Picture this: You are confined in a house with one level. The bones and muscles in your body ache and hurt in places you didn't think was possible. The only companions are two dogs and a baby, both of which only want or need you for food, restroom breaks, or comfort. Anytime you need to go the bathroom or cook food you are waylayed by one of those companions, more so by the baby than anything. You are slowly watching your once clean and pristine house become covered in dust particles. The dishes in the sink are piling up, some half washed because the last time you tried to wash them a baby's cries tore you away. Your significant other comes home and you find yourself being short and irritable with him. Maybe a visitor stops by but even that seems to bother you. Eventually you wind your way down to sleep at night thinking relief is on its way, only to wake up every two to four, or even every hour for someone else's needs. The cycle repeats day after day after day and it begins to take its toil. What is this overwhelming feeling taking over? Cabin FeverExtreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time. -Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Mommy Tip: Don't wait till your breaking point.One evening I had had enough and I broke down crying. My husband returned to the house to a crying wife, a crying baby, and two barking dogs. And so he calmed the baby and put her in the car-seat, and we got in the car, grabbed ice cream from the gas station, and drove around our subdivision. The relief I felt was immensely overpowering. We may have been gone for only 10 minutes, but it was worth it for my sanity. I quickly felt refreshed and renewed, which in the long run was better for Mia and I. Mommy Tip: Go for a short trip around the neighborhood, whether its walking in the stroller or a ride in the car.
Mommy Tip: The more you get out of the house, the easier the process becomes. Don't be afraid!I should have done it long ago, but my stubborn self thought I was being a selfish mother. I felt guilty because I should love every second with my baby and it should be this wonderful thing every moment. Mom's do it all the time and I am just being a horrible mother by wanting to get out of the house and do something other than cuddle her, watch her sleep, or feed her. THESE ARE IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS!! Getting out the house to make you feel better does not in anyway make you a bad mother and it doesn't mean you love your child any less. Its understandable and something you shouldn't feel guilty about. I did and it let to me having a breakdown. You will still love your child and be better able to take care of him/her because you will be less stressed.
2 Comments
Lake Adventure
with a beach near our home. So off the the Lake we went!! The beach was completely empty which made it easy to pick out the best spot near the water. Everything was perfect. However, an unfortunate side of effect of being at any beach is the lack of trees and shade. With a newborn it is super important to keep them in the shade and from being sunburnt. Our solution... a recent gift of Fisher-Price's On the Go Baby Dome. My hubby and I were able to stick our feet in the water and wade in a little while still keeping an eye on Mia through the screen walls. We only waded up to our knees and were still withing 5 feet of her at all times, but it was nice to be able to do something I haven't been able to do since I was pregnant. While wading we were able to talk, spash around, and relax. My hubby was also able to catch a minnow in between his toes. He sure does have some super human strength in toes. Though too small of a fish for dinner. Hahahaha.
easy transport. One half of the dome is a permanent shade, while the other half is mesh and slides up and down. The bottom part hangs slightly off the ground so that it is not sitting in the dirt or sand. Pretty awesome, right!! Now my baby can lay down and nap without me having to worry about sand or dirt getting in to the dome.
home I sprayed it with baby detergent (Cool tip fill up a spray bottle of baby detergent and spray it on clothes or baby items that get spit up on or that have accidents in them. When you go to wash it later the stain will come right out.) and then put it in the wash. The stain came right out.
If you are looking for the perfect gift or if you are looking for something to make your busy outdoor life easier, look no further. I highly recommend this product and give it 5 Baby Mia thumbs up!! On the Go Baby Dome
Silver Dollar CityThis past weekend we decided to go on our very first mini family vacation to Silver Dollar City. They have this wonderful deal for educators this year, known as Teacher Recognition. Teachers can receive a free one-day admission from now until June 30, 2018, as long as they bring in their School Photo ID and a May or June Pay Stub. They can also purchase half-price tickets for up to four members of their family (Click here to read more). Being as my husband and I are both educators and children under 3 are free, we got a FREE trip to Silver Dollar City!! Whoohoo!! In June they also have a concert series on Saturdays where you can attend the evening concert for free as long as there are seats available after the preferred have been seated. Part of what prompted us to go on this vacation was on Saturday, June 9th, Blood, Sweat, and Tears was performing with Bo Bice. Who doesn't want to see Blood, Sweat, and Tears for free?!?!
times throughout the day, bathrooms, and my personal favorite NURSING STATIONS!! The nursing stations are marked with smiley faces on the map. There are four of them with one right at the front entrance and the one I mostly used in front of the outdoor concert area. These rooms are air-conditioned with a fan, rocking chairs, and a changing table. I felt comfortable and I got to bond with some other nursing mommies with kids aged from two weeks to a year. I am extremely thankful that Silver Dollar City thought about the needs of mothers who breastfeed, as it made the experience ten times easier. Silver Dollar City also has this program called Rider Swap where one person can get on the ride with kids and one adult can wait with the kids who cannot ride the ride when the ride is over the next adult can get on. All you have to do is let the guide know at the front of the ride and they will help you out. We did not use this service as I am still healing from a C-Section and didn't think it would be smart to ride. However, we are excited to use this in the upcoming years as Mia gets older and we hopefully have more kids.
The only problem with bringing our stroller is that I wasn't comfortable leaving it outside of buildings or the train unattended. My mother already scared me with her horror story of having her stroller stolen from the zoo. This really did limit us on the concert buildings- Riverfront Playhouse, Silver Dollar Saloon, and Red Gold Heritage Hall- we could enter or riding the train. In the future, our plan will be to rent a stroller (which they highly recommend reserving ahead of time as the strollers are first come first serve) or just use my Lille Baby Carrier. We were able to visit a lot of shops, see many demonstrations, and a couple of the concerts-Dockside Theater, McHaffie's, Gazebo, and Boatworks Theater (as they were outside with easy access for the stroller). It was a very enjoyable day and we loved being able to spend time together out and about.
day at Silver Dollar City. Overall the day was fantastic and we look forward to doing it again, especially now knowing what we really need, what is extra, and how to get the most bang for our buck. Must Have Items
Pros
Cons
|
Author-SamanthaMommy and Music Educator all wrapped into one. Navigating the joyous world of motherhood, music, and education. Archives
October 2018
Categories
All
|