I get asked just about 5 times a day how I do it all. Working full time, teaching Barre, adjunct teaching, blogging and all the other 8 million things I do on a daily basis. My answer 95% of the time is…..I don’t have children. This is meant in purely the most innocent way ever. When I’m around my sister’s kid or my brothers kids……honestly the time feels like it is is zapped away. I blink my eye and it’s 9 pm. I am so excited to have survived and bed is all I want. I mean look at these time zappers cuties.
Example of my day. *Sitting down to grade papers* Auntie Amanda will you play house with me?
Trying to look at Pure Barre stuff “Amanda Amanda will you take me to the pool”
What are you doing? What is that? What are you writing? What are you eating? Why are you putting that stuff on your face?
Trying to answer emails “will you do a puzzle with me?”
Trying to sit on tech support because you can’t submit final grades for USF that are due in an hour “will you play a game with me?“.
Trying to write a blog post “will you read me a story?”
Melt down central
Getting a shower by myself
With that said I absolutely adore my niece and nephews. Also there are some definite perks to children like….
Eating chocolate chip Mickey Mouse pancakes two days in a row for breakfast and lunch.
Singing Disney songs at the top of your lungs with no shame.
When you try on a new dress and you walk out to the compliment of “Auntie Amanda you look beautiful…just like a Princess!”
Belly laughs and snuggles on the couch.
Running hugs and big kisses.
I think the number one take away point I’ve learned from children. This is the best advice I’ve discovered from all my nieces and nephews are you ready?……Here it is….
Lock the door when you go to the bathroom.
So the moral of this whole story is I give a big virtual high five and pat on the back to all the mommies out there. The fact I got a shower in, some mascara on my face and this post written I feel like the biggest accomplishment. Those little mini me versions definitely take up a lot of time! What are your favorite things about kiddos? All the mommies out there how do you do it all? Tell me your secrets! How do you work, take care of kids, your house, significant others, yourself, and blog? I dedicate this post to my Mother, sister, and sister in law and to all those mommies who eat standing up in the kitchen with one hand while washing dishes with the other. Happy early Mother’s Day!
Don’t forget about the sweet giveaway! xoxoxoxo
Last thing because don’t we all love giveaways especially when you get to pick your own prize? Summer is right around the corner and I have teamed up with 7 other fabulous bloggers to bring you a giveaway for a gift card. We wanted to do something fun and that everyone would enjoy, so we thought it would be a good idea to come together and giveaway a gift card of your choice! Hint my two links are follow me on bloglovin and twitter.
this is so great!! it can be challenging to have a little one all up in your grill 24/7 but the kisses, cuddles and laughter are so worth it. we have a great system worked out – we split everything down the middle 50/50. this means everything from house chores to child-rearing stuff… everything. because there are 2 sets of hands doing the work, that frees up a lot of time since everything is done faster. i would NEVER be one of those women who let t heir husbands do jack shit and i do everything AND work. aint nobody got time fo’ dat shizz for real.
-kathy
Vodka and Soda
Completely agree!! Although I cant wait to be a mom myself, tons if respect to all the moms out there busting their butts!!
chocolate chip pancakes two days in a row!? i’m jealous :)
they sure look like cute kiddos
Hahaha love this! I don’t see my nieces and nephews very often but I know my friends with kids all would say these gifs pretty much sum up their life! #reasonswhyidonthavekidsyet
<3, Pamela
sequinsandseabreezes.blogspot.com
This post is awesome! I must admit I did notice your absence yesterday!
You just gave me the best reminder of all the great feelings I get throughout the day from having a kid. The ones I take for granted. But your right…..some moments I definitely feel like banging my head against the table! :)
This is too funny– and all too true I’m afraid! haha I’m with you that (for now) having nieces and nephews is the best of both worlds!
Haha so true – lock that damn door – but you know what they are sneaky and their little fingers will figure out how to open the door!! I too am in awe of mommies and know that one day we’ll be saying the same thing about ourselves!! But they are just the cutest things in the whole world and I honestly love being their aunt so so much!!
Great post!! Mommies totally work hard. Whenever I spend the day with my friend and her two children, I’m wiped out!! I wish I had some of the children’s energy. It’s crazy how they can go go go go and they totally expect you to keep up!!
Best, Mree
I of course can majorly relate lol. Your niece and nephew are super cute! My kids do give the sweetest compliments. Cole tells me he likes my princess dress every time i wear a dress/skirt haha. It is too cute! Lucky for me I only work part time for now! XO
this post really is great!!! i couldn’t agree more with all your points. it’s not so often i see my two nieces but when i do, boy are they time sucker upers! but they are SO cute and they really make life so much better. i love children’s innocence!
Totally missed you yesterday. I’m with you I don’t know how all these mommies do it but major props to them for sure. I’m definitely one of those who wonders how you do all you do. You’ll be a great mom one day.
“why are you putting that on your face?” hahahah!
Kids. They are amazing and fun, but yes, they take up so much time!! Somedays I just want to pee alone and it doesn’t happen. I can’t imagine my life without them, but I use to get so much more accomplished- and have more money! :)
yay you’re back! haha. love this post, its so true. obviously, not a mother, and i love my friends kids but my favourite part is giving them back! everyone is all like – when are you gonna start? and im like…. 10 years. haha! i loved this post so much. all the funnies, all the gifs. but seriously, they are too freakign cute i want to squeeze all of them! i love that they call you Auntie Amanda (instead of Aunt!) – and you do look like a princess ;)
But at least you’re beautiful like a princess. And of course, that’s all that matters!
I for sure missed you yesterday. I always wonder how people with kids live a normal life! Mr. Michigan’s sister has FOUR kids and they all play sports, dance, run track, etc. And she and her husband own a business! Superwoman I tell ya!
