Thank you to Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP for sponsoring this post All opinions, as always, are 100% my own.
Last week on my Instagram “walk and talk” stories, I talked about how after becoming a mother, weekends are often way more work than actual workdays. On Sunday nights, I’m usually exhausted and literally cannot wait for Monday morning to hit… You know, like the way non-parents feel on Friday afternoons. Can I get a #MonYAY anyone?
That is one of the many many many small ways that my life has changed since having a baby. I expected the obvious changes like less sleep, more responsibility, and a new kind of love in my life, but some of the day to day things caught me off guard. We’re 10 months in and I can finally wrap my head around most of them.
It’s not that I didn’t know these changes were coming. I was warned by my friends and every mommy blog and article in the history of ever, but when you live it, it’s just different. And now I get it.
So when Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP asked me to share some of these changes and how their always delicious popcorn has powered me through them, I jumped at the chance!
Here are a few of the many ways that life has changed since Amalia bulldozed her amazing little self into my life and into my heart forever.
1. My needs always come last. I’ve always been a nurturer, putting everyone around me first. And I love that, it’s just who I am. But when there is a tiny human who literally can’t take care of herself, that was taken to a level that I didn’t even know was possible!
No matter what is going on in my life or with work, she always comes first. And she always will.
Lately when I get her fed and out the door, I’ll realize I didn’t even feed myself (which is where to-go bags of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP come in). Anyone who knows me knows that skipping meals is not a thing I do ever so it’s a big deal. Being prepared for these kinds of days has become a necessity.
My mom hack: I have learned to always have snacks in my purse, no matter what. If I finish one, I replace it right away so I’m never stuck without nourishment. I’ve been living for the snack-sized bags of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP. I’m old school and like my popcorn simple so the sea salt flavor is my favorite, but when I’m craving something sweet, the Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn is my go-to. PS: They just came out with a white cheddar version that Anel is obsessed with.
I also love how the brand encourages their fans to #crushit and accomplish the small victories in life. And some days as a mom, the small victories are everything! I encourage every mom to celebrate them. Especially if it’s Olivia Pope style with a bag of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn and a bottle of red.
Shirt / Necklace c/o / Bag c/o / Jeans
2. It takes forever to get out of the house. We used to decide we were going to head out for brunch on a Sunday, and five minutes later we’d be out the door. Now? I’d say 20 minutes minimum. I used to wonder what moms were doing with all that time when they said they were late because they were trying to get their kids out the door.
Well let me shed some light on that: First, a clean diaper is a must. Then there’s usually some sort of puke or poop on clothing situation, especially if we’re running late. Then the diaper bag must be checked, the baby must be put in her car seat, and then you realize that you aren’t wearing any pants. That’s generally how it goes.
My mom hack: Prepare your diaper ahead of time and give yourself at least 15 minutes for this process when you’re planning to be somewhere at a specific time.
3. Weekends are harder than weekdays. Like I said before, I live for Monday mornings. Anel works until 12 on Saturdays and then we split parenting duties for the rest of the weekend. By Sunday night we’re wiped. And we only have one kid! How do you superheroes with more than one child do it? I’ll be forever impressed by you.
My mom hack(s): 1. Anel and I have a standing babysitter on Saturday nights so that no matter what, we can go out with just the two of us and get a little break to enjoy each other alone. On the weekends when we skip this, we feel totally frazzled by Sunday night. This small break makes a big difference.
2. I schedule (yes schedule) an hour on Sunday nights after Amalia is in bed to recalibrate and organize my week by scheduling each day, planning our meals, and getting my to do list and schedule on lock. We recently added a step where I tell Anel what he can help with and when (because emotional labor) and that has made a world of difference.
4. Your baby’s pain feels worse than your own. Amalia’s first winter in daycare (and in life) was brutal. She got everything from stomach bugs that left her dehydrated to croup that had her barking in the middle of the night. She had fevers and boogers and everything in between.
And every single time she got sick and felt yucky or uncomfortable, I would say an unanswered prayer for it to be transferred to me so that she would feel perfect and happy again.
I’ve never experienced a feeling where I literally wanted to take someone else’s pain for myself but I’d rather be sick or hurt than have it be her any day of the week.
I imagine that feeling never leaves.
My mom hack: I don’t have much to offer here! I know how to make her feel better when she’s sick but that’s about it!
5. You learn you exist on less sleep. Before Amalia if someone told me I’d have to wake up at 6:30 every morning I would have laughed and the cried and then hid in a corner. I was always a 7:30 waker, and needed nine hours of sleep. If I didn’t get that, I was a hot mess.
These days I’m up before 6:30 every morning and although I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus most mornings, after an hour and some green tea, I feel normal… Or a new normal I should say.
I think every parent is tired, but you learn you live with that and get everything done plus take care of your child on way less sleep than you were used to before.
