Someone asked me recently, "So what do you do all day now that you are a stay at home mom?"
I know! I know! All you stay at home's are like, "What the ^%$@?" But seriously, think back to when you were working or going to school and you saw people like me staying at home with kids. You were stressed back then too. It was just a different kind of stress (although I do feel like if I could just get a good nights sleep, I could conquer anything). I really remember thinking, that lady stays at home with her kids? What the heck is she doing all day? So here is a quick run down of a day with kids as a stay at home mom. I'm posting this for those of you who really wonder. If you wonder, you are not a stay at home mom so this is a warning if you are trying to get pregnant with dreams of watching soaps while you fold laundry in your perfectly pressed 50's dress.
12 am - Go to sleep
3:30 - Get up and give Cate a bottle, rock her, change her and head back to bed, on the couch because Andy is snoring and I'm not going to get back to sleep with that kind of noise.
5:00 - Move from couch to bed as Andy is now up and "on duty" for the kiddos.
8:30 - Get up, drag yourself from bed to coffee machine. Get coffee going if Andy hasn't, turn on Veggie Tales to entertain Abby while I get the kitchen cleaned and make some breakfast.
9:30 - Clean up breakfast after trying to get coffee in myself, rice cereal and formula in Cate and Cheerios in Abby. (I assume you are all aware of what a mess is made throughout each meal...)
10:30 - Maybe take a shower, usually with Abby. I never get into real clothes unless I'm going out somewhere. Get everyone dressed. Maybe do hair if we really have time.
11:00 - Fold laundry, clean up bathroom, put things away around the house all while being asked for milk, juice, help going potty and trying not to step on Cate who follows me around like a baby chicken.
12:00 - Make lunch, feed everyone, clean up lunch, put Cate down for a nap.
2:00 - Fall on the couch wishing that mommy's were required to have a nap time.
3:00 - Play with Abby, move laundry, hold Cate after she gets up from her nap as she sloshes formula all over everything while playing with/consuming a bottle.
4:00 - Start dinner, deal with snacks and juice and milk and more laundry all while trying not to burn anything.
5:00 - Feed everyone. Clean up after everyone.
6:00 - Start baths for kiddos. Brush their teeth while they try to eat the toothpaste. Get them, struggling, into their pj's. Read stories. Supply potty breaks, water and appropriate sleeping materials for each child. Most likely, Cate falls asleep here and wakes up again around 8:30 or 9.
8:00 - Watch what I want on TV for 30 minutes until Cate wakes up. Watch something that won't give her nightmares until 11pm while rocking her, feeding her and trying to get her to sleep. I'll admit that I get more calorie burn here than throughout the rest of the day as she's about 22 lbs. and she likes to be walked around. Weight training and aerobics all while watching black and white movies.
11:00 - Try and talk to Andy before I pass out.
And in between all of this, there is potty training and more laundry (I know you are thinking, "What's with all the laundry?" Kids don't make twice the laundry. They make 10 times the laundry because they are always spilling or peeing or pooping and it's just more than you care to deal with!) and cleaning up random spills and fishing things out of Cate's mouth that she has found on the floor and is attempting to choke on and holding kids who have bonked and need kisses. Not to mention that going out of the house is an ordeal in itself. You have to pack a suitcase of stuff. You can't fill a grocery cart with food if it has kids in it. You can't get through a store at all when you have to stop at the potty 3 times. It is fun but you are not your own. You are at the mercy of your children and all they may or may not be doing that day. It's a hard life but I like it.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Must Repeat
Heard this story and had to post it. Actually, she told me I had to post it. You have to read it with a Virginia accent out lout to get even part of the effect. Even then, the lady who told it had AWESOME comedic timing.
My OBGYN's son's name is Ryan. He's 5. For a Christmas present last year, he got a HUGE Nerf gun - one that has darts that are shot in rapid fire. It's as big as him. One day (right after the big snow storm that had us locked in our houses in NC for several days) he walked into the kitchen holding the giant gun between his legs. "Mama, my penis is stuck!"
She's like, "ARE YOU KIDDING?!" It was indeed stuck in the cartridge where you load the darts. Her and her husband tried everything to get the poor kids manhood out - Vaseline, gentle prodding. Nothing was working.
"Babe, we have to take him to the ER."
"We are NOT taking my son to the hospital where I work with a Nerf gun stuck to his... thing."
"What are we going to do? We can't leave it there. It's just going to get worse."
"I know!" the husband cried. "It's colder than it's ever been outside. Take him outside!"
She looked right at me and said, "Shrinkage saved my sons penis."
