The Instagram Stories Q&A post I shared back in May was actually my most popular post of the month that month, so I figured I’d keep the series going! These posts take me longer to put together than I anticipated (since I cannot help but seem to give VERY long-winded answers) so I apologize for the delay in answering these questions many of you sent my way via Instagram when I put a call out for questions back in June. Better late than never, right!?
I’d say about 98 percent of the questions I received from you guys last month pertained to some aspect of motherhood, so I figured I’d roll with that theme for this round of questions. Below I address everything from finding workout motivation post-baby and how my relationship with Ryan changed after Chase was born to losing the baby weight and balancing motherhood with the chaos of everyday life. I hope at least one question interests you and I’ll see ya in August for Round Three of this series!
Instagram Stories Q&A: Round Two
- As someone who doesn’t have kids yet but is married, I would love to know how you balance marriage and parenthood. I am worried about how my relationship will change (even though I know it’s natural/inevitable)!
I love this question because what you said is true… Your relationship will change! But that is not necessarily a bad thing! Yes, you may argue a bit more and lose your temper faster, especially in the beginning when you’re both sleep deprived and trying to figure out how to be parents to a baby who only seems to cry and sleep, but there’s something so incredible about the bond that forms when you are both pouring your heart and soul into loving and caring for a child.
That being said, I remember snapping at each other big-time when we couldn’t figure out how to swaddle a screaming Chase at 3 a.m. when he was a newborn. One thing I learned? Acknowledging the fact that you’re both overly tired and stressed goes a long way. One of my girlfriends told me to ask myself, “Are you tired?” during the first few months when I found myself feeling abnormally ragey toward Ryan and more often than not the answer was YES. This simple question helped me realize I was likely more sensitive and easily upset because I was exhausted (and my postpartum hormones were still all over the place).
Once the newborn phase passed, things got much easier. Ryan and I both agree that we seemed to hit our stride with Chase when he was around six months old. He was napping well (though still not sleeping through the night) and we began feeling more like ourselves again.
To me, the biggest change we made in our relationship after Chase was born was that we now have to be much more intentional in planning quality time together. Things that used to happen all the time, like grabbing dinner for two at a local restaurant for a spontaneous date night, are no longer an option. Yes, it may seem like you’re still together a lot but there’s a HUGE difference in talking with your spouse when you’re not distracted and attempting to have a legitimate conversation with a little one interrupting you every 30 seconds.
Understanding that sometimes we won’t get to really sit down and talk and listen to each other until after Chase is in bed and prioritizing quality time together at home (no TV or other distractions) went a long way for us and helped us to continue to communicate openly. From our dating days, Ryan taught me a lot about airing my grievances with him right away rather than keeping them bottled up and never has that been more important than after we had a child. I want Chase to grow up in a house where he sees that it’s okay for his parents to disagree and talk through conflict in a respectful manner. I tend to want to keep the peace and brush any bad feelings under the rug but that only pushes them down until they explode and I’m a total mess. Telling Ryan why he’s upsetting me or what I need from him (and vice versa) is so helpful in keeping our relationship in a happy place and something that has proven even more important as we do our best to raise a child together.
Also, without family in the area, we didn’t get out much on our own for a solid year after Chase was born. Finding a couple of babysitters we trust and love in the area has truly been a game-changer for us since we now feel like we have more options in terms of getting help for Chase when we need (and want) to get away and reconnect as a couple.
- How did you lose all of your pregnancy weight and how soon did you go back to your pre-pregnancy body?
I received this question from multiple people and sometimes I don’t know how to address it because I don’t really have a quick answer or a specific plan I followed. To be honest, losing the baby weight was simply not a priority for me at all in the beginning. Truthfully, I thought it WOULD be when I was pregnant. But then I had Chase and I just didn’t care. Sure, it would’ve been nice to fit into my pre-baby clothes faster and feel more confident but I was completely wrapped up in Chase and decided early on to give myself a break in the “body after baby” department. There’s enough for new moms to worry about after birth without the added pressure of feeling like you have to look like you did before you had a baby immediately after you give birth. That’s not realistic (at least it wasn’t for me) and so I focused mainly on fueling my body with mostly healthy foods for the first few months and let whatever happened in terms of weight loss happen naturally. I hung onto 8-10(ish) pounds for months after Chase was born and didn’t lose all of my baby weight until Chase was about nine months or so.
