I’ve not done a proper sit-down-with-a-cuppa-and-a-sleeping-baby rambly post for a long time! I feel like the days have less hours in them than they used to, and my to do lists are getting longer and longer and I am procrastinating more. This is something I need to change. I spent 2 hours tidying my underwear drawer the other day instead of doing household filing and other life maintenance that desperately needs doing! Having a crawling and standing baby means I am getting less and less time to do my favourite pastime of reading everyone else’s amazing blogs. I used to read and comment on my phone for a few minutes whilst Athena happily played with whatever it was she was occupied with but that is no longer an option, and by the time I have done dinner, bath and bed I either fall asleep with her on the sofa whilst she feeds or make a start on the mountain of housework that needs doing that can’t be done when she is around! I am also trying to read more books this year than I did last year, and way prefer to read than clean. As a consequence nothing is getting done and that is getting me down. Someone invent a way to make the days longer please? I feel so lethargic and ‘meh’ a lot of the time and I am really hoping that this isn’t the start of something more serious (post natal depression springs to mind) and is just attributed to chasing a crawling baby all day and the worry of ‘the work decision’.
So, back at the start of the year I said my new years resolution was to not go back to my current job as a hotel manger. I am making big steps towards this, and although I don’t plan on handing my notice in until the very last date I can (more holiday pay for me you see…) So in a step towards becoming a freelancer I have taken on the position of editor for Worthingmums.co.uk and am also contributing to UniqueandChic.co.uk. So if you want to see more of my ramblings about mama-hood and various other topics then feel free to head on over to both! I am feeling a lot more confident about not having my salaried income. Obviously it will be a big difference for us financially but after we had worked out nursery and travel costs we wouldn’t have been left with much anyway, and this way I get to spend more time with Athena and that is the most important thing in the world to me. Sam has also handed his notice in at his current job as the fact that he was hardly seeing us both was making him (and us!) miserable and his new job will be much better for our work/life balance as he is doing less hours at more sociable times for the same money! I hope we will all be happier in a month from now! (well, actually I know we will be as we are off on holiday with our best friends for a week!)
I have also been nominated in the MAD awards which was a lovely surprise as I only vaguely knew what they were all about and hadn’t planned to nominate (I have now nominated my favs and thank you whoever it was who nominated me!) If you wanted to vote for me then you just need my url which is www.belledubrighton.co.uk. I’ve been nominated in ‘best baby blog’ category and you can vote here should you feel like it!
On a completely un-related note I got a new tattoo last week (my 6th) It was pretty spur of the moment but I knew that it would be my next tattoo, just not when I would get it done. It is at the itchy stage so doesn’t look very nice at the moment but below is a picture when it had just been done (and is covered in Vaseline!) For anyone who has been living under a rock for the last century it is the penguin books logo, I love reading and I love penguins so it made perfect sense to me!
So, that’s it really, I do love typing a long rambly post, it feels very cathartic!
the bit about the underwear drawer made me chuckle! totally know how that is, you need to get stuff done but you end up doing something unrelated and often unecessary instead!
and lovely tattoo! it’s quite hard to take photos of them yourself isn’t it, trying to not drop the camera whilst taking a photo haha.
Congrats on your two freelance writing jobs 🙂 I am hoping to go freelance when Mia is in nursery so i can work my own hours and still take care of the girls x
I would love to get some freelance writing…it’s one of my dreams so my jobs can fit more around family life. So congratulations! And happy planning for the holiday! 🙂
I used to be a HR Manager so I am so glad to see you know about earning the holiday pay etc… So many Mums don’t know their rights. I can so relate to how you have less time when the little one starts moving around more, that happened to me too.
I’ve also been known to spend hours on underwear drawers and have even blogged about it twice ha ha.
Good luck with the work decision.
Liska x
Congrats on the freelance writing gigs and the nomination for the MADS. Sounds like you’ve been a busy girl 🙂
Love Vicky
http://www.aroundandupsidedown.co.uk/
Oh well done on making those steps towards a new career/life etc. It’s something I want to do but don’t quite have the courage yet. Sometimes it’s taking a leap of faith and sounds like it’s going really well for you. No one ever looked back on their lives and wished they’d spent more time in the office. x
It’s so difficult trying to get anything done with a little one around isn’t it! Congratulations on your new freelancing work – exciting stuff!
I loved this update! I know what it’s like to not get a minute and to be constantly chasing a moving baby!
Good on you for going freelance on the work front. I’m hoping to make enough money from my blog to give me enough ‘pocket money’ so I either don’t have to go back for very long or not at all! That’s my aim anyway!
I think the ‘meh’ feeling is natural. If I don’t get dressed as soon as I get up and drag the kids out of the house the minute they’re both awake then I stay at home feeling ‘meh’ all day. Life with little ones can be ‘meh’ quite often I’ve found x
I spend so much time procrastinating or doing things that could wait, the important things are left. Good luck with the freelancing x
Such a brave decision to decide you didn’t want to return back to your job (and well in with the holiday pay)! Good luck with your freelancing. Your new tattoo is awesome I like how personal it is for you and your love of books. Glad you managed to have some you time writing this post x
Really glad things are working out well for you on the work (or rather not-work) front – I’m sure the financial side will be worth it for you being happier and doing something you enjoy! Oh and two hours? I think I have underwear drawer envy – mine would take two minutes and only involve two piles – holey pants that are past it and holey pants that I can get a bit more wear out of!
Oh yay to getting steps in motion for the not going back to work thing! And even more so for Sam’s changes! II’m excited for you both. I’m sure it must be a stressful thing to have the career change on your mind but remember what you just listed about the good bits when you’re feeling meh about it all
xxx
Chambray & Curls
Ooh a very exciting new start on the horizon for you then, wishing you best of luck with it all! xxx
Hurrah for Sam’s new job; I bet that’s going to make your lives so much more enjoyable. And well done getting stuck into freelancing- it sounds like the perfect solution! I feel the same way about housework sometimes – after a long day at work I just want to crash on the sofa and read blogs, but then feel disappointed in myself when I realise how long it’s been since I cleaned the bathroom, let alone anywhere else. I don’t even have the excuse of an adorable baby to keep an eye on either! Reading is just better than cleaning. xxx