Mama, Your Best Is Enough!

Hi Darling!

Can you believe it’s almost July already?! As a kid, I would always mark the Fourth of July as a halfway point in summer before we went back to school. Are your kids scheduled to start school this fall or is it TBD due to COVID-19?

Since I started my blog, I have been asked by friends and other moms how do I find time to even brush my hair with two babies under the age of two. In all honesty, there are days I barely get a brush through my hair so please don’t let my Instagram fool you. Most days my hair is thrown up in a top knot or I am rocking my Nike hat and I live in my mom uniform which consists of leggings and a nursing tank. By the end of the day, I am usually covered in milk stains, Evelyn’s leftover food, and leaky diaper stains. I’m lucky if I get a shower in before 8 PM!

After I had my first baby, Evelyn, I definitely got caught up in the comparison game and I still do at times, but I try to remind myself that everyone’s healing process, postpartum, and day-to-day routine looks different so I need to give myself grace. Motherhood is absolutely incredible but it can also be extremely hard. Being a mom is probably the hardest job I have ever had, but it is also the most rewarding job! There are so many hormones, you find yourself crying for no particular reason or crying over the silliest things, your body looks different, you no longer know what sleep is, you have a baby attached to you most hours of the day, and the list goes on. And then you add a pandemic to the mix and there’s a whole new layer of stress, anxiety, and fear. I feel for all the families out there bringing new life into the world during these unprecedented times and for those trying to bring new life into the world that are struggling and their infertility treatments are postponed.

Although we had Noah before the quarantine started, we experienced life with a newborn during the pandemic and we have had to make some hard decisions on who gets to meet Noah, how we socialize, etc. Most days the quality family time is all we need but some days are a little lonelier than others. Check-in on any new mamas in your life or those trying to become a mama and just let them know you are thinking of them. My heart goes out to all of you women out there no matter what stage of life you are in and know you are not alone.

I feel like I’m starting to ramble, but the point I wanted to make is moms you are amazing, you are exactly what your child needs, and you are doing a great job! If you find you are comparing yourself to other moms’ Instagram photos, try not to fall into the comparison game and remind yourself there’s a HUGE difference in Instagram vs. reality.

For me, becoming a mom of two was such a game-changer as the little freedom I did have seemed to be completely taken away. If one is napping the other is ready to be nursed or decided they don’t need a nap. Over that past four months, I have found a few things helpful in simplifying our days so I want to leave you with a list of what has worked for our family.

1. Prepping breakfast the night before seems to make the mornings way less chaotic and gives us more time to take a walk or play before the morning naps.
2. Doing a load of laundry each night prevents it from piling up and becoming an overwhelming task.
3. Laying everyone’s clothes out the night before and packing the diaper bag in advance when we have somewhere to go in the morning that requires us to be on time (I tend to run fashionably late!). This allows time for those unplanned tantrums, blowouts…you name it!
4. Setting my alarm for an hour before the kids wake up to enjoy quiet time for myself helps me feel like I have some “me time” and more control over my day. Some days I use this time to shower and get ready for the day, other days I use it to work or now learn how to use WordPress, enjoy coffee in bed, etc. I have not yet used this time to work out but that is a goal of mine!
5. This one is VERY difficult for me, but making a conscious effort to ignore the mess and not stress myself out trying to clean up the playroom before we leave the house or vacuum the floors after EVERY meal. When I do this, I’m a better mom living in the moment and enjoying these precious days with my babies that seem to go in the blink of an eye.
6. Having open communication with my husband. This is a biggie! I use to think Phil could read my mind but it turns out he can’t. lol So the days I am feeling overly tired, just burnt out, and overwhelmed, I let him know how I am feeling and ask for extra help that day. This prevents us from getting in dumb fights and gives me some time to recharge.
7. For some reason dinner always seems to be the crazy hour and takes so much motivation to cook. I am not the best at this one, but the weeks I plan out our meals helps us eat healthier and makes the witching hour a little calmer.

I know these tips probably seem so obvious, but hopefully you find a few helpful. Talk to you soon!

xo, Katrin

P.S. these Lululemon leggings literally feel like butter on my skin and my Lululemon long sleeve top is so dreamy! Also, my go-to nursing tank can be found at Target and my hat is from a few years ago, but Nike has a newer version!