I hit the wall a couple of weeks ago.
That wall where you WANT to write, you want to get your thoughts out, but you just… can’t. There are a few reasons for this, but here are the biggest roadblocks I’m dealing with right now:
Lil’ Ziggy stopped sleeping well at night, which is a major bummer after having about six weeks of lovely solid 8-hour slumbers. Over the last few weeks, I spent way too many hours in the darkness, seething and trying to calm myself down so that I can calm HIM down. It was a miserable time for both of us.
What’s worse, I don’t even think it was the “4-month leap” that everyone with babies his age are talking about. I know that the leap is associated with a significant jump in cognitive function, he’ll start reaching out for things and interacting in more and new ways. But he’s still the same. Rather than waking up every hour like many moms report around this time, Lil’ Ziggy would give me 3-4 hours of sleep, but then he won’t go BACK to sleep afterwards.
Dealing with that night after night began to take its toll, and I really didn’t like how I was starting to respond to certain things. My temper was short, I was irritable and cried easily. Thankfully, he’s given me a bit of a break in the last couple of nights, and I feel more like myself. The “leap” is still coming, and I’ll have to deal with that when it happens. But I am looking forward to what Lil’ Ziggy will be able to do once it is over, and I know it’ll be worth it.
Another reason for my hiatus is actually a big announcement – we are moving! Chris landed a job in Calgary, and it starts in mid-August. We have just a couple of weeks to get all our stuff in order and go. There’s so much to do, from finding real estate agents to talking to the bank, to making sure all our bills get forwarded. So our living room looks like this right now:
(by the way, all three of those bins are filled with baby toys. Oy vey…)
Between purging multiple places in our home and making calls to moving companies and ticking off that never-ending moving to-do list, my days have been pretty much 100% spent. We have made a game plan, though, that will make moving a lot easier. I’ll be relying heavily on Chris in the evenings and weekends as moving with a baby certainly has its challenges!
I’ll write a separate post about my feelings on the reality of moving, as I wanted this post to really explain where my head is at, and why I’ve been a little quiet lately. I’m going to try harder to at least get those little updates in here and there. To all of you who are following along, thank you so much for your continued support of my writing!
Fellow bloggers, how do YOU find the time and motivation to keep blogging when life gets overwhelming? I’d love to hear your advice!
This post has been shared at the following linky parties:
#Bestoftheblogosphere via DebCB
Mom Blogs Party via Momresource.com
Congrats on your husband’s new job! I have to say some days I am not as motivated, and I am unable to post. I find that I write more posts if I write them in the morning, when I am feeling most creative. By the end of the day I am spent and it becomes more difficult to write.
Thanks Raquel! I always think that it’s easier to write at night after Ziggy’s put to bed, but you’re right – I’m spent and therefore less creative. I’ll give morning writing a try, especially now that my boy is able to play by himself just a little bit!
Oh bless you on the lack of sleep with little one. So cute though. Congrats on new job and moving. That’s amazing. I love moving but it’s a big job to get everything prepared. If it was normal day to day busy life I would say just keep a notebook of topics/ideas when they come to you so when you do get time you can write and write and schedule posts all spread out. I like to have post a week full planned and scheduled instead of writing every night. Helps keep ahead when things get busy too. Maybe write a few posts one day schedule them out while you are packing and moving so you can step back from it and pick up where you left off when you get settled it will be less stressful and we all will be here to see your new adventures. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
Thanks for the great ideas, Jenny! I don’t know why I’ve been so resistant to writing out a ton of posts in advance. Maybe I think “I just don’t have enough time”, and quit before I even start. I do keep a notebook on Evernote that I’m constantly jotting down post ideas in. Just gotta sit down and flesh them all out!
Oh, the lack of sleep. I have been in rough, rough, rough patch with my (almost) 11 month old not sleeping, and I have a new baby coming in November. Some times it feels like I will never sleep again.
Oh man, I don’t envy you at all! My mom went through the same thing – my brother and I are 13 months apart so she was dealing with my non-sleeping self while pregnant with my bro. You WILL sleep again though! And having two siblings close in age can be great fun (once they start sleeping lol). Congratulations and all the best!
Oh, how I understand what you are going through!
My little one is 9 and a half months old. She still wakes for at least one night feeding, but her sleep is more consistent. The sleep deprivation is hard, but I can see the end nearing!
Also, we just moved across the country (in the US…DC metro area to Texas). It was hard moving with a baby, especially because my girl is crawling and is into everything!
Blog when you can, and when you don’t have time it’s okay. Babies grow up so fast. There will be plenty of time for blogging later, but we can only enjoy these baby days for a short time. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words, Shannon! You’re right, my blog will always be there but Lil’ Ziggy will only be this young for a short while.
Oh wow – you have a lot on your plate. The move certainly doesn’t help, but I will tell you – my LO is nearly 10 months & I’m already feeling like my “baby” is disappearing into a toddler too quickly. Before you know it….! Thanks for sharing at Thursdays mom blog party!!
Thanks Saira! I know that Lil’ Ziggy will grow up way too fast. It’s part of the reason I feel guilty about not blogging – I want to keep family updated on his growth and progress. But at the same time, it reminds me that my first and most important priority is helping him grow up well. The blog will still be there when I finally get time!
Exciting! There is a really great network of Calgary Bloggers 🙂
Yeah, I’m looking forward to connecting with some of them! As much as I enjoy small-town living, there are so many more great resources in the bigger cities for my blog and line of work :D.
there are times when I wish I’d started blogging earlier in my daughter’s life, but I don’t see how I could have managed it. I give you credit for managing to do any writing at all
Thank you Jeremy, that’s very kind :). My motivation is to keep family across the country updated about Lil’ Ziggy’s growth and progress. I sometimes lose sight of that goal when I see other parents with babies the same age doing so much more with their blogs. I have to stop comparing myself to them and focus on why I started this blog in the first place!
Lack of sleep is so tough, I hope he settles back down soon.
For me the key is routine. Once I’m in a routine I don’t have to force myself anymore or search for time. Try and find a gap in your busy day and make it a dedicated blogging time.
#sharewithme
Thankfully, he seems to be sleeping longer these past few nights. I just wish I could shut my own brain off so I can go to sleep!
Ah, the elusive routine. After a lifetime of “routines are lame” thinking, it’s a hard habit to form. Now that Lil’ Ziggy is starting to go to sleep a little earlier, I’m going to start using that time for writing.