My mom hack: Go to bed early?
PS when I asked Anel if he had another change to add to this list, his contribution was that “Now I can only play nine holes instead of 18 on weekends…” Now that’s another whole issue hahaha.
If you’re a mom, tell me one way that your life has unexpectedly changed since having kids. If you’re a mom to be, tell me what changes you’re most looking forward to!
Love this and I am not a mom. I loved the part about how you tell Anel how he can help. I am getting married in two weeks and my fiance is always like just tell me what you need me to do. I actually had him read the emotional labor piece because it was so dead on.
It’s so helpful! I recommend doing it even before you have kids! Sets the tone for good communication once you do 🙂
I read your blog but lately find that you contradict yourself which makes your content come off as not very genuine to me. Trying to weave promotion of popcorn into how your life has changed as a mom seems like a stretch to me. If you schedule an hour every Sunday to plan your meals, why would you be stuck eating popcorn for breakfast? You “literally cannot wait for Monday morning” but you frequently post about getting the “Sunday Scaries”.. which is it? Please take this as constructive criticism and not one of your “haters” that you call out for mom shaming. I find that you are very quick to dismiss followers who may have something to say that is not complimentary towards you. In my opinion, if you are trying to sell products by putting your personal life on the internet, you need to understand that you might get criticism at times and not constant praise. That’s the way it works with any office job. Bloggers should be no different.
Thank you for your comment. I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your feedback! I only call out comments when they’re truly hateful or mean, not when it’s constructive criticism. Trust me, I’m all about it,
But imagine at an office job if someone came to you and said you’re a terrible mother or you don’t love your child. Not the same as you can work on your communication skills… Don’t you think?
So that you understand where I’m coming from, try to remember that I’m a person too! I can’t meal prep every single week and even when I do, that usually doesn’t include breakfast. I share my stories truthfully and never try to fake anyone out. I never want it to come off that way.
As far as weekends go, I love Monday mornings but sometimes when a busy week is coming up, I get the Sunday Scaries. Like any person with any job, right?
I think that people often think that bloggers are robots but every day is different for me and I have different feelings on different days and different weeks… Just like any person. Any woman. Any mom.
I get that you are human and not a robot but when you are using yourself as a “brand” you are not just like any person. You are trying to build trust with readers in order to sell products so you do have to be more careful with staying consistent in your message and pov, as any brand would.
I hear what you’re saying! Makes sense. I’d rather be honest than fudge things to “stay on brand” all the time if that makes sense.
Thank you again for your honesty and I hope you can appreciate mine!
well said, SarahP.
I was similarly confused, SarahP, about the things you mentioned (especially seeing Sunday Scaries on instagram stories and then reading “looking forward to Monday” in this week’s post). I’m also confused because of the post “More than a Mama” about being a mommy blogger and then the majority of the posts on the blog have been about motherhood. Most would assume if the majority of the content on a blog is about motherhood then it’s a mommy blog, no different than calling a blog focusing on fashion a fashion blog.
I can plan and plan and plan and still forget to eat breakfast! I am a mom of one little boy who is 8 months and I am still just trying to survive. My husband and I both work full time and it is a lot of work trying to always be on top of everything. He is my number one priority which means half the time I forget to eat or just don’t eat! On Sunday nights I try so hard to prepare for the week but sometimes it just doesn’t happen. As a mom, I can relate to throwing a bag of popcorn in your bag to eat when you just need a snack and something easy! I always grab a Sargento pack when I am on the go because it is easy and we usually have them! I would be so impressed and I am with moms who have it all together and never forget to eat and can accomplish every single thing on their to-do list but in reality there are days when that just won’t happen.
Hahaha I can totally relate to every single thing you just said. Sometimes on Sunday nights I’m so exhausted I can’t even move 🙂
And then sometimes I do plan and then get mom brain and forget that I had something prepared… Sadly this happens more often than it should!
Reading this thread—I would consider reviewing how other bloggers respond to reader comments. Grace at Design Sponge seems to do a great job of a quick thanks for the feedback or responding more fully when warranted (clarifying or redirecting). Tone is hard but you come across as more defensive than I think you intend.
I love the idea of scheduling an hour on Sunday nights to plan for the week. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
It’s one of the most helpful things we do as a couple! Game changer.
Have you watched Ali Wong’s comedy special on Netflix? It is a hilarious take on some of the things you mentioned, especially about mondays. If you like stand up comedy i’d definitely recommend it! Just prepare yourself to laugh so hard that you can’t breathe!
