Hour by Hour

While trying to embrace the now (previous post), I'm focusing on something else these days too.

I'm taking every day/hour/minute one at a time.

Life with three girls ages 4 and under is a bit hectic. Throw in school schedules and an intense job full of lots of responsibilities and living in a foreign country and a brand new baby, as well as things like our bosses are coming to visit and we have another work visitor coming right after that and we just found out we are moving to a different house this month and then we have meetings to plan and then we are traveling out of the country for 2 1/2 weeks, which means we are working on getting Ruby's passports (both Guatemalan and US)...life as we are living it these days.

It is easy to get overwhelmed as a parent, regardless of the current scenario. We all have our perfect storm of stress and craziness.

In general, I perceive myself to be able to "handle" it all. But then, the daily grind hits and I find myself stressed or worked up about a particular day or situation. So, I'm trying to not overwhelm myself by taking each day as it comes.

For example, Hazel is in a transition stage where she's still napping, but can have days without a nap. She won't fall asleep unless I tuck her in and stay for a few minutes. With a small infant and a 4-year old, this is only possible on days when Ruby is also already napping or content. Instead of worrying about how and when to transition Hazel out of naps, and how to juggle multiple children napping, I'm just letting each day dictate whether or not Hazel gets a nap. If Ruby is napping or content, I have the time (and patience and energy) to get Hazel down for a nap. If not, Hazel might just be going to bed earlier that night.

Dinnertime is another example. Most nights this week I've been able to make dinner since Ruby has been taking really good afternoon naps and I'm utilizing that time to prep dinner. But I've already promised myself that if we have a crazy day we might just have pancakes or crackers and cheese for dinner.

Some days I break it down and have to focus on one hour at a time. I ask myself, "What's the best use of this hour?" (Usually asked during Ruby's naps). Should I make dinner, or clean up, or fold laundry, or play a game with the girls? How can I use this time to focus on quality time with Ellie and Hazel? What's one thing I can do to feel a little less frazzled? It might be that I make myself a coffee and just sit. Or maybe I take the time to write or blog. Or sit and color with the girls. And for those minutes I just allow myself to be, amidst the mess or piles of clothes to fold or the zillion other things I could be or *should* be thinking about.

Michael is going to be doing more traveling in the next weeks/months, which means this philosophy of focusing on one day at a time will come in handy when I'm at home alone with all three girls.

Today's accomplishments (which may seem mundane, but are significant in this time of life): got the girls (all 3) dressed and ready to go for the day, took a shower and got myself ready, walked to a place nearby to check in about some work stuff, ate lunch, put down Hazel and Ruby for naps, nursed Ruby several times, made (fairly healthy) chocolate chip banana bread (BONUS, because I got to eat it warm while drinking tea), and wrote on my blog. These hours have been good ones and unfrazzled.

Here's hoping the next hour is smooth. And if not, there's always the hour after that.