All that being said, I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking I lost the weight I gained during pregnancy with no effort or thought. That was definitely not the case but it took me a while to really feel the itch to make an effort to do so. I think the biggest change for me happened around six months postpartum when I decided I wanted to tone up a bit and feel better in my skin before summer arrived. I know it sounds vain and maybe it is a bit, but I was ready to feel stronger and better about myself. I had a baby who was napping consistently (so I felt less overwhelmed and exhausted!) and I was sick of my leggings digging into my sides. I decided to meet with a trainer at Burn Boot Camp for a focus meeting. (BBC offers free focus meetings to all clients.)
I know BBC trainers are not dieticians but, on the whole, I know they prioritize clean eating which I figured wouldn’t be a bad thing for me to focus on, especially since I realized I was reaching for convenient foods over clean foods quite often. My trainer told me to track everything I ate for a week (with no adjustments to try to “eat healthier”) and report back to her. Oh my gosh it was SUCH a pain (I am not a tracker/calorie counter) and I think I only lasted three or four days but it WAS eye opening. You guys, I ate a TON of nut butter every day. (We’re talking 800 calories worth of peanut butter one day! Those spoonfuls added up for me, that’s for sure.)
When I showed my BBC trainer my food log, I knew what she was going to say before she said it. I needed more protein in my diet. My diet was largely lacking in protein and my food journal very quickly revealed that I gravitated toward quick carbs (and nut butters!) when I was hungry. I began doing my best to incorporate some source of protein into every snack and meal and felt 10,000 times more satisfied. I never tracked calories but I did make a concerted effort to swap snacks like a muffin for a protein smoothie or hard boiled eggs, a handful of almonds and an apple.
Eating protein, carbs and fats at every meal and snack probably sounds like a no-brainer and, after reading more than my fair share about nutrition, I know that it is, but knowing what you should do and doing it are two very different things. I felt motivated to make a few small changes to my diet and I think that definitely helped me lose the last bit of baby weight by the time Chase was nine months old.
- Any tips on finding motivation to work out after baby?
YES! I love this question!!!! After Chase was born, I took the doctor-recommended 6 weeks off from exercise with the exception of walking. Once I felt okay enough to walk postpartum, I walked around our neighborhood with Chase and Sadie every day and LOVED spending time outside with both of them. (This also really helped with cabin fever that can set in when it feels like you’re basically hibernating with a newborn!)
After six weeks, I searched for gyms in the area with childcare. (I knew my pre-baby fitness loves likely wouldn’t be an option for me anymore since they didn’t offer childcare.) Since Chase wasn’t good with a bottle (which we later found out was likely due to this issue with my frozen breastmilk), I didn’t feel like I could leave him in the morning or evening for months for fear he’d wake up crying and hungry. Finding a gym with childcare was a priority for me because I know myself enough by now to know that regular exercise does almost more for me mentally than physically. I also wanted Chase to have the opportunity to be around other kids every day since I was planning to stay home with him and didn’t have any other mom friends with little ones in the area yet.
Brittany recommended Burn Boot Camp to me and it was the PERFECT fit from the beginning. Not only did BBC offer free childcare, it was also packed with other moms and some of the most motivated and motivating women I’ve ever met. (I met one of my closest friends, Lauren, at BBC after we discovered our babies were only four days apart!) The workouts were right up my alley and I fell in LOVE. This made it relatively easy to feel motivated to work out regularly since I truly looked forward to BBC. My workouts were also pretty much the only time I felt like I got somewhat of a break from mom duty and focused on myself for 45 minutes so they almost felt like a treat for me.