Yes, I totally agree! You should check out her special on Netflix. It is too funny! I don’t have any kids, just a puppy right now. Which definitely isn’t as difficult as a baby but also has substantially changed mine and my fiancé’s life. It takes us forever to get out the door because we need to make sure he goes to the bathroom and get him in his cage, etc. I appreciate your honesty and love your blog
I haven’t seen it but I definitely will! Sounds like a perfect weekend night thing to watch with Anel. And let me tell you, when we first got Boots, I felt the same way! It gets easier when the puppy gets older, I promise 🙂
It’s funny because I find we are early to everything because we get up so freaking early now. I was one to stay up until 2 am and get up at 11 am or noon on the weekends, and now I’m asleep before midnight most nights (NEVER even happened on weeknights before baby) and up at 7:00 or earlier.
Hahah that is a big change too. We are definitely the only ones at brunch at 8am too!
We have two kiddos currently (foster parents) and I was saying recently that our weekends have primarily consisted of conning friends with kids into hanging out with us 😉 But honestly, it’s the best thing ever, since the kids entertain each other and the adults get a bit of a break. Also, we live in a neighborhood with a bunch of kids of similar ages, and it’s great! The older kids can ride their bikes and scooters around together, and the younger ones can play on the swingset or in the sprinkler.
I love that! I have so many local friends with babies Amalia’s age. We’re all so excited for when they’re old enough to really entertain each other!
I struggled with infertility and loss for several years and am over the moon happy to finally be pregnant with my first. I just wanted to share that I find your comments about how you “literally cannot wait for Monday morning to hit” and “live for Monday mornings”so you can drop your baby off at daycare both sad and insensitive, especially for someone who has previously struggled with loss and infertility herself.
Remember there are people who would give (and in some cases have given) literally everything they have at the chance of having an exhausting weekend spent taking care of their baby. I think it would behoove you to be cognizant of that before complaining about yours publicly again.
Virginia, I’m so so sorry for your losses and struggle with infertility. To hear that you’re pregnant after surviving that brings me so much joy! I wanted to apologize if my post or comments that I’ve made have offended you or anyone else. That is never my intention and I’ll keep it in mind going forward.
Virginia, as someone who has also struggled with infertility before, I’m happy to hear you’re expecting. I remember those same feelings of wanting a baby more than anything and I was lucky enough to be blessed with two. I think your comment to Julia is unwarranted. In a perfect world we’d all be able to snap our fingers and have babies whenever we want (I’m sure she wishes the same after struggling herself!) but when they do come, that doesn’t mean motherhood isn’t without challenges. Babies bring unlimited joy but also a lot of hard work. She shouldn’t be shamed for wishing for some time to herself, to get her household in order, etc. I can assure you that having this time makes her an even better mother to sweet Amalia and judging her for that is out of line.
Why are you being so rude to another commenter? I am so sick of people not being able to state their opinion without getting slammed by someone who thinks they are the comment police. A comment section is for stating your opinion good or bad, and can many times start a great dialogue. I don’t think Julia needs people to defend her. she puts her life out there into a public forum.
I never comment on blogs but I have to say I think it’s conpletely natural as a human to have conflicting emotions. I’m the mom of a nine-month-old girl who I love more Jan anything else in the world. I work full-time and all week I look forward to the weekend when I get to spend more time with her. Sunday nights I get the Sunday Scaries thinking about the week ahead. That being said, I get a feeling of relief on the train Monday morning. For the next few hours I need only take care of myself, I get to use my brain, and I interact with other adults. But then at the end of the day there’s nothing better than seeing my baby.
My situation is different, but I whole heartedly agree about conflicting emotions. I’m a SAHM to my 5 month old. I’m truly thankful to be able to do it, but some days I’m literally counting down the minutes til my husband gets home to give me a break. Appreciating the time you have when you aren’t actively responsible for a tiny human’s every need doesn’t mean you love that tiny human any less!
I agree! I adore my baby more than anything in this world but it’s also incredibly hard and exhausting and I think it’s ok to feel all of those things! I also think that every mom in the history of time has felt all of those things and NO ONE should be made to feel guilty about that. That said, I can be more sensitive in how I speak to it.
Hi- I love your blogs normally as well, but unfortunately, I have to agree with some of the other commenters….when you write these sponsored posts and pose next to bags of popcorn, it just somehow bothers me as well, and I just don’t feel like reading the post anymore- It just seems like not something you REALLY like, but just am getting sponsored for. Sorry, I just hope you can understand this view as well. Sometimes our favorite bloggers (i.e. C &C) become ones we no longer support because they just become too branded (i.e. she pops everyone into her shop now- EVERYTHING is linked to it, so you know she is just trying to sell her stuff or stuff that is sold on it.) ugh….I know you aren’t like that. Just be cautious please. Thanks for listening- I appreciate your openness.
Hi Jess! Thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it and will keep it in mind going forward. At the end of the day, I write this blog for you guys so I want to make sure the content resonates. I appreciate your honesty!
Thanks for being so gracious, Julia and for understanding differing views. You are truly a special one! 🙂