Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Survival Mode


Survival Mode


I have found myself in survival mode several times over the past 10+ years of mothering.  Here are some of the reasons that I have been in survival mode:

- morning sickness
- preparing to move (We have lived in 7 states and even more houses!)
- trying to settle into a new home
- new babies
- sickness or health problems for me or someone in the family
- lack of sleep (due to a child waking me up!)

Here is my list of how to survive in survival mode:

1.    I buy paper plates and don’t feel guilty for using them!
Sometimes you don’t have energy to do ALL the dishes.
2.    I modify the cleaning schedule.  I pick up everyday, but instead of deep cleaning each Monday I deep clean every other week and touch up bathrooms as needed.
3.    I don’t have any projects or anything extra on the schedule that doesn’t have to be there.  We try to cut back kids activities also. 
4.    Eating healthy is very important to me so I still try to cook and have family meals but they are very very simple and I keep things like “Stouffers Lasagna” in the freezer for days that  I really can’t cook. 
5.    I stop when I can’t do anymore. 
6.    I take naps.  I am not a napper. Once I wake up in the morning I like to keep moving, but with a new baby I love to take a nap in the afternoon.
7.    Just do the best I can and be happy with any effort.  

After our sixth baby was born I found myself in serious survival mode.  She was born on the first day of school.  Our three elementary kids were split between two different schools, our basement flooded twice a week after she was born, and our two year old decided that he was ready to be potty trained!  I posted the following pictures at that time in life:



Please rest assured that things are never dull at the Bradshaw's house!  In the past two weeks we have:
Potty Trained Tanner (he took the initiative).

Started 3rd grade, 1st grade, kindergarten, and preschool.  The 3 oldest go to two different schools.  Grandma also came to help.

Had our 6th beautiful baby.

Had our basement flood


TWICE!

. . .but, life is good.  


WE ARE HAPPY!

Somehow, some way life does get better and you eventually get out of "survival mode"!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

How did I forget your Minnesota home flooded!!!??? Oh yikes, I didn't realize you'd had all that going on at once! I bet it helped that many of your items were stored (beautifully, I might add) in plastic storage bins. I love the photo of things stacked up in the basement living room area.

This may be my favorite post so far. I am dying over the contrast of the picture of you in the red dress vs. the muddy tucked-in boot. You are so beautiful muddy-tucked in boots or not.

I also hadn't heard of the "poo-decorating" adventure. Oh wow, that is not one I've dealt with....yet. Not to mention, the photo of Alexis? on the public bathroom floor. Genius to pull out your camera. Kids are good at keeping it real.

xoxo

-S

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