I know Laura has time diary data to back up the fact that women with young children (under 2, I believe?) have the least free time.
I’m pretty sure, however, that I will have more time by the time she’s 2.*
I actually had a really nice today and felt mostly rested! This is because G slept 7:15 pm – 1:15 am last night. Now, she also ate at 4:15 am (and I got up to pump at 5:15 am) but let me tell you — those early hours of sleep are gold. Also, I went to bed at 8:30 pm. Which was a smart move, and what I should be doing most nights.
(. . . not watching This Is Us until 10).
I finished 10/12 of my patient notes today, pumped 3x, called back some patients, ate 3 meals + 2 snacks**, and drank 8332 cups of mother’s milk tea.
I did zero housework. (Our nanny did a ton. Oh my god I cannot imagine surviving right now without her.)
I answered zero emails. Sorry to anyone who has written lately — I promise I will respond! Eventually.
Leisure-ish time:
– 23 minute yoga with Adriene
– reading while pumping? I’m trying to make this feel as relaxing as possible . . . currently reading Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I am one of the few people that didn’t love A Man Called Ove (too . . . twee or something?) but I love this one.
– writing this post in approximately 12 minutes (the first part while kids finish watching an episode of Spirit and the second just before heading to bed)
– listening to podcasts while commuting (for the record: All Songs Considered music mix from last week, NPR’s Up First, and Forever 35’s Mini-Episode)
WELL. It’s 9pm. Off to bed. I will close with a pic from A’s 6th birthday party***, which was a rip-roaring success. And with that, Kid Birthday Season is over until G turns one in December.
* Famous last words if she turns out to be a horrendous sleeper later on — please no!
** Not consumed in leisurely fashion. At all.
*** Cooking party at Real Food Academy – locals, I highly recommend!
8 Comments
So glad to hear it was a better day! I’ve really been feeling for you lately – it’s so tough to balance everything at this stage. Hope the positive sleep trends continue!!! (Oh, and I LOVED Bear Town. More than A Man Called Ove, that I liked but didn’t love.)
P.S. Can you explain how you are able to feel tired at 8:30/9 pm. It is literally IMPOSSIBLE for me to fall asleep at that time of night unless I haven’t slept at all the night before??? Maybe it’s just a personal circadian rhythm thing.
Sounds life rich, to me! Having a third baby is a huge lifestyle decision for the next few years. You almost have to enjoy the exhaustion and chaos or put the career on hold (or further reduce hours). In either case, if you’re lucky, the joy of seeing and interacting with the baby is your chosen hobby/leisure time for now. I think that mindset makes you happiest because it says everything’s okay, this is what I want to be doing at this moment. Rather than the overwhelming feeling of there not being enough time.
Btw, I love my 9 – 1 am sleep. I feel like those hours are very restorative (compared to 1 – 5a). Of course a few of the latter added on to the former is great!
Yay for some sleep! Hope it gets easier soon!
I’ve been doing yoga with Adriene too – on day 25 of the TRUE series. I love it how she has such a variety of classes both in terms of style (restorative one day and intense strength the next) and length.
I still go to bed at 830 most nights, after developing the habit when Dylan was a baby. I think it”s part of the reason residency has been only mildly horrible.
@rinna, not sleeping the night before and chronic sleep deprivation are exactly how it”s possible.
I’m not a doctor, so I don’t have THAT level of sleep deprivation, but honestly, I really really don’t sleep enough. And still can almost never fall asleep that early. And if I do, I wake up in the middle of the night and am done for. I wish I felt tired earlier in the evening. (Although maybe not quite that early 🙂 And hurray for only mildly horrible residency!
Sounds great! I try to go to bed as soon as the kids do, which is just after 8:30, at least 2 nights a week. It helps make up fort he occasional later nights (i.e. the night we stayed up doing taxes, whoo hoo!) and lets me stay up later on weekends so I can actually do something fun after they are asleep! I LOOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEED Beartown. I also super-loved Ove, though, but I didn’t like his others for the same reason you state (too precious)
Hi Sarah, I just found your blog because I’ve been listening to your podcast! I know you are completely deprived of time right now, but I want to say thank you for blogging and podcasting during this busy time of life. You’ve probably heard this before, but I feel like so much of the blogging and podcasting world is voices of people who either don’t work or work for themselves and it’s so nice to hear experiences and practical tips from someone who is really in it. Wishing you an extra long sleep stretch tonight!
I didn”t love A Man Called Ove, either! It felt like it was trying a little too hard to pull at the heart strings.. plus the ending got wrapped up just a little too perfectly for me. I can”t believe your oldest is 6 now!