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04 June 2012

do less, care less

Were you looking for a new mantra? Well you've come to the right corner of the internet. 

This morning I made a very short mental to-do list of things to do (!) before 11. Exercise, shower, dress myself, feed the kids, and unload the dishwasher. By the time the clock struck one hour before noon I had only showered. No exercise. Dishes still safely in the washer. Kids scrounging for fruit snacks from my purse. And I couldn't even blame the short Pattons. They were actually so weirdly quiet while I showered and there was no sign of Julia to do her usual staaaare/peek-a-boo/staaaare while I showered that I got out mid left calf shave and made sure they hadn't killed each other. Nope. Just being good -- for once. And then I was extra annoyed at them for being good and still interrupting my shower in the process.
"book. book. book. book. book. book. book. book." - toddler genius captivates baby genius, I know.

Julia didn't perform any of her mind blowing performances in the mess department and Sebastian was extra content most of the day to play one-sided Marco-Polo with the broom I have to keep putting in different corners of the house to keep him from a death by (very old) dirt inhalation.

So why couldn't I get it together? Laziness? probably. Fatigue due to the car ride from hell on the way back from Wichita last night? probably too. The irresistible smell of fresh blogs on a Monday morning? probably more.

By the time Simon got home from work the house was a disaster but the kids weren't in tantrum/cry/need mode and Julia was parading around with the set of house/car keys she had mysteriously hidden a few weeks ago. Dinner wasn't made but I heroically saved the day with some fancy non-generic cereal I had purchased for a rainy day. I still hadn't exercised but my running shorts were on the bedroom floor just in case the spirit moved me post consumption of cereal dinner (it didn't).  The dishwasher was still loaded with the cleans but I hadn't cleaned the kitchen at all and loaded the dirties in with the cleans (a signature annoying move) and Julia had left the sharp knives all alone -- for once.

Bright sides for all involved.

I'm obviously doing so very many things right. 
trash bags in the trash can.
destination: success
population: Julia

Lesson learned? let go of my lofty goals. Even the quiet shower was totally unnecessary as Sebastian managed to get spit up deep into the crevices of my clean hair braid and not on but somehow in and down my shirt and pants tonight before I put him to sleep. Baby's got talent. Mom's got a new sour scent, dirty laundry, and (maybe) an almost fresh perspective for tomorrow.





9 comments:

  1. Emptying the dishwasher is the worst. Especially when the toddler goes directly for the sharp knifes. It got so bad, that I had to close the dishwasher in between delivering various cups and plates to their places, while my daughter clawed at the shiny plastic door in a bitter rage of tears.

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  2. I love that you can tell us this story and it's just...so good! I'm afraid to post anything until after the arrival of bambino because my brain has lost all capacity to think of or speak about anything else whatsoever and OHMYGOSH PEOPLE WILL CRY.

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  3. sounds like my postpartum motto! with the addition of:

    - refresh google reader after each and every feeding.
    - get my extra nursing calories exclusively from joe joes.

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  4. Ha! This IS my new mantra. I am actually up before the chillins today and all I have managed to do (besides read awesome blogs) is clean out the kiddy potty with 3-day-old pee in it that was causing a stench in the entire basement. Productivity be mine.

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  5. Sums up my yesterday. At least today I managed to squeeze in a shower before my offspring awoke.

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  6. No.
    Nonononononononononononononono.
    You are NOT going to make "embracing the moment where God put you with interior peace and joy" look appealing.

    Particularly NOT after my morning, which was spent purple faced and screaming at the tiny people around me when I realized exactly what they've been doing to their closet for the past two weeks.

    If I don't have guilt, what do I have?
    Ugh.
    Next time you're going to make a thought-provoking post that requires some serious soul-searching on part, put a little disclaimer up top, k?

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  7. Bahaha! I wore that scent daily when I was on maternity leave with the Little Miss. She was the most spitting upppest child! (Yes, all teachers in the world cringe at that, I'm sure.) ;)

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  8. I just want you to take solace in the fact that when you are sitting on your computer feeling like you're being lazy or unmotivated. I am always right there with you.

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