I am sharing my experience because the number one thing I recommend to anyone looking to feel motivated to work out (postpartum or just in general!) is to find something you LOVE. Looking forward to a workout (or at the very least not dreading it/feeling completely bored) will make it 10,000 times easier to be consistent.
I also want to acknowledge how hard I think it must be for moms who work away from the home to fit in workouts regularly, especially when that often means sacrificing much-needed sleep in the mornings or time with your kids in the evening. This is something I know I cannot speak to so I’ll just try my best to offer one tiny bit of insight: Understand that your workouts do NOT need to last an hour or more to be effective. If you can manage to squeeze in a 30 minute workout at home a few times a week, that’s fantastic! Making small, realistic goals is often really helpful (i.e. working out three times a week for 30 minutes vs. six days a week for an hour) so you are setting yourself up for success and don’t feel discouraged. As you see progress, you’ll likely feel MORE motivated and can increase your goals accordingly.
Even a short workout can be incredibly beneficial and understanding that workouts don’t have to last an hour is HUGE, especially when you have a little one in the mix. I fully embraced this fact after Chase was born and absolutely think it helped with my consistency. My workouts for the first year of Chase’s life looked like a combination of boot camp workouts (45 minutes) and quick naptime workouts. I increased the intensity of my at home workouts but cut my typical pre-baby workout time significantly, so I was often done in 30 minutes or less. Workouts became more efficient and understanding I could work up a sweat and knock out a workout in under 30 minutes and didn’t need a full hour was huge for me as well from a consistency standpoint.
If you would like some 30-minutes-or-less workout options you can do at home, let me know and I can definitely put a blog post together for you guys with a bunch of shorter (but still challenging!) workouts in one place.
- How do you balance motherhood, your job, working out and being a wife among all of your activities and family time?
In the first few months after Chase was born, I really struggled with this because Chase wasn’t on any kind of a schedule. I often felt frazzled because I never knew when I’d be able to work on the blog, workout, have time to do stuff around the house (cleaning, cooking), etc., but now that Chase is nearly two, balancing everything is quite a bit easier.
The biggest key for me is keeping some semblance of a schedule on weekdays. Things don’t always go as planned (aka my energetic little toddler won’t nap for as long as I hoped for that day) but a basic outline of a schedule is really helpful for making me feel like I can accomplish the things I need to accomplish every day.
I generally wake up at the same time (and make a to-do list for the day), workout at the same time, meet up with friends for play dates around the same time, put Chase down for his nap at the same time, etc. I know this isn’t realistic for everyone (and likely isn’t realistic for us long-term either, especially if we have more than one child), but right now it works really well for us and I’m riding this wave as long as possible.
Perhaps the BIGGEST change I made for my sanity was committing to waking up before Chase. I am up at 5 a.m. almost every day and knowing I will usually have about two hours to myself before Chase is awake is huge. This is my most productive work time and helps me begin my days on a productive note. I also know myself enough to know what times I work best and I am NOT good at working in the evening at all. I really, really value my evenings at home with Ryan and Chase and try to shut down the computer and stay away from social media in the evening hours. (This isn’t always realistic, especially when I have a brand deadline, but it is something I try to prioritize.) This also helps me feel connected and present in family time at the end of the day.
In general a weekday looks like this for me:
5 a.m. – 7 a.m.: Work (and say goodbye to Ryan at 6:45 a.m.!)
7 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.: Get Chase up and dressed, feed him breakfast, get ready to head out for a few hours
8:30 – 9:15 a.m.: Workout
9:15-11:30 a.m.: Some kind of activity away from home (Gymboree, play date, park, pool, quick errand, etc.)
12 p.m.: Chase eats lunch while I prep dinner
12:30-3 p.m.: Work during Chase’s naptime
3-6 p.m.: Up in the air – afternoons are usually pretty flexible and we’ll often play at home, read books, meet up with a friend, walk to a local park, etc. Chase is also pretty good about entertaining himself in the early evening (5 p.m.-ish) so I’ll often use some of this time to throw in a load of laundry, straighten up around the house, do some dishes, etc.
