And a totally unrelated photo of my pink popcorn.
You're not surprised, are you?
By the way, have you ever noticed some blossoming trees smell like corn tortillas?
Ranked at about #5 on the list of Why I'm Sad About Not Being Able to Nurse Vivian is the fact that it creates lots of dishes. This of course, following reasons like breast is best and corn syrup is evil and all that talk of losing baby weight and being able to feed by simply lifting and unhooking. Sigh. Let go.You're not surprised, are you?
By the way, have you ever noticed some blossoming trees smell like corn tortillas?
I used to look at the mounting pile of bottles and bottle accoutrement in the sink, and my stomach would sink. It was a daily chore that always hung over my head at the end of the day. Hot water, soap, bottle brush, scrub, rinse, scrub and rinse again, dry. It made me cranky.
And then one day (not all that long ago--don't ask what took me so long) I had a little mommy epiphany. What if I loaded the dishwasher each night with all the bottle stuff? And woke up in the morning with clean and dry bottles for the entire day? My nose tingled at the thought. It felt downright decadent to think of running the dishwasher e v e r y d a y.
Once I started there was no looking back. A simple shift in how a task was completed totally changed my outlook on the chore. Evenings were enjoyed again. Unloading the dishwasher each morning is actually a joyful activity because I didn't have to stand at the sink and wash a thing.
There is something to be said for simplicity. Especially in this mothering gig. That means letting go of some of my pre-baby ideas about parenting. If there's an easier way, I say find it and do it. Easy has a connotation of being bad or lazy or inauthentic. But it's simple physics. A stream of water is going to take the easiest path down the hill--the path of least resistance. So I often ask myself Is there an easier, simpler way that will meet Vivian's needs? Or mine? A little sanity is saved and more time to enjoy my daughter or a few moments to myself ensues. And I think that's a good thing.
What have you done to make things simpler, easier, more enjoyable in your day-to-day life?
5 comments:
your words ring true in the ott house. being happy and sane makes for being a good mom. and besides, my dishwasher is running right along side yours. cheers!
Just curious, what kind of dishwashing detergent do you use? I've started putting bottles and pump parts in the dishwasher, but I keep thinking that any day now they'll report that Cascade causes cancer or something. I've switched to liquid castille soap for hand-washing baby stuff (and for baths), but I'm not sure what to use in the machine...
I have started making Elliot's breakfast & lunch (solids) and bottles the night before, and it makes for a much happier mommy (since I am not using the jars it takes a wee bit more prep). I am running the dishwasher every-other night, but am likely going to be moving to every night very soon. I am also paranoid about "Cascade" so even though it leaves some extra spots I have switched back to Seventh Generation.
i've never noticed the corn tortilla smell - although i will now start paying better attention.
as for easier - if a bedroom is really messy, i'll scoop up all the clothes (dirty AND clean) and put them in the washing machine - like a do-over. just to have them out of the way until i have the energy. wasteful? yeah...but so much less clutter when sometimes i need a quick break!
aaoohh, crap! i use cascade. well, the kirkland-big-bottle-of-knock-off- cascade. and it didn't enter into my mind to do otherwise. i'm so granola in some ways, other ways not so much. i'll have to rethink this. actually, i'll put vince on this one. he can decide.
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