business as usual
life is starting to seem less like a race and more just like . . . life.
certain things are becoming automatic: washing pump parts. packing bags for work. bathtime. treadmill. washing pump parts yet again. [and again. currently my least favorite chore ever — unless you count pumping itself.]
settling in like this is a relief in a way — i don’t want to go through my days in a state of white-knuckled panic, cortisol* surging constantly as i try to fit everything in. but i don’t want to go completely autopilot, either.
sad but true fact: i only had 2 hours [if that] of awake time with annabel today. she’s already 4 months old and it just feels like it’s going so fast. too fast.
at the moment
i’m feeling good. no one in this house is febrile and i don’t think anyone even has a cough or cold! i’m sure this germ-free state will last about 30 seconds, but i’ll enjoy it while it lasts. today i pumped enough, gave a presentation, wore a passably cute outfit, worked out with ms. michaels, and got dinner on the table.
even if it wasn’t the most gourmet [inspired by this real simple recipe]
i think i’ll consider this monday a success.
previous recent meals of note
in case anyone is looking for ideas . . .
spinach + goat cheese frittata [also from the current issue of real simple].
this one tasted especially good because i didn’t make it!! [apparently josh’s omelette skills transfer to frittatas. good to know. . . ]
yellow squash gratin from cooking light
this looked pretty and was a nice use of the current summer bounty [farmers’ market tomatoes + squash], but was too labor-intensive for my taste these days. plus, i just don’t love quinoa — even if i sort of feel like i ‘should’.
back to men’s springboard diving
and the pump. at least i will be distracted.
* hormone released during stress. yes, i think about these things — how could i not?
9 Comments
Time sure is flying isnt it! Months dragged on FOREVER when pregnant, but now seem to be disappearing in the blink of an eye!
Dude, you’re doing such a great job. I think you need to celebrate more of your small victories and not focus on the few things that don’t quite hit the mark. I’m home full time with my two kids (and two dogs) and I don’t exercise regularly or cook meals nearly as awesome as yours. You’re kind of incredibly inspiring, in my humble opinion.
Just checking in and wanted to say thanks for your awesome comment on my pregnancy news 🙂 Annabelle is such a cutie! I’ll be checking in more for tips from you as I go along! You seem to have a great handle on the work/baby/life balance 🙂
I might have to try the yellow squash gratin. We’re getting both summer squash and cherry tomatoes in our CSA box this week, and it seems like a good "make on the weekend, divvy up for lunches" dish.
"today i pumped enough, gave a presentation, wore a passably cute outfit, worked out with ms. michaels, and got dinner on the table. EVEN IF IT WASN’T THE MOST GOURMET" Are you kidding me? You did all that AND worked a full day. don’t put yourself down by judging the "gourmetness" of your meals. It was balanced and nutritious and looks as if it were tasty. considering that you are acting essentially as a single mother for the time being you’re doing an amazing job. Actually it would be amazing under any circumstance.
I’ve never really understood how it is that men are heaped with praise for occasionally doing tasks that women do most of the time without any acknowledgement at all.
I hesitate to even suggest this since I have not given birth yet (!!!) but I’ve been doing a lot of reading up on pumping at work, and almost everyone says that since you can store breastmilk in the fridge, one trick for not washing parts 10 times a day is to put the dirty parts in a ziploc bag and in the fridge between pumping sessions. Then just wash at the end of the day — ONCE, rather than after each session.
yep, already do that 🙂 AND i have two sets! but there’s still the washing when you get home from work and in the AM. i guess i’m not REALLY washing parts all day . . . but it always seems like they’re NEVER clean when i need them 🙂
That frittata looks amazing. I wonder if I could make it in an oven-proof Dutch oven, as I don’t think any of my frying pans are oven-proof….
yes! josh did it in a dutch oven. so definitely doable!