6 More Weeks

There's a little exercise going around on Facebook right now where if you are "tagged" you are supposed to post 25 random things about yourself. I've been tagged a couple of times now (which makes me feel so popular!), but I haven't gotten around to actually writing any of these random, but certainly interesting, things about myself.....like, "I can't cut a loaf of bread straight," or "I'm good at getting laundry folded, but not putting it away," or "I may love avocados more than I love my own children." See, this would be a fabulous list! However, the first item would probably be, "I usually don't get anything done until there's a deadline."

I've been thinking a lot recently about this particular characteristic of mine. I would like to say that it's thanks to it having been January and the traditional focus on resolutions, but blah, blah, blah....that's how I feel about resolutions. No, most likely I've been thinking this way because the whole nesting instinct is starting to kick in. So far this baby is not really getting anything new in the way of clothing or baby equipment (and, poor subsequent, subsequent, subsequent child, he probably never really will), so there's not much to actually nest with. But that's not what's bothering me. What does, is that I'm starting to feel like I need a new handle on order in my life and what I am doing with the time that I have.

I've always worked better when I had only a set amount of time in which to fit certain activities. ie., In college, if I had only 3 hours between class and work to devote to studying, then I was far more likely to have better study habits (and stay focused) than, say, if I didn't have a job and instead had an entire afternoon for studying. So, now, as a stay-at-home-mom when my time and activites are way more flexible, it's easy to get to the end of the day and realize that I never took the ten minutes that it takes to go out and turn the compost but instead spent an hour reading the newspaper or friends' blogs online.

A friend introduced me to the phrase, "Diva of Do-Ahead" and I love the concept, but honestly--it's too ambitious for me. I'm aiming for more like, the Diva of Do-it-when-I-can-and-not-wait-until-I'm forced.

Even if this baby will be dressed like an orphan, he should at least get a mom who has something to show at the end of the day for effective time management (which, though I can't make any promises, hopefully includes my getting better at actually being on time). Like, really, why don't I make lunch for the girls at the same time that I pack a lunch in the morning for Max. But no, instead, at 10 minutes before I'm supposed to leave to get Olivia to preschool, and still need to get them both fed and shoe-d and coat-ed (and probably hair-combed), I frantically start slathering peanut butter on bread all while barking at Olivia to find her shoes and get them on. Then I shove them out the door, only to eat their "lunch" in the car while we get to school. It's not quite right.

So, first things first! Not only did I start keeping a calendar--and sharing it with Adam which helps me keep it up--but then, when there was nice weather a couple of days ago, I took the hour that I had free while Isabel napped and Max and Olivia were at friends' houses, and I vacuumed out the car (and my Mother in Law isn't even coming to visit for 2 more weeks!). Sure, I haven't sorted or put away the bag full of sweaters and boots and books and pencils and Littlest Pet Shop pets that I collected out of the car....but, please, I'm still taking baby steps.

But most importantly, when at Costco yesterday, I deliberately did not buy another box of diapers for Isabel. I have yet to have a newborn without also having a toddler in diapers, and that toddler usually stays in diapers for at least another 6 months. But not this time; not with the new me. I have 6 weeks left before D-Day and only half-a-box of Huggies size 4 left in the closet. Let the training commence!

Wait, this sounds a lot like a deadline..... Old habits die hard, I guess.