About Me

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I have three fabulous children and a terrific husband. I was recently laid off and have decided to try the stay-at-home gig. We'll see how it goes!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Kids... 'nough said

Yesterday my daughter gets in the car after school and informs me that she has grass stains on her clothes.  Through a few questions I find out the grass stains were actually on her socks.  Which I thought was really strange since she was wearing boots.  When I asked if she took her shoes off at recess she said, "No."  When I informed her that it would be very difficult to get grass stains on her socks with her shoes on; especially when there were no stains on her shoes, she began to spin a web of possible explanations.  The first was that the grass went through her shoes when she fell into some holes on the playground.  She immediately sensed my disbelief and began to describe how grass fell down into her shoes and how that happens to everyone.  After a while she finally admitted she took her shoes off.  I didn't even care.  I just wanted to know.  Kids are crazy!

Speaking of kids.  After almost 9 months of timer setting, cleaning poopy underwear and pee from the floor my son has finally decided he wants to go on the toilet.  I'm extremely happy and hope he doesn't revert.  I don't know what changed his mind, but I'm super ecstatic that he has!

And the baby, my sweet baby.  Suddenly she's decided that naps are overrated.  It's hard to complain since she sleeps 10 hours a night, but when no naps is accompanied by a constant need to be held I don't get much done during the day.

I've decided however, that being a SAHM has made me a better mom.  Practice certainly does make perfect.  They say it takes 10,000 hours to be truly good at something.  Before I was probably averaging about 7 hours a day of mothering.  If I assume that I'm mothering about 18 hours a day now, I only have 346 more days until I'm a good SAHM.  Right now my husband is out of town and I'm calm, the kids are in bed on time and everyone has been behaving.  Progress... definite progress.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Is it over?

I was at a kid’s birthday party with parents I didn’t know and I was asked what I did for a living.  My friend, whose daughter was having the party, spoke up quickly and said I used to work as a researcher but now with three kids I stay home.  And that’s true.  I do stay home with my three kids and I think even if I hadn’t lost my job I would be home.  I am very grateful to my friend.  It was nice to not have to relive the whole ordeal again.  For those that have never been laid off it’s difficult to understand how it feels.  I wasn’t fired, so I didn’t do anything wrong.  I was laid off.  There was no money to keep me on.  And while that is no reflection of my performance it hurts the ego and it takes a while to get over a hit like that.  I am only now starting to get my confidence back.  I’m still pretty sensitive.  It’s been long enough now that I’m the mom with three kids; not the mom who lost her job.  I still have some stuff to work through, but I think I’m almost over it.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

What a Day!

My husband ran up to the room to put a pad under the baby so I could attempt to clean her after the volcano-like poop explosion.  I took care of her while he took care of his arms, pants and our recliner.  Just as I was finishing up with her, he ran upstairs and said, "Today I have cleaned up poop, pee and vomit.  Awesome".  Some days being a parent is the most wonderful thing in the world.  And other days you are cleaning stuff, where if you were getting paid would require, at the minimum, gloves and a face mask; and in extreme circumstances a hazmat suit.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Epiphany!

I had a total epiphany this week.  Brace yourself, it's quite the revelation.... Taking care of the kids is my J-O-B!  Crazy, I know, but I have only just fully realized what my new position is.  I was really tired the other day and wanted nothing more than for my husband to come home from work to help me with the kids.  And then it hit me like a bolt of lightning; he can't just leave work to take care of the kids any more than I can leave the kids to go help him at work.  He's at work!  I'm at work.  His job is to go out, do his job and bring home the bacon.  My job is to stay home with the kids and "manage the household".  When I was working in the lab, I couldn't just ask some one else to come in and take over for me.  It was my job.  The same goes for being a SAHM.  I can't resent my husband because he's not helping me do my job. 

There is something of a grey area here because he does need to be involved with the kids.  But now it's not his job to know when swim practice is, or to get them to a friends for a play date; it's mine.  I'm basically a nanny with benefits.  I cook for them, clean for them, make sure they are bathed and help with homework.  But I'm also a confidant, a boo-boo fixer, a costume maker and a playmate.  The kids get full time care, but from some one who loves them more than anything in the world.  

Being a SAHM is a difficult job, an often thankless job, but a great job.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Another con to being a SAHM

A very dear friend of mine, a friend who has helped me adjust to life as a SAHM, has moved.  Not across town or even across the state.  She's moved several states away.  She brought me lunch and a welcome home balloon on my first full day as a SAHM.  Even though she has seven kids of her own, she has always watched my kids for me any time I've needed it.  She's hung out with me on nights when I needed a "mommy time out" and always has an encouraging word when the kids are driving me insane.

Now she's gone.  Not really gone.  With technology the way it is these days I can text, chat, email or Facebook her any time I want.  I will definitely miss our long chats over ice cream or spinach dip. 

A newly recognized down side to being a SAHM is that it has become more difficult for me to leave town.  Now that I am the one watching the kids during the day, it would take a lot more planning for me to visit her.  Before, I could just go and my husband would pick the kids up at daycare.  Now he'd either have to stay home or find some one else to watch them.  Regardless, I will find a way to visit her whether she wants me or not.  Who knows, I might even be able to arrange a visit away from children!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Will wonders never cease

It has been a very long week.  A very, very long week.  I'm tired mentally and physically and just when I thought my children could not get any less grateful, I woke this morning to breakfast in bed!  I must include that not only was there breakfast in bed, but they let me sleep in!   To top it all off my husband was not home, so I know it wasn't his idea.  They were so excited and proud of themselves.  My oldest said they did it because I always make everything for them.  Super sweet and just what I needed.

Breakfast consisted of an untoasted English muffin, one half covered in peanut butter, the other in jelly, a bowl of milk-free mini wheats and a roll of mint Mentos.  The jelly covered English muffin was promptly spilled on my blanket; which is now in the wash and they were so hungry they finished the breakfast for me.  But I don't mind.  It really was nice to know that they may have noticed what it is I do for them.  I love my little goobers!