Normality to Pandemonium and Back Again

I’m sitting on my bed now writing this blog post. Its 3:17pm – I woke up this morning to complete and utter pandemonium with having overslept badly, no nanny coming to work, needing to get my wonderful, but lazy-ass, hubby out of bed, Ethan off to school in less than 30 minutes and then arriving at work with my cell phone dead and a list of emails in my inbox as long as both my arms and legs put together (keep in mind, I’m just short of 6 feet tall!) Then, to make the day even better, I reversed in my new car of 2 weeks into a Jetta on the way to fetching my son at school. Needless to say, my husband sent me home. Keep in mind, I’m lugging around a little tummy right now with being 17 weeks pregnant, therefore my hormones and emotional state isn’t always what it should be!

So, I sit here wondering about when exactly my life just changed from what I would now call normality to complete chaos and days that feel like seconds and weeks that feel like a few minutes? I would have to say, the 13th November 2008 was that day when my son, Ethan arrived!

Is it all worth it? Yes, absolutely! But, man, it can be hard work and extremely tiring / taxing, but also rewarding!

So, as I sit here, I browse through different forums on Facebook and various websites for other Moms and it does seem that we are all faced with very similar challenges. Everyone is able to handle things in their own way and some people handle challenges better than others. I have my days where I can tackle a bull, but some days I couldn’t even tackle an ant even if I tried…it’s just how it goes with motherhood.

But, I thought, since I need to give myself a little pep talk after today’s ordeals, I would put together a list of 5 steps on what to do on those days when things just feel a little, um…out of control!

1. Firstly, when you have an opportunity, just STOP! Stop what you are doing and BREATH DEEPLY. Sit down, sit back and just relax. It’s hard to switch off, but this will be the start. If you have to put the TV on or make a cuppa tea or open a magazine / book to read to distract you, do it!
2. Reach out and talk to someone or some friends. I just had a chat with a friend now to put some stuff in perspective. She made me laugh and I always like to crack my own joke or 2 when I chat to someone and that helps a) take your mind of things and b) gain some perspective and bring you back to reality.
3. Take some Rescue Remedy. I’m a homeopathic fan and I know it’s not for everybody, but most people swear by Rescue Remedy. And, it’s great while pregnant. So, if you’re feeling on edge, what’s the harm in taking 2 while you chill out on the couch for a few minutes?
4. Review the events in your head that have caused you to be where you are now. Look at what needs to be improved whether it be asking for more help or just not tackling so many things at once (we know you are SUPERWOMEN, but sometimes things can wait!).
5. Relax and start from scratch – try not to let the whole day’s events affect you. Some moms will shoot me over this, but if you have no other option, let your child watch TV for a few minutes or find something that will distract them (Granny works wonders!) and just give yourself a little longer to recuperate.

Right, so I’ve done step 1, 2 and 3 – just need to complete number 4 and 5. I hope this helps you a little on those difficult days! And, if you have anything to add, please feel free to leave a comment below. x