Friday, July 16, 2010

Just Keep Swimming

Some days I feel like I have been treading water all day long.

Once upon a time I kept a relatively clean house. I wasn't the cleanest, most organized person, but I was happy to invite people in with little advanced notice. I had a weekly rotation of jobs, laundry was actually put away the same day it was folded, and I even vacuumed three times a week. Now? It is all I can do to keep the laundry going, not let the dishes pile too high in the kitchen, and keep the family room relatively straightened.

Here are some of the things I can't figure out how to do with babies around:
  • load/unload the dishwasher (it it's open, the babies empty it faster than I can deal with the dishes)
  • vacuum (if they are awake, they don't like the sound; if they are sleeping I worry it will wake them up)
  • sweep/mop (hard to get the floor clean when they are underfoot; unfortunately, or maybe I should say luckily, they are like puppies who will eat their dropped food off the floor if I don't get to it)
  • keep the toys at bay (seriously, how does anyone do this?)
  • shower (I used to just bring them in the bathroom, but lately they've been trying to eat my haircare products)
At the end of the day, after putting all the baby toys away for the 5th or 6th time that day, I am tired. And then I go check on my sleeping babies, from my 6 year old who looks so incredibly big in his bed lately, to the munchkins curled up in their cribs, and I feel so ready to get up the next day and start swimming all over again.

4 comments:

Shelly Cunningham said...

It will get better--- unfortunately, not for a while.
In the meantime here are some hints:
I unloaded/loaded the dishwasher while my boys were eating in their high chairs. Same with sweeping. And as for mopping, I gave it up. They're just going to get the floor sticky again at the next meal, so why bother???
They HATED the vacuum as well, but I couldn't stand it anymore, so I just did it anyway. Now the LOVE it= go figure!
I showered while they were either 1. watching Baby Einstein, or 2. in their cribs (they would cry, but at least I knew they'd be alive when I got out!)
And for the toys, I clean up only twice a day. Before naps, and before bedtime. That way it's clean while I have my break, but I'm not spending the whole day picking up Matchbox cars. And now the boys are "helping" some, which is awesome!
Good luck treading water... I have been where you are, and it's tough!

Unknown said...

AMEN. That's all. And I only have 2!

Unknown said...

It doesn't last forever.
My youngest is five now. There are days when I wish I had the problem of putting a couple dishes in, closing the dishwasher and doing something else only to scurry back and put a couple more in before a little one tried to "help." I miss having babies! Enjoy every wonderful moment! Before you know it you will be sending them off to kindergarten. sigh.

Astrid said...

I have triplets ;) & keep up w/ the house pretty well...

1) My husband unloads the dishes 1st thing in the morning or when he gets home from work but normally in the am so I never have to do it. When I do, I unload it during naptime.
2) We have no carpet so I don't vacuum. But for sweeping/mopping, I do it when they are napping.
3) We clean up twice a day, before nap & bedtime. The kids help even though they are only 28 months old.
4) Shower before they get up, just like you would do if you are going to work.

Hopefully this will help you out :)

Astrid