Everything revolves around her now.
Everything.
My life, as I now know it, happens in between feedings and rocking her to sleep and tummy time and baby babble and baths in a plastic whale tub and cleaning up poopy explosions. Writing happens when she’s sleeping in her magical baby swing (God, I love that thing) with her entire fist in her mouth or she’s calm enough to lie on her back and stare at plastic toys on her baby gym or I’m bouncing her on my knee to Justin Timberlake while simultaneously banging out a blog post.
She sometimes butts into phone conversations when I’m talking to editors. She sometimes makes too much noise when I’m trying to interview sources. She sometimes decides to have such a productive blowout that requires an immediate bath right when I’m on deadline.
But you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Before I gave birth to her, I looked forward to the possibility of working for myself. Now, I realize that I’m not. I’m doing it all for her. So I could have more time with her. So I could see all her firsts. So I could be the one to teach her everything and show her you can be a mom and run a business at the same time.
Freelance writing with a baby has forced me to focus. Hard. It makes me zero in on what’s worthy of my time, and I have to manage my time like no one’s business. Working beside a 3-month-3-week-old doesn’t make me distracted at all. My eyes are open wider than ever; I’m more sensitive; and I observe and appreciate the tiniest details in everyday life I may not have noticed before. And it makes me a better writer than I ever thought was possible.
What makes you a better writer?
Pingback: The new mama’s guide to freelance writing with a newborn | The Write Life