There’s something about this time of year that makes me itchy for something new. I think it’s because, with school starting, I’m conditioned to beginning new things every September. I’m especially restless after spending a summer caring for a newborn. Don’t get me wrong, it was great and he’s fantastic, but it wasn’t exactly intellectually stimulating. In fact, I sometimes felt like it was the opposite – the minimal amounts of sleep really turned my brain to mush.
I’ve been searching for ways to make myself feel a little more…I don’t know, I don’t want to say fulfilled, because being a mom is great and I am so privileged to be home with my kids. Maybe enriched is the right word. I think now is a good time for me to explore the things I’ve always thought could be fun. I would hate to be a few years down the road, about to re-enter the outside-the-home workforce and regret not taking advantage of this time.
So, I’ve set a few goals for myself. I’ve always liked sewing (thanks to my grandma), but I only know how to do it by hand. I signed up for a month-long class that’s taught on machines, and so far I really like it. I’ve also been experimenting more in the kitchen. I’ve never been able to get the main course and the sides all ready at the same time, so I’ve set the absurd goal of having the main course and two (fresh) sides ready at the same time three nights a week. That also dovetails nicely with my goal of having the four of us all eat dinner together every night. When I was pregnant, I could not eat with Mike and Annie – too many smells that triggered my hyperemesis. And after James was born, he always wanted to eat exactly when dinner started. Now that he’s on a better evening eating schedule I can plan around him and still eat with the rest of my family.
My biggest challenge is going to be my lack of follow-through. I am the best at making goals for myself. I am not the best at meeting them. For example, I was determined to make the birth announcements for James and have them sent out within a month of his birth. I was gonna be on top of it! I started out well – I designed the announcement back in April, and then plugged in the details and his photo a week after he was born…and that was it. I didn’t print them out, or buy envelops or gather addresses…because that’s not the fun part. I only like the fun parts. I need to work on that.
Consider this your birth announcement, everyone.
I don’t really expect to find a new passion that I want to build on, but I’d like to find a hobby I can enjoy outside of my regular mom life. When I have that elusive free time, what will be more fun than napping? That’s a trick question, nothing is more fun than napping. So what will come in second to napping? I’m not sure. But I know I’ll be a much better mom if I try to find other interests and discover new things about myself. I like that Annabel sees me going to classes – I think it’s the start of a great example for her. Now I just have to follow through.
Amanda says:
Oh, Heather, I can so relate! Especially to the “I only like the fun parts” bit. And the part about nothing being more fun than napping.
Antonia from the UK says:
I made quilts when my girls were small. I was lucky to have the space to keep my sewing area permanently set up. When they were napping, I’d go and choose fabric, cut fabric, sew fabric. I usually had at least two on the go at once; one that was being cut/pieced/machined and another that was being hand quilted. I’d do the hand sewing in the evenings or while the girls were playing nearby. It was therapeutic and creative and kept me sane and the girls loved the finished quilts for playing on, snuggling in or sleeping under.
Alanna says:
Oh I can so identify with only doing the fun parts! My sons birth announcements were completed when he was a month old, but I didn’t get them in the mail until he was 8 months! Sigh. I also still owe Christmas gifts to the grandparents and great-grandparents. We did a photo shoot and I still need to choose the prints, print them and get them in frames. The photo shoot was the fun part, the rest of its kind of sucky.
Susan says:
Haha, I like this post. I can relate in a different phase of life. My boys are grown, still at home but out of high school, working and community college. Sooooo, I do work outside the home but find myself looking for something…..question for you….how did you find the sewing class….my sister recently gave me sewing machine and I have self taught myself a few things but sooo need some lessons. I haven’t even looked into who or where yet.
Steph says:
Yes, staying home with babies is a wonderful but mostly menial job. Eating together and maybe having Annie help you prepare meals will be a lovely family tradition. A bonus is that once she is a teen-ager she will come out of her room to eat with you if you have that tradition:)
Marie says:
When I was raising 3 sons, I stayed busy at a part time job, which keeps you in the work force arena. Also I love to read, so a weekly trip to the library was on my agenda. And I have always belonged to a Lady Lions club (projects) and for 20 years I bowled in a women’s league. We moved a lot as a family and those last 3 things are the things I joined as soon as I could. We always joined a church right away and I taught Sunday School a couple years.
Also I just got the brochure for community ed in our town. They have classes for almost everything you want. You might check that out and also for Susan, the lady who wants to learn how to sew. My husband also bowled and belonged to a Lion’s club. We babysat for each other! lol
Hugs from Minnesota
Marie
kristen piccola says:
I used to teach and have been fortunate enough to stay home with my boys for 8 years. I’ve kept my foot int he water with tutoring and more recently subbing.
