, can't get everything (or anything!) done.  I feel like I've totally neglected the house, the blog, the dog. (Last week Maverick managed to eat both my breast bump valves and a breast pad.  He's got a thing for breast milk, apparently.) BUT the baby's well fed and cared for, though, so I guess that's all that matters?

The house in particular stresses me out.  It used to be relatively easy to keep our one bedroom apartment clean.  It was one bedroom, two adults. (One adult slightly messier than the other adult, I'll let you guess who's who.)  I didn't realize that when we moved into a bigger space, it would be exponentially harder to keep it clean.  The mess that was once easily contained to a 500 square feet radius now seems to multiply and replenish itself almost instantaneously times while my back is turned.  Things show up places where they have no business being. Laundry in the guest bathroom.  Diapers in the kitchen.  Diet coke in the bedroom.  Nothing stays put away, nothing stays clean, and you can pretty much forget about ever EVER unpacking the box of coats that's been sitting in the front hallway for a month.

And I only have one kid.  How do people do it that have three?

Another issue with moving into a bigger space is that we don't have a lot of furniture to fill it up nor do I have any idea how to decorate.  (Past attempts to decorate included a lime green disaster and a burnt orange debacle.  Poor Greg.)  The place looks totally empty.  Actually, it looks like a couple of bums broke into a new home and threw their crap all over it.  So it's messy and empty- a real feat!

On Friday I decided to put our couches and ottoman up for sale.  The couches I bought from an apartment building that was getting rid of all old furniture for $10.  We threw couch covers over them and have called it good for the last three and a half years.  Well, I now hate the black couch covers, I think it makes our house look dark and ghetto, and I've long been dreaming of a new living room set.  Thursday night I figured I'd just see if there was any interest in our used couches.  I listed them on KSL for $350 and first thing Friday morning I had a newlywed couple holding hands on my porch, willing to pay the full price.

It's awesome!  Except for that now we have no couches!

We tried to hit the Labor Day sales yesterday, but of course, we couldn't agree on anything, (Greg wants brown or black leather.  I want light grey or blue and NO leather) the decision seemed so much bigger than it probably is, and for the next little while it looks like we're sitting on lawn chairs.  I told you we were a couple of bums.

THINGS I NEED TO DO THIS WEEK:
- Buy couches (!!!)
- Paint the wall in the nursery (I have a grand vision for this.  We'll see if it plays out anything like I want.  Personally, I wouldn't bet on it.)
- Put sod in the backyard
- Finish writing June's birth story.  (Part 1 is here.  I am absolutely mortified that I haven't even attempted to finish writing this.  I'm hoping tomorrow, but I make no promises.)
- Write thank you cards.

My August goal was to relax.  As you can see, I'm totally nailing that one.  I mean, if this post doesn't have relax written all over it, I don't know what does. I just don't know how to turn my energy off (or down, for that matter), so a stressed out, maniacal post is what you get.  I find it cruel and sad that out of all my monthly goals, the one I did the most horrible on was to "relax."  I'm not cut out for taking it easy, I suppose.  I'll be an over excited control freak until the day I die, thanks!  Next time I set monthly goals I'm not going to try to pretend like I can "relax" the month that I move into a new home and have a new baby and my husband starts a new job.  Too much.

I guess that takes us to September goals.  I failed so miserably for August that I almost don't even want to attempt September, but here goes anyway.

SEPTEMBER GOAL:  TAKE CARE OF MY BODY
My body does a lot for me without asking too much in return.  Time to give back.

Sub goals:
- Exercise 30-60 minutes a day.
- Eat more raw fruits and vegetables.
- Only one sweet thing a day.
- Drink more water.
- Spend time outside every day.


I'm just going to put this disclaimer out there right now- I'm not real committed to the "only one sweet thing a day" sub goal.  The rest I am really going to try hard on.

And now, time to clean the house!  And eat some vegetables!

16 comments:

  1. Let the details slide & enjoy your baby. She'll only be this little once, and you have forever to put the house together.