6 p.m.: Ryan arrives home (this time varies, but 6 p.m. is a good ballpark) and hangs out with Chase and Sadie while I throw dinner together
6:30 p.m.: Dinner + Quick 10-minute cleanup of whatever part of the house is looking the most disastrous at the moment
7 p.m.: Bath for Chase
7:30 p.m.: Bedtime for Chase
9:30 p.m.: Bedtime for me and Ryan
As I look at this, everything appears quite structured but I don’t want to misrepresent myself at all because sometimes our days just look like one big chaotic mess. I think that as a mom it’s easy to feel like we’re doing a million things and nothing well and believe me I feel like that quite often.
I also really rely on Chase’s naptimes during the weekends to “catch up” on whatever fell through the cracks during the week. This is often when I’ll try to work ahead on blog posts which really helps alleviate some weekday stress.
During the weeks when I feel like I cannot catch my breath, I try to focus on my number one priority: My family. Sometimes this means a blog post won’t go up the next day. Sometimes this means I have to pass on a collaboration with a brand that would be great for my blog/business. Sometimes this means a workout doesn’t happen. Sometimes this means we’re eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. And that’s okay. Above everything else, I am Chase’s mom and when I’m truly feeling overwhelmed, I try to focus on gratitude and motherhood. I know I am so ridiculously lucky to have a happy and healthy toddler and the fact that I GET to be his mom and care for a little man I love more than anything in this world is not lost on me for one second. If everything else seems to fall apart during the day but I know Chase felt loved and cared for, I try to think of that day as a success, as hard as it can be sometimes when my to-do list is glaring at me at 9 p.m.!
Questions of the Day
- Is there something specific you do in your life to help alleviate stress and make you feel more balanced?
- For the parents: What is one way your relationship changed post-baby?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Cutie baby pic of Chase stretching/laying across you while you work. thanks for sharing!
I’ve been following your blog for nearly five years now (WHAT?!). My little girl is just a few months younger than Chase and it’s been fun kind of being on the journey together. 🙂 Thank you so much for your words about having short, but efficient, work outs. As a teacher, I LOVE the summer months home with my little one and the ability to re-up the gym membership and get some awesome workouts in. During the school year it’s lots more difficult. I would love to see more of your 30 minute or less workouts!
Aw! Love that our little ones are so close in age! <3
This was a really nice refreshing post. Your tone seemed very genuine and not as sugar coated. Would love to see more 30 minute-ish home workouts. For me – as a working mom – finding time to work out and not feel guilty about time away from family is really hard. I enjoy working out and love that it’s my alone time…but there is always that guilt creeping in. I am glad you talked about these things!
While I really appreciate the honesty in this post; I really wish it would have been said sooner. Why didn’t you show us at the time that you were eating peanut butter, or that everything isn’t always perfect? Also, we do not need dirty details about your life; but acknowledging at the time that marriage is HARD and not always sugary sweet would have been really refreshing to read.
I know it may be hard to understand but sometimes it’s easier to write about experiences after the fact when I have a better perspective on everything. In the first few months of Chase’s life I was definitely feeling frazzled and while I feel like I did communicate the exhaustion and some of the “ragey” feelings I had toward Ryan in some blog posts, it wasn’t something I wanted to dwell on in my personal life OR on the blog. It’s challenging to share things openly sometimes because for every person that wants to hear about struggles in the moment, there’s someone else who chimes in and says something along the lines of “suck it up” or “get over it” which isn’t what I want to hear during times when I’m already exhausted, overwhelmed and vulnerable. So writing about things so publicly after the fact in posts like this tends to be easier, especially since it’s sometimes hard to recognize something is just a phase when you’re going through it (like the newborn days) until it’s over!
Would love to see a blog post compiling effective 30 min workouts!
