Balancing

It's always hard to balance all the areas of your life to make sure everything is given the right space and time in your busy day. Lately I keep getting that balance all wrong, and I know it. Work has been a bit all-consuming, to say the least, and I've been stressed out and unwell because of it, with no time at all for other important things like family and friends, cooking and eating properly, spending time with Ian and, most of all, with Audrey. On the bright side, there's only one more week (and a bit) of this hectic schedule before we all go on holiday to Blackpool to visit family for a week and recharge our batteries, and working so hard now means I know I'm going to savour every moment of together time we'll have.

I want to take that time to re-focus and rest, instead of our usual way of rushing around and doing absolutely everything we can to get as much activity and enjoyment out of every single day - which has its place too!

I've been really inspired a lot lately, partly by the leaps Audrey is making in her own development and partly by the excellent blog posts I read from other parents who are doing creative and fun things, to make a post about some of the early years learning activities we do with Audrey, so watch out for that soon! I'd like to make a record of what's worked best for us in case it helps other parents - I know we've gotten so many ideas from other resources that I've been reading lately.

For now it's all I can do to cram everything into our days without collapsing before the end of it (I've been going to bed at the same time as Audrey lately, that's how tired I am!). I try my very best to take an hour here and there for family walks to the Hermitage, playing in the rain at the park, reading stories and singing songs. Rather than those moments being the periphery to my day, they are the point of my day, the reason for it all.

I hope I never lose sight of that.