WARNING: I do not proof read..my writing is raw…I usually don’t get a lot of time to do this and most certainly not enough to proof it, that being said if it bothers you when things are not proofed save yourselves the headache and skip this post!
Wow! Let me just say I’ve been working on this post for awhile and I guess if you are reading it I am finally publishing it! Staying at home with my sweet babies has always been on my heart and something I felt called to do. I knew it wouldn’t always be easy, we wouldn’t have the best of the best “stuff”, I would not be able to be “trendy”, but the memories I would make and cherish would make all the sacrificing worth it..well worth it! Let me tell you there are some days when Walker walks in and I look at him covered in puke, poop, spit up, dirt, etc and I say “not sure staying home requires a masters degree..what do you think?” and my sweet hubby says no, but you sure do make staying home look so sweet! Most days I have great times despite what ever is “thrown” at me and I sure can’t be more grateful to my sweet husband for not only being on board with me staying at home as well as being such a supporter in the good and not so good days.
Several people have asked me lately how in the world did you make the transition from crazy workaholic 60-70 hours a week with three different jobs to a SAHM. Well…it was just that a transition. The first year is crazy with feeding and learning a newborn and I feel like it just kind of happened along with a few bumps in the road. I made several ridiculous spread sheets about his sleeping patterns, eating,etc and then one day after many worrisome days I just got it. I quite wearing my watch, quite worrying about patterns and just let the day that I was in be my only concern. I’m not going to lie, many tears were shed to get to through this process but now I just look back and smile and say it was just how I got to who I am today! You see when I worked I wrote down every minute of my day..I had to prove my productivity to the BIG folks and that is how we did it…going from that to at home all day every day was a HUGE adjustment, but one I was ready for and one I had been praying for, for a long time. I made it my own. I do have my children on a sleep schedule, they have bedtimes, naptimes and meal times, but all times are flexible (even though some might tell you they aren’t!) and all times are ours…and that is what matters! Each day, month, year that passes I feel my self letting go and little more and believe it or not I feel freeier with each release.As I mentioned before many sacrifices are made so that I can continue doing what I do, but in no way will I ever regret making memories with my babies, I believe with out a doubt I would regret having money to buy whatever we wanted because stuff is quickly forgotten!
I mean who will ever forget moments like these:
I quite my gym membership when Emerson was born so that I could work out at home and she wouldn’t be in the gym nursery amidst all the nastiness while mouthing everything and crawling on the floor, etc, etc…I’ve gained a three year old trainer that says stuff like don’t stop now mom you need to get stronger, or do other mommies work out every day, you need to too, is that tough mommy, are you sweating mommy, we do that in my gymnastics class mommy, its easy! Pretty sure I am gaining a whole new perspective on my workouts!
Playing puppy…I’m hooked up by my belt loops being lead around by my three year old on my hands and knees woof woofing for whatever I need…I know when you get this mental picture it is hilarious! BTW he leads me around with two pairs of handcuffs or a purse handle, or pretty much anything he can find! He says things to me like talk to me puppy, or if he’s the puppy he will say, “say something to your puppy.” Now I don’t know about you, but this is tough. Our imaginations leave us earlier and earlier these days with all the technology at our hands and sometimes I am just lost with no words…blieve it, it happens!
Working at the fire station…with my three year old…wearing a 3-6 year old police outfit with a hard hat, and a walkie talkie and a baby on my hip! Who knew my bed would become a hook and ladder truck, his bed the pumper truck, and his closet our office. He looks at me with all seriousness at meals and says “I’m so sorry but I can’t eat I've gotta go work and so do you! Our boss is calling us and he is mad,” while wearing a construction vest, a hard hat, and holding a walkie talkie. How would you respond? Or when you ask him to do something, or go somewhere and he responds with “mommy I am working today so I must stay here, Jake will be mad if I leave.” (Sam, Sammy, Jake and frank are all our coworkers…)
Pretending we have a pet horse named noli…This horse was given to D as a 1 year bday present but has made a reappearance with vengeance! He has a name, he goes to the doctor, gets fed, etc. There are times when D is unable to leave, eat, etc because of all his responsibilities to this horse….again how do you argue with this?
or sayings like this….
Mommy I’m going to marry my sister.
Mommy thanks for getting me my sister. She is my present from you and daddy and I really love her!
Mommy did we just wreck. Mommy are you going over the speed limit?
Mommy did you know God and Jesus are our king?
Mommy do you think that house is like the tower of babel?
Mommy what do you think Uncle's doing in heaven right now?
Mommy were God in Jesus in heaven first and then Uncle?
Mommy this is the best Christmas ever, but I am a little disappointed in….
Mommy what do you think ____ (we know a lot of people pregnant right now) baby is doing in their belly right now?
Mommy can we go to the hospital when ms. LA’s baby comes out?
the list goes on and on and on
I guess my point to all my words is staying at home works for me. There are good days and bad, but the good totally outweigh he bad ones. There are sacrifices but they never make me doubt our decision for me to be at home. I will use my degree and get paid for it one day..I use it all day now, just no paycheck, but never in the same capacity I did before. I want to attend class parties, take my kids to and from school, etc. I am blessed! I start things like playgroups, play dates, etc so my kids get the most of our time at home. We take trips to the zoo, library, park, fire stations, we do crafts/activities and we love meeting new friends. I meet with other SAHM and love getting insight/tips from them about things to do, places to go, etc. I am busy just a whole new busy..one that doesn’t require a watch, just an imagination!
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