I’ll definitely share one soon!! 🙂
Great post! I’m 30 weeks pregnant and a lot these things are in the back of my mind, specifically how I’m going to fit working out into my schedule after baby. I’m trying not to worry about it too much yet. I’m happy I’ll be giving birth in Sept/Oct so the weather will be perfect for walks around the block. I also plan on giving myself some grace since Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas aren’t exactly the easiest time to try and lose weight. I figure once the baby is a few months old and we’re more in the swing of things and the January motivation is all over the internet, that will be a better time to start thinking about it.
Your perspective already sounds fantastic! Congratulations to you, Amber!!
My son is the same age as yours and it was refreshing to read this! I would love some short workouts- I used to work out a lot pre baby and have been looking for way to get back into it, but the motivation just isnt there. I work full time and any time I can soak up with my son I take advantage of it. I’d love to see some workouts that require little to no equipment, lunges, burpees, mountain climbers etc.
Stay tuned!! I’ll definitely put this together ASAP!
The last paragraph of this post brought tears to my eyes (is that weird?!). As a working mom to 10 month old it is easy to get overwhelmed in just keeping up with everything that needs to be done. But it is so important to know that they’re only this age and in certain stages and phases once and for such a short time. It is what truly matters 🙂
Totally agree. <3 These little ones of ours sure do give us a new perspective, huh? Hope you are doing well with your little one!!!
You are such a great writer, Julie! I have always enjoyed reading any post of yours because you pull me in. Sorry if that is such a weird thing to say, but it’s true! 🙂
I was nodding my head to basically everything you said, especially the workout thing! I LOVE the classes I teach, and the short workouts I do on my own as well, so it feels like such a treat to me, and has been so motivating while navigating motherhood with two little kids.
Love the honesty and real talk!
How did you find a couple babysitters you trust? I’m having trouble finding even one!
I found the first one through my gym’s childcare (so I felt really good about it since Chase already knew & loved her), one through Gymboree and another was a recommendation from another mother!
I appreciate the shout out for working moms – I have a 13-month old and have been back at work since she was 12 weeks old. For a long time I was very easy on myself about the fact that I had no exercise routine to speak of, but now that it’s been over a year it’s in the back of my mind to figure out some type of habit or routine. It’s just hard with everything going on! So with that being said, I would love to see some short at-home workouts, if you want to post them.
Thank you for this post. I found it very refreshing, honest, and real. I have been reading your blog for years (well before Chase was around), and I really enjoy it. I have to admit though, sometimes it can be hard because you do portray things as so happy ALL.THE. TIME. While I think this is probably because you are naturally just an upbeat and positive person, it sometime makes me feel like “What am I doing wrong that my life as a mom is not that easy?” I know that’s the danger of social media though…..only seeing people’s highlights and all that jazz. It still can be hard though.
This post, on the other hand, touched upon some of the things most new moms deal with…….quibbling with your spouse, struggling to lose the last ten or so pounds of baby weight, dealing with extreme exhaustion, etc. This post just made you a thousand times more relatable to the majority of your readers, and I would really like to see more of that! Great post.
Love the perspective of this post. As you’ve said, mommin’ ain’t easy! But it sure is worthwhile. Would love more content like this!! P.S. I go to Burn at Minnesota (because I read about it on PBF) and it is the best gym. The best! So thanks for sharing your experience.
Great post Julie! I’m 3 months postpartum with my second baby. Last time I was so frustrated with the way I looked post baby that I dove into an intense fitness routine as soon as I was cleared by my OB to workout. I subsequently went thru 2 injuries which I believe was due to my haste! This time around, I ordered Ginas Post Baby Bod plan from the Fitnessista website and it has been amazing! So nice to open up the book and know what safe and effective workout is next. I can do them from home too. Thought maybe other readers might be interested. I highly recommend!
Julie – I noticed there a few sort of negative comments about some of your previous posts, and I personally 100% understand why you don’t want to complain in the moment and found this post super refreshing, honest and awesome. With that said, can I offer some unsolicited advice?
