Yesterday while waiting for our appointment at Jack‘s pediatricians office I got into a conversation with their “super-sweet” receptionist, Annette. She asked me, “Do you work outside the home also”? Not, “so do you work”? We then got into a lengthy discussion about how many working women, most of them without kids, don’t consider being a Stay-at-home-mom, a “real” job. As you have probably figured out by now, I beg to differ!
So what does a day in the life of a stay at home mom look like? Well, I start out the day by sleeping in late, and getting to enjoy a leisurely breakfast followed by a leisurely shower. Sounds nice uh?! Get real! Don’t get me wrong. I am NOT complaining, or even saying that my job is harder than anyone else. I would not trade being able to stay at home with Jack for anything. As Rob says, I would most likely end up in therapy if Jack were in daycare. This would be caused by my constant worrying all day! Is he crying? Is he hungry? Is he getting the attention he needs? Is he sitting in a dirty diaper? Yes, I am that mom, and I am proud of it! This little boy means the world to me, and I feel so lucky every single day to be his caretaker and mom!
So what does our day look like? Or, my “job”?
Starting between 6-7 a.m. he wakes, usually in a VERY good mood! I walk into see this little, beautiful smiling face looking up at me, and I love it! We head down to get a bottle, which I usually make one- handed because he is still waking up and is not ready to be put on the floor to play yet. Jack has his bottle as we cuddle and talk. About 30 min later I get to eat my breakfast, which is now a protein shake because drinking your breakfast is much easier when you are also trying to entertain a baby while eating. Jack plays for a while, which includes me making sure he doesn’t put anything odd in his mouth, squeeze one of the animals to hard, fall over while holding onto something while trying to stand-up, ect. Then he eats his solid food breakfast, which he now tends to eat more of if he is able to watch Sesame Street while doing so! You say bad mom? I say, if it gets the kid to eat his solids! After breakfast we change diaper, which he now loves to squirm all around while doing. This of course makes it pretty interesting, and quite the task! Imagine putting a diaper on a small puppy, while try to entertain him at the same time so he will be still! We are now headed up to change for our morning walk. I put Jack on the floor with a toy, which sometimes works, and sometimes he wants to be held. So I put on my shirt, pick him up for a bit, and then we both sit on the floor while he plays with my tennis shoe while I am trying to put it on, but hey it’s entertainment! Then I change his outfit, which takes a while because sometimes he just doesn’t feel like changing or wearing a sweater for that matter. I sing to him, and entertain him while trying to also get him into the change of clothes. We head down stairs; I get my phone, water bottle, ect, all while holding him. Finally we are off! Get back from our walk, give him a bottle, he falls asleep for morning nap. I run and jump in the shower, because who knows if he will wake-up while I am in there or not. So I shower quickly, dress quickly, and no there is not time for blow drying the hair or putting on make-up. Now I need to eat something, wash bottles, clean up the house, fold some laundry, and get ready for him to wake-up!
He wakes; we change the diaper which is another battle of “pinning the diaper on the baby”. Go down to get a bottle which I make one handed again. Try and feed him while he is watching the more entering animals. We go outside and play, come inside and play, time to then fix his lunch and mine. Feed him, while also trying to eat depending on whether I got to eat while he was napping.
Now it’s time to get ready to run some errands, AKA get out of the house for a bit! Hmm, where should we go today that we can get to, and out of in about an hour, so I can get Jack home for his afternoon nap at 2:30? Oh, and we want to be in the car headed home by about 1:45 or else he will take a cat nap in the car and will be ready to roll once we arrive home, which also means no mental break for mom!
Ok, now pack the diaper bag, also one handed ( Have I mentioned jack now weighs 21 lbs?) which includes, making a bottle to-go, re-filling wipes, making sure we have a toy and putting the BOB in the car ( which also weights about 40 lbs! no sweat, right!?). Get Jack in his car seat, diaper bag in, and we are set! Arrive at our destination; grab cart liner, diaper bag, and Jack. Or BOB, diaper bag, and Jack, depending on the place. If using a cart fumble with cart liner to put it in place while holding jack. Half way through trip Jack no longer wishes to sit in the cart I of course I pick him up while pushing the cart.
Check out, get everything back in the car and head home. Back home get everything out of the car while holding Jack, give Jack a bottle and he goes down for last nap. OH! Just kidding… he decides he doesn’t wish to take his last nap today. No break for mommy until jack goes to bed now! New game plan! Time to think of ways to entertain him for the next 5 hours! We read books, play with the animals, go outside, make a few more bottles, have a solid food snack, watch sesame street video he LOVES for the millionth time ( I know all the words!) and around 5 head out to take our dog Gracie for a walk. Now imagine pushing a stroller, while walking a dog who doesn’t walk in a straight line…oh yes, fun fun! Around this time I start texting daddy, to see when he is going to be leaving work for today…because mommy has not had a break all day! That’s right at this point I have been going full steam ahead since about 6:30 a.m. that’s 12 hours and counting…and you think your day is long. Mine is not even over yet!
Get back from our walk feed Jack dinner play some more, and start getting Jack ready for bath around 6:45. The garage door opens HAAAA! Music to my ears daddy is home!! J Continue bathing jack, while talking with daddy about his day! Get Jack into his jammies, read a book, feed a bottle and he is down for the night around 7:30-8.
So now I get to relax while my wonderful husband makes us dinner! This lasts about 30-40 min, and then it’s time to fold some more laundry, wash someone bottles, pick up the house and generally get ready for the next day! The next thing I know its 9p.m. and it’s time to hit the bed, because Jack will more than likely wake-up at least once in the middle of the night with a wet diaper, and needing a bottle!
So that’s a pretty typical day. But of course, there are always variations but you get the just of it. HAAA! So, yes! To all the stay-at-home-moms out there! Kudos!
No comments:
Post a Comment