I can't get anything done...

[wirewendy]

I am feeling so frustrated. I can't get anything done. Everything I do happens in pieces. If my daughter is sleeping, somehow she can sense that I have left the area and she wakes up. I feel like my brain is being fragmented. How will I ever hold down a job again? I am tired of the house being a disaster, and then frantically picking it all up before my DH gets home because he is a neat freak. I am too, so it really makes me crazy. I just tried to go downstairs to my office to do some work, and I turned on the monitor only to hear her say, "aah!" So I ran back upstairs. I do that a hundred times a week. What is the poing of even trying? I hate this. And when I play with her it is half-hearted and totally unfocused because I am thinking about the things I want to get done as soon as she can be on her own for two seconds.

[judybean]

first off, hugs to you, mama....

I'm struggling with getting anything done as well. Lucy does not like to be put down at all -- thank goodness for slings! I would go completely batty without a wrap, ring sling or mei tai!!!!

But, I realize that with a baby some things will slide. I can't keep the house as tidy (which, if you knew me, that statement would be quite funny. I'm .. um.. *not* a neat freak to begin with, so keeping my house 'tidy' means something completely different from most people )... I can't always keep up on dishes, etc. Things are very hit-or-miss.

I'm getting to be okay with that. All three little girls need me a lot more than my house needs to be spotless. I know it can be extremely frustrating -- I've btdt... and I'm sort of still there, but at least now Lucy has a bit more regular napping pattern and it sometimes coincides with Katherine's nap and Madeline's 'quiet time'.

Hugs, hugs, hugs. Just try to enjoy your baby. ... my mom had a sewn picture on the wall...

"Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
For babies grow up, I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."

I think I say that at least once a day if not once an hour.

[aisraeltax]

do you have a wrap? E is asleep right now in my Storch (thank you Kristin!) and so happy. he never wants to be left alone. dh will come home at night and pull the boppy out from under the bed (yes, that is where it usually gets kicked) and put E on it and commence to "play" with him. E screams b/c he is used to being held and dh doesnt understand whats going on.
my house is "neat" but not always clean b/c while i can tidy up with E in the wrap, i refuse to use cleaners.
is it possible for you to get a "mommy's helper"? my dss is a mommys helper for a woman with twins once a week and if i could do that, i would in a heart beat.
good luck..try to eliminate some things that you need to do (if you can) and try to talk to you dh about helping to watch the kids at night so you can catch up. it will be good bonding for your dh and babe and give you some nonbaby time.
and post often if you get to your wits end.
s
rach

[persephone3]

awwww judybean, i love that saying...

[LittleLlama]

I by no means have a spotless house, but I've cut down in my frustration by just not expecting one (and when I do have one, it's a nice surprise) If your husband expects a spotless house, he needs to pitch in too. That could mean that he's assigned to play with baby until you're done, or, he needs to be in charge of something specific like the floors or dishes, anything really. Don't be afraid to tell him (or anyone available) that you need help. Men work differently- I tell my DH I need help cleaning and he glasses over, but if I say "I need you to sweep and mop" he's all over it.

so here's the big but...

BUT, dh is not always available due to being self employed as well as a student. More often than not, if I want it clean now, I have to do it. I pick my battles. If the dishes are getting me down, I decide that's my thing today. In the few minutes I have without having to entertain Titus, I'll take stemps towards getting it done. First, I sort them all out , for some reason it looks more managable when all the plates are in a stack and I can see how many pots I have to do by hand. The next small piece of time I have, I rinse the dishes and finally put them in the dishwasher. A couple loads of dishes may take all day, but at least i feel like i've finished something.