My cousin graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and she has gotten me on the health bandwagon. She introduced my family and me to Juice Plus+. (It is whole food nutrition from 25 fruits and veggies in capsules for adult and yummy chewables for kids)
I had a party to help her start her business and so many friends liked it, I started selling too. I love my extra pocket money and conference trips…countdown to Disney in October begins.
I am coming on 2 years and now I have my own team of mom friends which makes it even more fun. It is such a great company to work for. For only $50 you become a virtual franchise member and there are no quotas. You only do what you want to do.
I think I recall seeing in the past a comment that you knew someone who shares Juice Plus+. I would OF COURSE love to welcome you to my team but if you have someone you know you should ask her about it.
I can’t say enough good things about what happens when we put whole foods into our diet. Prevention is key and I am beyond happy knowing my boys are having a healthy start in life.
I love the birth announcement. I still have Annabelle’s…I’m a saver! tho my husband might say hoarder
Amy says:
Love the post. I took a knitting class last year at a local craft store. I’ve always wanted to learn how to knit and I like the idea of being able to actually make something for my family and friends. I also started researching my family tree and I can’t speak highly enough. It’s been very interesting and it’s something I’ll be able to pass down to my children.
Jennifer says:
For me it’s been dance cardio!! My local gym offers Zumba, U-Jam, and other kinds of dance cardio, I go to them all and have a blast! You put on your best gym clothes, they turn up the top 40 and it feels like a party! Plus picking up the moves is a nice challenge for my brain, and the elation when you can do dance after dance and keep up with the others is great! It’s just a side benefit that I’m working out, too!
Lanie says:
So glad that you trying new fun things! Looking forward to reading about them. Love James’ birth announcement!
Emily says:
Knitting is great! It’s only 2 stitches…once you learn those, it’s just variations of them that make a pattern. It’s pretty simple and yarn colors are delicious!
rc says:
The thing I love about knitting is you can pick it up and put it down quickly. And if you keep it in a knitting bag, you can easily put it up and away from little hands (or paws!).
roshan says:
Watch this: How to learn anything…..fast? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtJy69cEOtQ
In brief about the video content, if you want to learn anything new and fast, set aside about 20-30 mins of uninterrupted time everyday. Focus on what you want to learn and how you want to learn it. It will take about 20 hrs to become reasonably good at it.
SarahA says:
I, too, have the problem with not thinking of side dishes. I like the Rachel Ray cookbooks because the sides are intertwined in each recipe. Yesterday I wrote myself out a meal plan that has 3 big meals, 1 of going out, 1 of going to my dad’s , 1 pasta night, and 1 of Mexican night (burritos).
As an aside to Emily’s comment, with knitting, if you screw up, you can just unravel it.
Good Luck!
jill (mrschaos) says:
First of all, those announcements are fantastic.
My kids are 16 and 11…I’m still figuring out my “me” time. There’s very little of it but I need some more creative hobbies.
Katrina says:
Haha- I’m just today getting our baby announcements out! And you know my little guy arrived only a week after yours. I had planned on getting them out earlier, too. Ah well.
Cindy Powell says:
You are absolutely correct that there is nothing more fun than napping. However, sewing can be almost as fun. I’m not that good at it, but I can sew a straight line and have enjoyed making simple table cloths out of holiday fabrics. Just today, I’ve pulled out an apron pattern and two vintage Christmas tablecloths that have stains/holes. I’m going to piece them into a an apron!
If you get your simple sewing skills down, think of all the cute costumes, etc. you can make for your children.
Good luck!
Meg says:
We need to start a club for people who win at planning and fail at execution. (I mean, if we ever actually initialized the club, of course.) I can make glorious, wonderful, practical plans and then just . . . stop.
Getting dinner ready at a specific time is HARD, especially if one does not leave the kitchen piled with dirty preparation stuff. I haven’t mastered any of it yet — I can it not-too-badly once, but three times a week?
Finally, someone else who sews by hand! I haven’t had a sewing machine for many years and I’m fast by hand, so I just don’t worry about getting a machine right now.
Paula says:
I went back to college. At the age of 40. I love it and I hate it. I am working towards my degree and yet I feel as if I will never get it. I feel so stretched thin that I am shocked when I step on a scale and it says “YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT!” But…it’s what I’ve always wanted and now my boys are older and independent and I can finish my goals.
rc says:
Paula – I went back at age 38 and graduated at 42. Best decision I’ve ever made. You can do it!