Tuesday, October 14, 2008

The Mommy Blues



Ok, so we've all heard of the 'baby blues' right? That dreaded post-partum period where you sort of want to die because you are fat, sleep deprived, and caring for a newborn 24/7. Well...I have overcome that only to be introduced to the "Mommy blues". Still fat, still sleep deprived, still caring for a baby 24/7 - but added to being housebound and broke....with winter fast approaching. You can only mop your floors so many times (and the number of times is ZERO if you are me). But I mean, cleaning the house in general is pretty much all I look forward to on a daily basis. I need your help. All you Stay At Home Moms out there - what do you do all day???? I need some indoor activity advice.


AND I need some fun, free/low cost date ideas. We don't even know what there is to do in Boise anymore - but there has to be life beyond going out for sushi 3 nights a week! (Although I will miss that more than I can say!) We are re-prioritizing our funds and trying to live smarter and save more (and pay off our debts quicker!) so the first plan of attack is to have free fun instead of expensive fun. The only problem is - we dont have any good ideas. Please Help us. Our future memories depend on you all...so put on your cheapy thinking caps. And Share your knowledge.

9 comments:

Anna Beal said...

Yay. I mean, not for your "baby blues", just yay...I have ideas :> Ready. Ok so I totally know how you feel. It was the hardest for me when Dejah was a baby...sorry but...boring. Anyway, winter is the hardest, but you should still "get out" or even "have ins". Walking the mall (no spending), go to someones house (you are always welcome), having someone over (my fav.), take sack lunches to "Daddy" for lunch. Board games..if you are into that. I have more, but it would make this comment way too long. Lets just say, my house is usually very clean, and it gets boring. Lets get together with Mitzi, I think it would be nice for all of us.

Unknown said...

Why are you house bound? Do you guys just have 1 car right now? Last winter we only had one car, two babies and a lot of snow. Yeah, serious Mammy blues there. I some how survived by scrapbooking, trying new recipes for dinner, baking, and going to the occasional play group. I bet there is another young Mom in the ward who would love to get together once a week to hang out while the babies "play" (by play, I mean sleep and eat). Or get a lunch group together and rotate who hosts it.
We also took lots of trips to the mall and Costco to kill time (just don't take money or only take enough for a little snack.) I am also the queen of "free" so if you want to still get new things without spending money, give me a call. I don't think Justin and I have ever not been tight on money since we got married. Other fun things we do are go on walks outside (yes, even when it is in the teens) just bundle your little one up on a sunny day and go out in the stoller or bjorn. We need to talk anyway. We can come up with lots of things to do. Give me a call.
I hope you are doing better.
love ya.

Brittany said...

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time, Christy. Just know that you are so not alone. If I ever figure out the answer I'll pass it along!

As far as dates... after baby netflix became our best friends.

Keep your chin up!

stadia said...

Get your mom to babysit Brigette and invest in candles. Fix a platter of fruit. Take the candles and spread them around the living room. Make sure there are pillows and blankets on the floor. Then when Gabe gets home spend some quality time together.
There are also a number of galleries to go and look at. You can go hiking in the foothills. Volunteer together. Spend time with friends and family besides immediate family.

Sherry said...

I'll bring Brigitte back something fun from Disney Land and I'll bring you back some Mickey mouse ears and you can wear them all day and when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror - you'll laugh. No - seriously we'll go to the mall and walk around all day and "window shop" or maybe just buy Brigitte one tinsy little thing. I love you :)

Heather and Dave said...

It makes it tough when the baby sleeps all day...but that will soon change and she'll start to smile more, then giggle, then sit up, crawl, grow teeth, love to take baths, and eat at the table with you guys. You've got built in entertainment with your sweet new baby girl...she just needs to get bigger and each stage gets more and more fun. We just love spending time at home when Dave gets home from work and talk and play. You COULD get a dog, that makes life at home more fun. We also like going on walks, driving around town looking at cute houses (that are WAY out of our price-range), and of course taking photos of little Molly. You could try the no-sew tutu...I looked up a video on you-tube and it was SUPER easy....cause I don't sew! You're an amazing mom...you'll survive this frigid winter!

The Cannons said...

Chirsty,
Well of course we can all relate but here are a few suggestions. I think a routine is key. Get up and make a nutritious breakfast for the family. Exercise is so important for your mind and body, I would suggest finding some sort of exercise that you like. Then by the time you shower and get ready it's basically lunch time.

Every day I have some sort of cleaning chore I do. It doesn't even always necessarily need to get done but I figure I want to get the habits now so that when I have four screaming children it will be easy to just do it.

In the afternoon I usually blog, take a nap, read, or watch tv on DVD. I just hooked up my keyboard and practiced the piano for an hour. You could break out the old viola. I would like to learn how to knit and you said you like to sew so that would be a great thing to keep you busy.

By that time it's time to start making dinner and then by the time you eat dinner and clean up you can settle in for the night with Gabalicious. I think the main thing that helps when you are feeling bored or whatever is to find something productive to do. It always makes me feel so much better.

Also I try to go to everything that the ward has going on. Go to enrichment or anything going on in the ward. Our ward has lots of groups and clubs. I think the more involved you are the better as well. It's really good to have something to look forward to. I don't even like to sing in the ward choir but I go because I need more social interaction.

Ok we are the kings of cheap. Scott and I always share and get water when we go out to eat. We also try to avoid places with servers. The library has tons of DVD's. Tin foil dinner picnic. I want to carve pumpkins for a date night. I think I also want to make halloween sugar cookies for a date night. Get together with friends and watch a movie (aka us) I don't know we need more date ideas too because we are poor-ola and want to still do fun stuff too.

So pretty much I am an annoying know it all if you think I am a loser I totally understand. Come over whenever.
Loves
Mitzi

Shelley Beal said...

I think the main thing to my one ounce of sanity is that I've walked with my neighbor for over 35 years. She's a real gab and we talk so fast that it doesn't even feel like we are exercising. In the winter we go up to the church. Maybe you could go for a 30 minute walk when Gabe gets home so you don't have to take the baby. Also maybe one night a week you could play your viola with the symphony in Boise if there is such a thing. Developing your sewing interest could open tons of doors, even for making money. I hate to sew and the winter my first twins were born I made three Afghans. It barely kept me sane. Don't you really hate all this advise you're getting.

the Allers said...

Oi - I'm looking at my 2nd housebound winter coming up - last one was super hard. Not excited. Here are a few ideas: Exercise DVDs, new recipes, language tapes, planning holiday stuff - cards, travel etc, making meals and freezing them for future use, sewing, "bringing dad lunch", or a neighbor some baked goods. Make a list of things that sound fun, that way when there's downtime, you won't think "there's nothing to do!"

Cheap dates: Red Box, couples game night, pumpkin carving, matinee movies, ice skating/rink skating, driving range, oh - 1st Thursday in downtown Boise, all the galleries are open late. I think admission is free.....

Welcome to motherhood.....