Well, all I can say is finalmente.
It’s been almost three weeks since the birth of my little boy. Almost 21 days of soothing and rocking and holding and snuggling and swaddling, clutching at spare minutes of sleep and crisis-managing the occasional nappy FAIL.
But I am very pleased to confirm that he is truly scrumptious.
There is nothing more delicious than a newborn baby. There is a certain freshly-baked scent that barely lasts a day or two, but in those first hypnotic days it fills the room like a siren song. I’m sure it’s all part of the charm offensive…
I’m hooked. But I can now, with cast iron certainty, declare…never again.
Three kids?? Why, oh why did I start my blog three months before giving birth to baby three? What was I thinking? Why didn’t someone shake the hell out of me, slap my cheek in a kind of 30s movie style kinda way and say “For God’s sake woman, get a hold of yourself!”
Surely I was trying to do too much?
The truth is, you see, I have never been one to take it easy. If I start spinning a plate, I tend to say “What the hell, let’s spin twelve.” My imagination has always struggled to slow down and wait patiently for my circumstances to catch up, red-faced and puffing and apologising for the mess.
But despite the exhaustion and the guilt and the spinning spinning spinning, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Because there is only NOW.
There is no perfect time. There is no ideal situation, no golden moment for you to start that life, that inspired business or that project you dream about in the early hours of the morning.
When I woke up back in October last year with my muse fizzing at my heels, I knew I had to start my blog that day. It didn’t matter that my whole life was due to be turned inside out and dangled upside down by a pair of tiny wrinkly hands in a matter of months.
If there is something you want to do, there’s nothing to stop you waiting until you feel the time is right.
But the risk with this strategy is that that right time never shows up. And sometimes when you miss the boat, you never get off the island.
I know my life just got a whole lot more complicated. I understand that the squishy, comfy center of my life is now fully overgrown by my three green and leggy children. ‘Me time’ is now what plays upon the fringes of my day. But that’s ok.
My scrumptious little boy is snoring in quick, faint little breaths by my side. My girls are building a cubby house out of pillows and quilts and fighting over Mr. Men cups in the next room.
And I’m writing my first post of the New Year, a head full of possibilities, while my muse is treating me to a much needed shoulder rub. (Well, I made that last bit up. But I can dream, can’t I?)
It’s delicious and it’s all mine.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I get it – it’s the same way for me – the “right time” never comes – but when inspiration strikes, it IS the right time so off I go….
It’s not restful, but it is wonderful!
Andy
Andy Dolph´s last blog ..No Extrinsic Motivation
This is it Andy – who ever said pursuing a passion was easy got the wrong end of the stick…it just means the hard work is far more enjoyable!
This comes at a good time for me. I just woke up to the fact (again) that I was moving in about 10 different directions at once and part of me was feeling- there is something wrong with this. But truth is, I love every thing I am doing. Can’t wait to get up in the morning and feel blessed wtih passions, projects and teen-aged boys spending more time in the bathroom than me! So…thanks for reminding me to love what it.
If we could wake up every day with that kind of excitement…imagine what possibilities would come leaping into our lives? Thanks for sharing Pearl.
As 2008 came to an end and 2009 and my eldest was about to start school, I decided that the time was right to launch a multi media website and start my PhD – Both at the same time – what was I thinking? During last year I wondered if I had bitten off more then I could chew – but chew and chew I have been doing. I have been reminding myself that living savvy is living a life that is full and rewarding not busy or stressed. I choose to fill (or overfill) my life, my aspirations and dreams are mine alone there is no one pushing me or telling me to do more…so last year (and will continue to do this year) I have continued to value those things that are important to me family, friendships and exercise and not complain (ok just a bit) about the choices that I make in life.
jo-living savvy´s last blog ..Living Savvy: gratitude, a summer hiatus and looking ahead
Absolutely right – it’s so important to remember that we are in control of how busy we get. Chris Guillebeau touched on the same subject this morning – we can always ’stop’ being so busy if we feel it is hindering us, or simply relax into busy and accept that we actually work more productively that way. We have the power to prioritise – and this means knowing when to focus on our families too (which any working parent knows is sometimes easy to forget, especially those of us who work from home.) Most importantly, it is just as you say, it’s not about being stressed – it’s about choosing to fill (or overfill) our lives with things that drive us and fill us with joy…whatever these things may be.
Hi Natalie,
What a great example of “there is never an exact moment when the stars align”. There will always be something that can hold us back, keep us from “going for it”, limit us…
Unless we don’t let it. This is my first visit here, and I’m fully drawn into your zest for truly living. Three kids and all (I have three kids too…so IKNOW!!). Anyway, it’s great to be here and to feel the life you are sharing. Good luck with that shoulder rub…
Lance´s last blog ..Be Remarkable!
thanks Lance – you are totally welcome here and I really look forward to sharing with you!
Ohhhhh! This is such a great post for me to be reading! What? I’m not ALONE in feeling like I have sooo many balls in the air?… And who KNEW each ball was going to turn into seven more balls?
Yes, life is FULL right now… Ah! THIS is what finally “going for it” looks like! I didn’t know.
Prioritizing. I can’t do it all (at once), but I can (breathe and…) do what I can do in a day. And every day is an add-on — and it adds up. It really does.
But gosh, Nat, yours added up FAST. I didn’t realize you only started your blog three months ago (while fully pregnant). I’m awed that you have created this much community in that time. I aspire! And I thank you for being such a beautiful example of how it can be done.
Oh, and you have a fabulous muse… we all love her
What an inspiration you are to others and what fantastic energy! An old saying is “if you want something done, give the work to a busy person and it’ll get done” or something like that, and it’s so true.
I’ve joined your FB group, and now following you on Twitter. I love hanging out with people like you!
Maxine
Welcome Maxine! I love hanging out with people like you too – you seem like you’ll fit right in here!
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