boredom...

[ashleybrook]

need some ideas/inspiration...

at home with a 3 1/2 month old. what do you do all day. i work part of the time (my own business) but still feeling uninspired...lacking direction. my LO didn't want to be put down earlier today, and i just ha1d this, "what do i do with myself all day?" moment. my LO hates the car still about half the time, so i am limiting my outings...what do you do with yourself? what can we do together?

btw i was spending lots of time outside... but now it's 107 outside! we've both been a little under the weather, but we'll be able to swim soon. he'll lay on his mat and look around for a few minutes at a time, this gives me time to feed myself and keep the dishes normally clean...but there's only so much cleaning to get done! :) i know that's a good thing, but i just don't know how to passionately fill my time with LO. help! :)

plus i look at mama's of multiple kids and i think...how do you do it? taking care of a LO is so 24/7! i never thought i'd only have one child, but i just feel so over and underwhelmed...at the same time! 

[mommy212]

I have been there! I was so bored when DS was little bitty (still am bored a lot, at 19 months) that I watched TV all the time before I learned the consequences it could have on him.... so anyways, I have a few ideas, but not sure if they will work with one so little.

- read books; I read whatever book I'm reading out loud until he was old enough to want picture books so I could enjoy the time and he liked to listen and learn 

- do chores with your LO, don't wait til he's napping or something. DS loved to watch me fold laundry 

-cook! it's a great time to make things from scratch if you don't already. Babies usually love to be in a carrier with mom when she cooks,a nd you can be healthier too!

-try to make nearby friends so you can all hang out together

[kayleesmom]

i remember this feeling. big hugs

[MamaRhi]

Do you get out at all for time with other moms? I really enjoyed LLL meetings when I was new to staying at home with a baby. There are playgroups and mom's groups. Is there any place you could walk to with the baby in a stroller or carrier? Go out to lunch or coffee with a friend. Even a child-free, working friend. I used to walk to downtown and meet up with friends for their lunch break when my youngest was really little.

You can go to museums and stuff like that where a sleeping baby is far less disruptive than the toddler you'll have with you in the coming years.

Get creative, think outside the box, meet new people and discover new places to go. And *hugs*, I've been a stay-at-home mama for most of the last 13 years and I still have my days like that.

[Harmony08]

I feel just like you do and my son is two and a half.

[ashleybrook]

thanks for the input ladies, i'm sorry there's others feeling this too. Hugs. 

i do go to  our LLL mtgs, and have a crunchy mom's group i do something with at least 3 times a month...but i really do need to meet some people within walking distance. we have a community pool and i think now would be a great time to meet some neighborhood moms. we just moved here in december, so that would be really helpful. 

i also liked the idea of reading aloud, and actually my LO seemed to find it entertaining for a few minutes! that was nice. i'll continue with that. and he does love to go out into the garage with me and watch me fold laundry! i think too that it's being in the garage, where we aren't all that often, except for laundry! he also loves to vacuum with me...it's just the dishes i find hard to do with him in a carrier or in arms. 

anyways, thanks for the ideas, it's nice to know i'm not alone. hugs again!