The tone of a lot of your posts is just soo sugary sweet and unrelatable and I think that is what might turn some readers off. I can only speak for myself, but I have found myself reading less and less because when you write about how “darn energetic your little guy” is or the “creamy sweet perfect treat that your belly wanted” it just feels super fake… especially when we see your real writing skills and tone in more serious posts like this one. I don’t think anyone believes that when you’re with you “mommy friends” you guys talk to each other like that.. it almost comes off creepy Stepford Housewives-esque. I would love to see more posts with your authentic voice. That doesn’t mean it isn’t positive and you have to share the dirty details… it just means you don’t have to sugarcoat reality by manipulating your writing. Hope that makes sense. 🙂
Completely agree with the above comment! Your positive attitude is honestly what I love the most about this space. For me, it doesn’t seem like your life is always happy and perfect, its more about how you choose to highlight the good instead of the bad which is something I try and do every day in my own life. Thank you for always being honest, regardless of if honest is the easy/good stuff or the hard/bad stuff. I’ve been reading for years and love how you have kept your voice through all the exciting adventures in life, including the challenges. I hope you always feel safe here to do so.
Just realized this responded to the wrong comment – so sorry about that. Pretend it’s its own comment and ignore the first sentence. Not sure why it posted to the wrong one!!!
Agree with all of this.
Hi Julie. I was wondering if you would characterize yourself as a working mom or a stay at home mom? I think both experience different forms of struggles and am curious how you see yourself. Thanks!
I agree with the need to be intentional with making time for your spouse after kids. Also, it made us a lot more aligned with our goals which was an awesome benefit!
Man oh man, I do a lot to manage my stress as a working mom (not always well), but the #1 thing I do is say no to things that aren’t 100% aligned with my priorities. HUGE!
Saying “no” when you need (or want!) to is definitely huge!!
I’ve only been following your blog for a few months and (is this creepy?) I read it almost every day! I don’t think you’re too anything. I wanted someone local to follow and this blog is the best. For someone like myself who really has to intentionally concentrate on trying to be energetic and happy, the energy that you radiate all the time tends to make me feel refreshed and it’s stupid that people think it’s fake. So heck with the people who offer you their unneeded opinion. They probably don’t have much else to do. Anyway, I’m not a mom, but I have a full-time job and I am a full-time grad student and I am busy all the time. I would absolutely love if you did a post of 30 minute workouts! I gained a lot of weight at my last job and I am struggling to lose the last little bit I gained a lot of weight at my last job and I’m struggling to lose the last little bit but sometimes it’s hard to find time to drive all the way to the gym.
I think women wondering about the post-baby bid should also know: it’s not just about the weight. I actually lost my weight relatively quickly, but still had extra skin around my tummy. It’s toning up but much slower than dropping the weight.
That said: I was in the same boat you were – I expected to care and just didn’t. And thank goodness, because what a waste of time when you have an itty bitty baby! Everyone is different though!
Forgive me if someone already asked but i LOVE that skirt and top in your first pic! Where is it from??
The skirt is from Express and the top is from Nordstrom Rack 🙂
This is great info that I’ll use when we start our family! I would love to see a shorter workout post. Your workouts are always great! What tips do you have for early prep for dinner to take away some of the tasks in the evening?
I would LOVE a 30-minute workout roundup!! My second kiddo is almost one and I am almost done pumping. I’ll still nurse for a while (fingers crossed), but will be able to reclaim that 30 minutes or so of pumping first thing in the morning for a workout. Or even use some of the time I used to pump while at work to squeeze in a short workout during lunch. With 2 kiddos, a regular 9-5 job, and building a business on the side, workouts have not happened in AGES. I am soooo ready to tone back up and clear my brain on a regular basis!
Hi! Love reading your blog! My daughter is six months. Do you remember what type of schedule Chase was on before going to just one nap?
I would love to see a post of 30-minute at-home workouts. I don’t have kids, but my workout routine got all kinds of thrown off when I got married and move further away from my gym.
I so appreciate the sensible approach you have with nutrition and movement (in a world that seems very disordered). Family and work life with a child is a lot to juggle, so good work, mama!