Amen and Amen! Kids are great, I just like to give them back when i’m done.
I want kids, but in four years. Your gifs are the best!
I love being an aunt for those hugs… though I try to CONVINCE my nieces I’m a princess & they’re not buying it.
So true kids are adorable but time zappers for sure!
Amen to that! So thankful for my mommy — that’s for sure!
xo
Oh I feel ya, people ask me all the time why I don’t have kids yet… I can’t imagine throwing a child into the mix right now! Moms are like superheroes for sure haha!
You have it all figured out and you aren’t even there yet!! :) Good thing you have those guinea pigs aka nieces and nephews to give you the real insight to mommyhood. :)
Hahaha, I love everything about this post! We have two nieces and one nephew, and sometimes to give their parents a break, we take them overnight. And I have no clue where the time goes, or what life is even about! I love them to pieces though; but yes they are def time zappers!
I don’t know how people manage their own lives, work, obligations, sanity and kids all at the same time. I don’t think I have any desire to figure it out either haha.
Annnnnnd I forgot I was signed in to the wrong google account. Ignore the no-reply crap haha. Oops!
Haha, I agree! I’m 21 and can barely fit everything into a day- I don’t know how some people do it! lol
Oh man, I could NEVER do it! Just THINKING about being pestered all the time gives me anxiety. No joke… I heard a kid SCREAMING in the hall at work yesterday and I literally clenched my vagina shut. NO, NO, NO! bahahaha MAJOR props to women who take on this HUGE responsibility!!!!!
GREAT post! As usual! (and great giveaway too, happy tuesday lady!) xoxo
This is such a sweet post! You’re definitely right, everything changes when children come into the picture. I am trying to enjoy these precious few years before we start trying to have a family. By the way, your .gifs seriously make my day. Just sayin’. Glad you’re back!
I could totally relate to this back when I was working full time, in school, going to the gym 3-4 times a week, social life, chronic illness, different life commitments (weddings, showers, bachelorette parties)… people always how I did it. And then, I take a look at my friends who have kids, and I say the same thing… no kids!
But you’re right, nothing beats when my nephew PJ makes a running dash to give me hugs
Hahahaha! I seriously don’t know how some moms do it! I told my husband he better being making enough money by the time we have kids so I can go part time because honestly working full time and having children sounds like the hardest thing ever!! But sometimes it just has to be done and they are always worth it! I would hope…
<3 Shannon
Upbeatsoles.blogspot.com
Haha YES to sweet little compliments like, “You look like a princess.” Amazing.
i understand this 100% i went to dinner with my friend and her little kiddo and he had a MELT DOWN because he wanted the balloon, but didn’t want to wear it around his wrist. hysterical crying took place at the table. it got awkward.
My favorite room in the house is the master bathroom, because it’s the only door in the house my 4 year old cannot open!! Still she yells under the door and slides “messages” to me while I’m in there. Good thing she’s cute, it saves her little life sometimes. :)
LOL, yes to everything! I feel like you wrote this post for me! hahaha I’m spending time with my nieces these last few days and I have abandoned my blog completely…. so thumbs up that you even managed to get this post up.
btw….the bathroom thing is some serious stuff, lol.
I missed you yesterday!!! And I wish I could answer all of these questions but seriously I have 3 kids and a full time job, a blog, a little side business of sorts, a dog, a family, 2 tennis teams, a fitness journey and online dating to attend to. I’ll have to get back to you. Thanks for understanding:) Lol and thank you for the the props. It’s a hard job indeed! But oh so rewarding!
Haha I love your take away. I agree. I love my cousin’s children to death & they are my favorite people in the world…but I love constant me time more right now.
yep So true!! i feel like i have sooo much to do and then i think “wait what am i going to do when i have kids?!” xo jillian – cornflake dreams
Thanks for the ode! LOL…I work from home and it is beyond difficult. My goal was always to work for myself to be able to stay home with my children. But if you actually work and make a living doing this it is super difficult. People don’t understand and then I tell them, bring a two year old to your office with you and tell me how much you accomplish. Then they are like..oooooh. It’s a lot of nights up until 2am to complete work and up at 7am with my girl. So no sleep is really how it gets done. LOL.
Haha this is all so true! Kids are in my future someday just not at the moment :)
http://www.madeintheshadeblog.com
Kids are a lot of work! I used to work in a toddler room, and by the end of the day I was just exhausted even though I loved the kids. One of my co-workers had three kids of her own to go home to and I’m like,”HOW do you do it? All I want to do is go home and sit in silence with some wine.”
This is seriously the truth!! I was sooo busy last week and so behind on all things blogging/emails and at one point I thought in amazement that some bloggers work full time and have kids and have Etsy shops and do a million other things… it’s crazy. I think it’s all about the time management – that I clearly haven’t mastered yet!
I can’t even imagine how much life will change whenever we have kids. I feel like I barely have time now to accomplish anything! And I really REALLY like my long showers!
Everytjme he watch my nieces I an exhausted I don’t know his they do it!! Major props to moms and moms who blog!
So happy you and Mark get to preview what this life is like! Will make a huge difference in your future life planning and knowing how much you can both commit to!
This is hilarious!! They are seriously the biggest time sucks ever!! Here’s the secret to doing it all as a mom….ready? There’s no secret!! And we don’t do it all!! ;-) We try, and fail, and then wake up the next morning, eat chocolate chip pancakes, and try again. Why do you think I only get 3-4 posts up a week? It’s because I fell asleep in my dinner on the nights I don’t blog!! Ha! I’m hoping that someday my kids will be old enough to do all the chores in the house and then I’ll sit on my fat butt eating chocolate chip pancakes alone, in silence. Don’t burst my bubble…a girl can dream!!
XO – Samantha