Stay-at-home Mommy

Since I will be actually working outside the home very shortly, just a matter of days, actually, I thought I would capture in writing what my experience has been like as a stay-at-home Mommy for the FIRST TIME EVER!!!! I am somewhat of a scheduler and task-oriented person. On a weekend, I typically did not relax until night-time when I was exhausted - I would clean the house, run errands, just take care of things, tell kids to wait, I didn't have time, etc... Then at night I would relax with a glass of wine and kids were already engaged in something else and I was just relieved i didn't have to entertain them anymore. So, you can imagine all the different feelings I've had being at home all day. My son's in PM kindergarten, so can't do major projects (which is typical of me - I have been known to paint an entire room in one day). So, I'm forced to just take it easy and fill my time with simple things. The bathroom shower door is still cracked, Liam's ceiling still has water damage and is not painted, Zoe's wood floor is not sanded and stained, etc... The ONLY reason my side porch doors are gorgeously painted red and the porch has been spruced up with gray is because my friend Kym spent 2 days painting them for me while I did my paperwork for my job which I STILL haven't started yet!

Anyway, so, when kindergarten interrupts your day, you don't plan much. I get dressed first thing, take dog out, drink coffee, eat breakfast, make beds, maybe do laundry, tidy up kitchen and then plan day's meals. I do some email and blogging and take care of household business. At 1100 AM I starting making lunch (no, not PB and J, I usually make something) and then walk him to school by 1215 PM (leave house around 1200PM). While Liam is at school I rush around and do everything I can't do when he's around - grocery store, my hour walk, walk dog, or workout. Recently, I have been squeezing Christmas shopping into that time-frame. Then I walk to pick him up and that's when I start relaxing...

He holds my hand and twists and squeezes it as we walk because he's jumping and kicking plants and falling (he cannot be still, that's for sure!). I ask him about his day and he says he can't remember because he has a "bad membory!" - yes, the typo is correct! We chit chat all the way and he says he loves it when we walk home. Zoe comes home and it's time to organize and approve snacks. Zoe says, "I love it when I have a stay-at-home mom". I say, "Why do you say that, honey?". She answers, "Oh, just because, you do things for me (I have just recently cleaned her room and organized it), you make cookies, you cook everyday... I don't know I just love it".

Then Liam and I read. Finally, they are off to their individual activities and I start cooking our evening meal (by this time it's 400 PM). I love this time - I'm finally allowing myself to relax as I am not leaving the house and my last responsibility of the day is the meal. And boy, do I get into it - Christmas music is on, veggies are being chopped, hair is pulled back, candles are smelling great.... I set the table, light the centerpiece candles, City Boy arrives home... And then I pour the wine and take a deep, deep breath.... I know this won't last forever and I'm so enjoying it right now...


What I LOVE about staying home:

• No pressure the night before to get to sleep by a certain time (although I'm usually out by 1000 PM, still not a real feeling of pressure)
• Mornings are WAY less stressful - Nat leaves, then Zoe leaves, then Liam and I meander into the kitchen and start our day
• Researching and cooking new time-confusing recipes!
• Eating lunch with my son
• Eating lunch at home
• Eating a lunch baked in an oven (we currently do not own a microwave, so there!)
• I can take a walk AND do a workout video tape in the same day!!!
• Seeing the sun during PA winter - yeah, I get to see it and feel it - I go for a walk, my windows are all open, I walk Liam to school and back, it's fab and then when it's dark at 400 PM I'm not bitter!
• Having the time to play a game with my son, play cars with him, or read to him - in the few short months I've been home, he has REALLY caught on to 3 letter words and does a GREAT job reading Green Eggs and Ham :-)
• Not feeling bitter when kids and hubby leave the table after meal, don't clear and put away dishes. I think - well, it's kind of my job right now :-) That will change when I'm working, I'm sure...
• Not having to chug my coffee - having the time to enjoy my coffee...
• Getting compliments from my family about meals, or how nice the house looks or smells...

What I do NOT love about staying at home:

• The nagging feeling that I should be doing more with my day!
• Naggy people who think I should be doing more with my day!
• The endless lists of requests from hubbies and children who think all I have to do all day is take care of their needs - ha, ha!
• Not getting enough done!
• Having to drop off and pick up my son which takes about 45 minutes all told for only 2 3/4 hour of school - what the heck is that about?
• No time to do errands while Liam is at school - a VERY quick shopping trip and a 1 hour walk and that's all for now, folks!!!
• No money