It took me 10 weeks to start going back to church. My whole life, I've never missed church for that long. On Sunday mornings Mike has to be there at 8:00 so I don't have his help getting the baby ready and it's also one of the 2 mornings each week that i get to spend with Cason. He's really happy in the mornings and I love playing with him and watching him laugh and smile. So, getting up and rushing out the door didn't sound like a lot of fun. But I was missing church and my friends and I knew I needed to be there so here's a little bit about how the first few weeks have gone. By the way, I'm only trying to make it to Sunday School at this point which starts at 11.
Week 1:
Get up and get Cason ready. Feed Cason then I need to get ready. Cason screams throughout me getting ready and the whole drive there. Manage to get in the car with diaper bag, wallet, keys, and phone. Get to church, i'm late so i have to park really far away and haul the heavy carseat across the parking lot. Drop Cason off in nursery for the fist time (remember, he's been crying for the past hour). Walk 1/2 way to sunday school and realize I don't have anything in my hands. Where are my keys? Walk back to the nursery and search through diaper bag for keys. Found them! Walk 1/2 way back to sunday school and realize I don't have my cell phone, even though i had written my number largely on his sticker in case they needed me. Too embarrassed to go back in and check my bag for it. Made it through sunday school and pick him up. He was great, find cell phone in plain sight in my car.
Week 2:
Manage to get up and get both of us ready. Jump in the car and head to church early. Realize I forgot cell phone at home, turn around and get cell phone. Get to church, drop Cason off get to Sunday school and realize I don't have my cell phone. Don't know where it is. Probably with my Bible, which I don't have either. Notice my friend walk in with her 2 1/2 week old looking radiant, baby weight gone, and he slept peacefully the whole time. I go to pick up Cason and get a report that he was pretty fussy and did not like his bottle at all. I think the whole nursery heard him. So much for the cute travel bottle. So much for trying to give the illusion that my child is perfect and never cries. Find cell phone in plain sight in car... am I asking for someone to steal it? I think I should just watch church on TV.
Week 3:
Decided to try going again, postpone TV idea for another week. Get up and get both of us ready. Feed Cason right before we leave in order to avoid having to give a bottle at church. Manage to get both of us to chruch, get a good parking spot, and get him checked in to nursery. Remember cell phone but leave bible at home. Apparently he did pretty well but got fussy at the end. I can handle that.
I know that many of you more experienced moms are wondering "what is this girls deal?" I have no idea. I'm a perfectly organized person who is used to balancing lots of things. I can plan parties for 300+ people that cost more than I make in a year and I can't get my household in order enough to get to church on time with everything I need. What in the world!
9 comments:
You sad story! Remember you are having to get both you and Cason to church on your own. I fortunately have a second set of hands helping in the morning and driving so I can get my makeup on. You will get it down in no time!
Oh Catherine, I am glad you posted this. It made me feel better. I, however, cannot offer you any great words like, it'll get easier....for me, it hasn't. I remain just as scattered brained and forgetful as always, and late, and I have to go back to the nursery to get my stuff too, or I send someone because my baby cries if he sees me. Then, I get paged multiple times because they can't calm him down and finally I just take him. Plus, I already have a reputation from child #1 as the worst nursery baby ever.
It will get better, I promise!
I love reading your blog Catherine! You put into words how everyone feels but tries to hide! Everyone is trying to look like they have it all together. I don't think I have been on time to church in 3 years! Ethan was notorious for waiting until we were ready to walk out the door to throw up all over me! And it is definitely not easy getting out the door with no help. I feel your pain!
It doesn't get better. We are late every Sunday. I feel like a big looser every time I have to walk across 5 elderly people who choose to park their butts on the end of the isle leaving the entire middle open. Yeah, b/c that helps.
Once, I laid everything out the night before. Got up an hour early. Head to church and might possibly get their early. Flat tire.
After that, I was like screw this. So we are just late and I don't care anymore.
When the girls are older it will be something else...fighting with them on wearing too short of a skirt, pms, breakouts...it'll be something.
Just plan to be late. That way, you know you will succeed.
Don't be so hard on yourself. EVERY mom goes through this!!!! Just take a deep breath on Sundays (I'm telling myself this too for the times we have fights on getting out the door). Satan wants to discourage you and keep you at home on Sundays. As long as you are there, the way you got there doesn't matter. Pray for God to give you peace and quit doubting yourself as a mother.
Ahhh, that other mom was totally faking it. I mean, I can't say for sure but it's very likely. You're just having your hectic times in public, some have them at home. Public is better. With Addi, it was pretty easy (Jeff is around to help a lot though) but when Jackson came along, my tidy world fell into a million crazy pieces. We're late everywhere, rarely put together, and I've just given up on looking incredible unless I get up an hour before the kids. It's just life for now...but totally worth it and our time will come back in a couple of years!
I enjoyed seeing Cason in the nursery on Sunday. He was absolutely perfect in the nursery. I was very impressed. Good for you for getting to church by yourself. You are so funny on your blog. Maybe you should put all of your stuff
(cell, keys, bible, wallet) in a bag so that it stays together? I'm just saying...
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