It's Been Awhile!

It has been awhile, but with good reason! Early last week I was panicking a bit wondering where I could find my next job because everything was coming to a close. Then about this time next week the jobs started rolling in and before I knew it I had to turn away work for the very first time in my freelance career. I hate to do that, but I just have so much on my plate that I need to be realistic. So here I am working my way through some awesome work and of course thinking through who could become a long term client and equal repeat client. Always gotta be thinking ahead!

We also had a VERY big event......Faith's first birthday party!! I can hardly believe that our little angel has turned one, I've been rather emotional over the whole thing. I look at her and see a little girl now, not a baby anymore--it all feels as though it's happened in the blink of an eye as everyone told me it would. I'm a little sad but super excited about all of the personality that she shows each and everyday. She did just great with the cake and the gifts and entertaining all 35 of her guests....just family and close friends. We are so in love with her and fall deeper and deeper every day....she is truly amazing!! So life was busy getting ready for the festivities, yet again it's the mommy balancing act in full effect. That's what it's all about though, isn't it? To be honest, I think that I strive on organized chaos a bit so I suppose that I'm in the right business being a mommy first and foremost followed by the role that I've grown quite comfortable in of mompreneur!

Me A Worrier?!!

I've always been a worrier! As far back as I can remember I have worried about everything under the sun. I worried about my grades in school, what college I'd get into, how to keep everything organized. Then I'd worry about all of my wedding planning coming together, finding the best job, and getting the house of our dreams. The older you get, the bigger your worries get! It's human nature made even more complicated if you are a true worrier such as I.

Now that I'm a mom, I worry about everything! I'm not a crazy person about the worry when it comes to Faith and my family, but I do have to keep it in check. This is yet another reason that it's good that I've been able to make working from home work for me. I'm here to take care of my little darling and ensure that she gets the very best care possible. So now I can keep my worrying to how many times she falls down upon trying to take steps and if she's sleeping soundly. Worry as a mother never ends!

Worry as a mompreneur seems to be a constant as well. If you have a deadline, then you worry about how to reach it with the chaotic life that you have developed. If you have too many jobs going on at once, you worry about how to balance them all and get them all done right the first time. If you don't have any new work coming in, then you worry about how you will get new clients and what if you dont' get them quickly. It's part of owning your own business and this is where a little worry can be healthy. You just have to be sure as with everything else to keep it in check before it consumes you. You also worry about the balance of it all--ensuring that you don't give too much time to your work and neglect your child. While at the same time recognizing that you are trying to start and run your very own business and that means some time is required to make it all work. You will feel the strains of this balancing act constantly, but then you quickly remind yourself that you are at home with your baby and that's what matters. Worry is part of being a mompreneur and certainly part of being a mother, but keeping it in check by realizing that your little darling is what it's important will help you to balance it all out. Works for me....most of the time that is!

No More 9 to 5!!

I must admit that working nights and weekends were never something I envisioned myself doing. It's not that I'm not a hard worker, but I was really more of the 9 to 5 type of girl. This thought just occurred to me as I wrap up another round of articles at almost 9:30pm as my dear husband watches his favorite tv show. You would think that this might get to me after awhile, right? No way! If this is the very small price I must pay to be home with my darling little girl, then I'm absolutely fine with it.

When you're a mompreneur not only do you have to rely on your own instincts and business sense to get your new career off the ground, but sometimes you have to take a non-traditional route to getting things done. I've learned to make the most of naptime, get workouts in while my husband watches the baby, and work while the tv shows on. In all reality, working in my pajamas in front of the tv is not so bad. I told myself I would do anything to stay home with Faith and I feel lucky everyday to have found something that I'm relatively good at that allows me to bring in some extra income.

I still have a ways to go until I feel like an established freelance writer. I've been at this for less than a year and though I've learned many lessons the hard way, I'm quite pleased with some of the success I've had. Published pieces, repeat clients, and learning a whole lot about myself as a business woman (along with some extra income) have shown me that I can do this. My hope is that as time goes on and Faith gets bigger, I get better at the balancing act that mompreneurs face. I don't think I'm doing so bad, but I certainly have room for improvement. Who doesn't?!!
When I get to see Faith's adorable little face in the morning and then spend the day discovering what she will learn and teach me today, it is then I realize that working outside of the 9 to 5 is not only a small sacrifice but well worth it. I am so very lucky!

Let The Work Keep Flowing...But Stop the Cold!

It's only Tuesday and it feels like a bit of a long week. Such is winter I suppose! Some people (like my dear husband) do quite well in the cold of winter as they have great sports to keep them busy. I however am not interested in anything that involves the cold! It's hard enough to get Faith and I out of the house just to run to class or the store, ugh it's just not fun when it's freezing out. Another reason that I now tend to lean away from the winter time is the colds. I just learned yesterday that babies get anywhere between 8-10 colds per season. That's insane! We are already on cold number 2....as well as ear infection number two! Poor little baby Faith is a trooper but mommy feels awful. I wish sometimes I could just keep her in a bubble. So that's the negative side of things though I vowed to myself to be more positive in 2009!!

I've been really lucky with the work coming in lately, and I hope it continues. I am trying desperately to wrap up a long term project that is just draining my energy. Hey it's money so I'm not complaining. I've bid on some great jobs and am very pleased to say that I have some repeat clients so keep it coming. I am of course very lucky to have my mom here to help, without her or Jeff's there's no way that this mompreneur could do it! So my hope in 2009 is to learn better how to balance, to provide everything that Faith needs and do it well, and to keep the work coming and turn around some awesome stuff. That's where I'm at! Now onto planning Faith's first birthday........is this even possible? More on that in the upcoming days and weeks!