Simple Pleasures: The Gallery

BritMumInNZ

Alice taking a nap at Te Papa's art gallery

I feel a lot of the time I am giving at the moment – to my children, to the house work, to my husband (not nearly enough). I am trying to keep all the minds and bodies of my home happy, with clean clothes, a tidy, healthy home, good food, stimulating activities for mind and bodies. I ensure I eat fairly well and retire to bed early each night (though my sleep is interrupted). It’s all about making sure all the bases are covered – but I often feel like I’m only just making it and often a home run is rare.

This past year my husband and I have had so little time together. I actually ‘miss him’, as I know he misses me. I’ve not had the energy to give enough to him, though deep down of course I love him. We’ve not had a single night out together, just the two of us, in over a year. Most of our conversations are hurried over breakfast, dinner and around putting the children to bed – frequently interrupted and incomplete. Occasionally I stay up to watch a movie with him, but frequently I’m in bed soon after the children. I am just surviving.

I know this situation is temporary, but I feel like at times it’s all spinning out of my control and I am going to get lost somewhere in all this giving (and never feeling like I’m giving enough to everyone).

Sometimes I dream of running away from everything.

Then this week I had half an hour of time to remember ‘me’. I deliberately didn’t return to the house after school drop off – knowing the housework would taunt me relentlessly, whilst Alice made mess as fast as I cleaned.

I went to Te Papa. Alice fell unexpectedly and peacefully to sleep in her buggy. I ventured up to the art gallery and slipped into the photographic world travels of ‘Brian Brake‘, and there I found ‘me’ – just for a moment.

SIMPLE PLEASURES.

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19 thoughts on “Simple Pleasures: The Gallery”

  1. I so know the feeling, I often feel like I am running on a treadmill, going as fast as I can just to stand still. I don’t have any great advice, I just know that eventually things will be different.

  2. Oh how wonderful that time at the gallery must have been. Was it beautifully quiet and you could just wander round and admire the paintings? I hope you stopped at Nikau cafe for a coffee too, well next time maybe 😀

  4. hey girl….totally hearing you, and really pleased for you, a half hour can sustain us girls for literally weeks….be encouraged, you are doing a great job x

  5. I completely understand and remember feeling like this when I was a young mum. You are right it does pass, but I think your strategy of taking time out to refill ‘you’ is key to survival. There will always be housework, but your family and husband will cope with a messy house, whereas they may not cope as well with a messy unhappy Sarah. Much love hun, you’re doing great. xx

  6. This sounds all too familiar Sarah! As women, and especially mothers, we spend so much of our time “giving giving giving” – it is just in our nature. And through your blog you seem to be a naturally selfless person. In fact you are the kind of mother I aspire to be, your girls are so active and healthy and always entertained doing interesting things! If I lived in Wtgn I would offer to babysit for you, but alas I am not. I hope you manage to squeeze some more “me” time in there soon! xo

  7. It is such a simple pleasure just being able to grab some precious ‘me’ time isn’t it.but worth it when houngan 🙂
    Gorgeous photo and lovely words x

  9. Even half an hour can make such a difference hey! Here’s hoping you can start to find lots of little pockets of time in which to recharge your batteries and refresh your spirit. Sometimes we just have to ‘make’ it happen if it doesn’t come naturally hey xx

  11. I can so relate to this. Let’s home we find some more time for ourselves soon. Love the pic.

  12. Well done love for catching some ‘me’ time…some lovely positive comments here too.

  13. My son is now 11, and I well remember the feeling that you describe. Don’t worry, the years go past in a flash, and before you know it, there’ll be far more time for you.x

  14. A wonderful post – I know this feeling so very, very well. Good for you that you took a much-deserved little break. Even though this sort of early-motherhood exhaustion is temporary, it is also so unrelenting, and you really have to take simple pleasure of quiet little breaks when they come! (Cute photo too btw)

  15. Good call Sarah. The main thing is that you recognise it, so can go about making sure that you do get some time in there for yourself. May be worth roping in a friend to mind the kids at some stage so that you can get some couple time too.

    It is a season and will pass, so don’t beat yourself up – you are an amazing mother x

  16. I’m always so impressed by how much you ‘give’ to your family and with such love and enthusiasm. I can remember the feeling that my life was tied to being a mother and homemaker and then I would feel guilty for feeling like that and then cross for feeling guilty etc etc. Well done for finding a way to have some time for yourself, to refresh your spirit and to leave the mundane for a while.

  17. Oh I remember this stage. My youngest is now 3 , and at nursery 3 days a week, so there is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise.

  18. I know how you feel! Been like that myself lately, and I only have one kid to deal with (for now). I guess being heavily pregnant doesn’t make things easier either, especially on the marital side of things.

    I’m glad you got to take a little bit of time off, even though you still had Alice with you. You’re a wonderful mother – your beautiful happy kids are testament to this. But I know how it is feeling like only ever giving and not getting anything like ‘me’ time. I’m planning on taking time off for a massage and a girly catchup with friends some time soon – should be bliss!

  19. Thank you so much for your uplifting, kind words. Wishing you all the best & enjoy that massage & time with friends 😉 x

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