5 Things That I Do For Me

As many of you moms out there know, there isn't whole lot of "me" time when you have a little one who needs your love and attention. I am sure those of you out there with more than one child know this even more than I do! However, I think that whether you have one child or five children, you still need to have some time for yourself, or simply do certain things for yourself. I was thinking about the things that I personally do for myself, and I am so grateful that I am able to do these things for "me"!

1. Exercise

I love being able to exercise in the mornings because it makes my days go so much better! I have so much more energy, I am happier, I feel better about myself, and the list goes on and on. I normally have Rosalie in her crib next to me while I run, but if she gets upset, I either walk with her or take her to Chanse (if he happens to be home/not busy getting ready for school). Right now I only have time for about 4-5 miles each morning, but since I am not training for anything right now, I am simply happy to get a run in :) I also try to do some other strength training workouts 2-3 times a week, if Rosalie will let me ;)

2. Read

I love reading so much! I used to read all of the time, and while I definitely don't read as much now, I still enjoy it! I love reading the Book of Mormon, and usually read it in the middle of the night when I am nursing Rosalie. While I am sure this isn't the greatest time in the world to read it, it works for me right now and I enjoy it :) I also love reading blogs, listening to books on CD (not really reading I know), reading General Conference talks, and reading novels whenever I have the opportunity.

3. Eat Out

I won't lie, I love eating out every now and then. Sometimes I am just too tired to make dinner, and other times the thought of going out for lunch is fun for me. My restaurant of choice is normally Cafe Rio because it tastes so good and their salads always last me for two meals. 

4. Go On Dates With My Hubby

Chanse and I don't go out on dates very often, but we always enjoy them when we do. It is wonderful to spend time with my husband, and while I am always a little bit anxious being away from Rosalie, my sister or mom always do an amazing job watching her! We recently went to Comedy Sportz on a date with friends, and we had so much fun laughing and watching the show!

5. Snuggle Rosalie

Yes I do this for me, and yes it is my most favorite part of the mornings. I think that snuggling your baby is one of the best parts of being a mom, and it is so rewarding to feel your baby's love. I wait until Rosalie wakes up to get on the treadmill lately purely for this reason. I love how happy she is when I snuggle her in the mornings, and I know she won't be little for much longer, so I just try to enjoy it and soak it all in. Yesterday morning she was so funny because she was making fart noises (for lack of a better word) in her sleep, and Chanse and I were dying laughing. I accidentally laughed too loud and she woke up with kind of a startled look. However, about two seconds later (before her eyes even opened), she broke out in the biggest grin, opened her eyes, and started babbling. 

I feel like all of these things help me to be a better mom, and also help me to feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. I think being a mom to Rosalie is the best thing in this entire world, and while I wouldn't want to spend my time doing anything else, I do love the things that I am able to do just for me. :)

xoxo

Rachel

*What do you do for yourself?