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  2. It's been really hard for me in the sweets department, too. I didn't really crave junk food during the pregnancy, but as soon as Rhys was born, all I've wanted was junk food. Also, we're looking for new couches, too. One to grow with us. We're thinking of getting the piece-by-piece sectionals by LoveSac. Check them out--it looks like a great long-term investment!

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  3. Bonnie... In with Greg on this one... Leather is the way to go!! Oh how I wish we had leather! They will last so much longer... Our microfiber light couches are trashed... Especially bc of James and his drool and spit up and the girls taking pens to the poor things. Leather is so much easier to clean and keep looking nice! Also, if you want a softer lighter look or what ever there's always cute throw pillows, curtains, rug, whatever to help accentuate the bland looking leather couches. Trust me on this one!! And good luck, I need to call you!! The first few months of newborn mania are crazy

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    1. I agree. It's not as cozy, but leather is much easier to clean with a dog and children. I hated it at first but I love my leather couch now. Ours is a creamier color. Not as pretty as black or brown but it lightens the small space we have.
      As for getting it all done, you will. But now is the time to relax. Give yourself more time to get into a groove. You do r need to be superwoman. No need for a martyr mommy. If you want your little girl to have a calm attitude, you need to show her how. Easy to preach. Hard to practice. I also stress when the house is a mess. The vest thing I ever did was give myself two and only two things that I needed to get done in a day to not feel defeated. I wash dishes and do a load of laundry. Every morning I put in a load and swap yesterday's wash to the dryer. I fold and put away what was in the dryer. It doesn't sound like much, but with my 3&1 year olds it gives me a sense of accomplishment.

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  4. The baby pretty much took over our whole apartment. Stacks of diapers and wipes in our bedroom, the baby room, and all over our living room floor... It just makes changing her so much more convenient? And we're getting new couches for Christmas, and already in "heated talks" about what type to get haha. I'm with you, my husband is with Greg ;)

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  5. If you do get a fabric couch, take it from this mom of two very messy kids, it CAN stay clean! We have a strict no eating in the living room policy and we cover a lot of our cushions with cute blankets during the day (to be removed when company comes) But you can also put pillows and blankets on a leather couch, so it doesn't have to be awful (I'm not a fan of leather, but my MIL's couch was a cream leather and it's pretty cute) Let me know if you need help with any design stuff! ;)

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  6. I think writing goals down makes them more real and therefore more likely will leave you with the urge to complete them. I could really do with drinking more water too though!

    Annabel ♥
    Mascara & Maltesers

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  7. If you need help with decorating or some paint, count me in!! :) That's my jam haha

    Bri Rios
    breezydaysblog.com

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  8. Is Greg enjoying his teaching job?

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  9. I love your September goal! YOU GOT THIS! I'm intrigued by your "grand vision" for the nursery wall...

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  10. Don't get leather couches! They are quite annoying. They stay really cold all the time and are just not cozy. Then in the summer, if you don't have the A/C on all the time, they get really sticky and if you're sweating, you stick to them and it actually kind hurts when it pulls on your skin. Ugh. Never again.

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  11. Leather is nice but when you have young children you can find yourself stressing over how they treat it so I wouldn't go with leather myself, hell we didn't get a really good lounge till all the girls had grown and left home

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  12. I don't like leather couches either. My legs stick to them, they just aren't comfortable to me! We compromised: I got the microfiber couch with a leather base, and he got a leather recliner. Win!

    Also, it's normal to feel totally out of control after having a baby. Your life totally changed! I didn't feel like I had anything together until at least 3 months along.

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  13. If I lived near you, I'd be happy to help you.

    On paint ~ go get several paint cards and tape them to the wall that you are wanting to paint. Look at them at different times of the day (lighting) and take off the ones that you know you don't like. Then once you narrow it down to 2 or 3 ~ you can buy lil cans of samples of the ones you like. Paint those on the wall (close together) and again look at them at different times of the day (lighting) and choose the one you like. :)

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  14. Great goals!

    I'm sorry the relaxing one didn't work out for you. And I suppose now that you're going back to work next week, that's going to be even further off the table!

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  15. Totally just catching up on my blog reading now - if you haven't bought new couches yet - I highly recommend leather, especially with young kids. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and leather couches are SO easy to keep clean :)

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