I like that you keep to the same schedule almost every day and for the most part Chase falls in line and knows what to expect. It totally makes sense to do it that way while you can. My guy is a couple months younger than Chase and while I try to keep some semblance of a routine, he is strong willed and especially when he was younger if he didnt feel like napping he just wouldn’t! He’d fight me and be miserable until I finally took him for a walk or a car ride just to save both of our sanity. It is getting easier now thank god! I’m still needing to find a better balance in my life and its been 20 months! I really need to find a babysitter I think! Any tips on how you found someone to watch Chase?
I 100% agree with you post baby marriage comment in this post. We even have all of our family near by for babysitting but it’s still hard to be able to justify going out for a night out super frequently but we really need to be better at it. We do often feel like two ships passing in the night with all of the balls we’re juggling. And to think we want to add more kids to the mix seems even more crazy but we’ll find the balance just as it seems y’all are!
I would love to see some 30 minute workout posts!
I would too!
This is a great post! thank you! please do a post of 30 minute workouts!
The last paragraph really hit home to me – it brought tears to my eyes. It is so easy to get caught up in what is socially acceptable and that isn’t always the reality. Trying to balance work, motherhood, being a wife, and running a household is so difficult, and on the days where I feel overwhelmed I try to remember that we are super blessed. Thanks for your honesty and this wonderful post.
As to what I do to destress: I go on a walk with our German shepard after the little one has gone to bed (hubby is at home). Being in the fields and woods, breathing the fresh air, listening to nature…it is all so refreshing and I can feel my body relax.
I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s hard to feel adequate sometimes and social media has only amplified that–but we need to preach to ourselves that it’s a highlight reel and not always maintainable life. Nobody shows their lowpoints consistently, but we all have them!
I absolutely loved this post! I don’t agree with the negative comments at all – personally, I love your upbeat and optimistic view on life. Keep being you!
Thank you for sharing your how do you do it all in a day schedule!
My problem is sleep. It varies and I can’t get a good pattern going. That and in Spain everything happens later in the day. The shops shut at 10pm which is great as you can grocery shop, run errands after work etc, but the flip side you get back late and everything is pushed back. I more or less do things on the same day every week but it’s the timing. Some thing generally puts a cog in it! My mission always is to get up at 6am. Thanks to the those late nights, occasionally it happens.
Thank you for being so open with motherhood. Even for those of us how aren’t Mums! My way of alleviating stress is to get outside. I cycle everywhere, it’s my transport and sanity! Even on the the few days where I don’t have errands to run, work etc I still get out for a bike ride!
I’m not a mom yet, but I really enjoyed this post as I think about the future and family.
I know I will struggle with workouts because I love them–I like to take my time and get it in every day without feeling rushed, but I’m sure that will change when I have a child who needs me and I want to take care of. Thank you for making an organized, productive day look manageable without being unrealistic or idealistic.
Love your honest, down-to-earth posts!
omg, Julie, I am SO sorry about some of these comments!! come on people! If this blog doesn’t work for you, why do you read it? I cannot understand negativity being thrown at bloggers, especially ones who have been dealing with painful losses (and I see this all the time online). You are brave Julie – it is hard to have to deal with comments and in your responses to the negative ones, you are still so kind!
Of course I have days when I think, “Oh, I wish my schedule was more like Julie’s! If only my son slept as well as Chase!” and I think of you as a supermom and me as well…the opposite most days. But I love all of your tips and I have to remind myself that everyone’s situation is different (I have an 18 month old and a six year old and my older son’s half day kindergarten schedule last year while having a napping baby was just hard! My baby has also never slept through the night since six months! It’s just been the hardest experience of my life…BUT I don’t blame you for any of it! I appreciate your tips and of course I love when I hear I’m not alone in terms of marriage issues, tantrums, etc. but I appreciate YOU for sharing the good and the bad. I love your blog and your family is so sweet! 🙂
Thank you for sharing answers to these questions! I have a 4.5 month old at home and work a ton of hours as a pediatrics resident — I’d LOVE to have a place to go to for at home workouts you can do in 30 min or less! It would be a game changer for me. Thanks for thinking of it!