When she took him back inside, she asked, "Ryan, what possesed you to put your penis in that gun?"
He calmly explained, "Well, Mama, it looked like it would fit."
"The lesson here son is don't put your penis every where it looks like it will fit."
The father, passing by added, "Most of the time."
He learned NOTHING!
My OBGYN's son's name is Ryan. He's 5. For a Christmas present last year, he got a HUGE Nerf gun - one that has darts that are shot in rapid fire. It's as big as him. One day (right after the big snow storm that had us locked in our houses in NC for several days) he walked into the kitchen holding the giant gun between his legs. "Mama, my penis is stuck!"
She's like, "ARE YOU KIDDING?!" It was indeed stuck in the cartridge where you load the darts. Her and her husband tried everything to get the poor kids manhood out - Vaseline, gentle prodding. Nothing was working.
"Babe, we have to take him to the ER."
"We are NOT taking my son to the hospital where I work with a Nerf gun stuck to his... thing."
"What are we going to do? We can't leave it there. It's just going to get worse."
"I know!" the husband cried. "It's colder than it's ever been outside. Take him outside!"
She looked right at me and said, "Shrinkage saved my sons penis."
When she took him back inside, she asked, "Ryan, what possesed you to put your penis in that gun?"
He calmly explained, "Well, Mama, it looked like it would fit."
"The lesson here son is don't put your penis every where it looks like it will fit."
The father, passing by added, "Most of the time."
He learned NOTHING!
Friday, January 7, 2011
On the Road Again
Well, we are trying potty training again with Abby.
It's hard. I admit, I was the problem last time. I was in a really bad situation for potty training but I thought I could do it and not let circumstances dictate our time frame. I was wrong. We started potty training in February - Abby was almost 2. March, Cate was born. April, we decided to move FOR SURE. May, we packed up and went to my parents house. June, the car broke down on the way out to Colorado, we moved into my parents apartment, and Andy finally got off to Montana. July, a hard month of waiting and wondering what was going to happen in Montana. This is when I finally gave up on potty training Abby. She was having several accidents a day. I was breastfeeding an infant and trying to keep our lives contained in a tiny little room. My dad was sick and in and out of the hospital.
One day after the second poop in her pants, I got so mad that I just lost it. I went outside and screamed and cried. What was I doing wrong? Well, how is a kid supposed to learn something like potty training when they are distracted by a new baby, cousins, and parents/grandparents who are to distracted to give attention to this life changing lesson in her life? I ask you? What was I thinking? Anyway, it was traumatic for both of us.
This time, Andy discovered he had a few extra weeks before school stated again so he said he was going to train her. I laughed. I worked on training her for 5 months before and finally gave up. What did he think he was going to do in 2 weeks? He worked with her for 3 days. She's trained.
When he got a call that he was going to have to go back to work yesterday at the hospital for the whole day (today and the weekend also) I thought I was going to cry. I can't potty train this kid. But yesterday, she did everything on her own. Today she has done it all by herself again. I guess it was timing and that good old Adams patience that did it. I'm not going to say there will never be accidents again and we still have night training to go but, I think the worst is over. Rejoice with me, people. We may never have to buy another daytime pull-up again.
It's hard. I admit, I was the problem last time. I was in a really bad situation for potty training but I thought I could do it and not let circumstances dictate our time frame. I was wrong. We started potty training in February - Abby was almost 2. March, Cate was born. April, we decided to move FOR SURE. May, we packed up and went to my parents house. June, the car broke down on the way out to Colorado, we moved into my parents apartment, and Andy finally got off to Montana. July, a hard month of waiting and wondering what was going to happen in Montana. This is when I finally gave up on potty training Abby. She was having several accidents a day. I was breastfeeding an infant and trying to keep our lives contained in a tiny little room. My dad was sick and in and out of the hospital.
One day after the second poop in her pants, I got so mad that I just lost it. I went outside and screamed and cried. What was I doing wrong? Well, how is a kid supposed to learn something like potty training when they are distracted by a new baby, cousins, and parents/grandparents who are to distracted to give attention to this life changing lesson in her life? I ask you? What was I thinking? Anyway, it was traumatic for both of us.
This time, Andy discovered he had a few extra weeks before school stated again so he said he was going to train her. I laughed. I worked on training her for 5 months before and finally gave up. What did he think he was going to do in 2 weeks? He worked with her for 3 days. She's trained.
When he got a call that he was going to have to go back to work yesterday at the hospital for the whole day (today and the weekend also) I thought I was going to cry. I can't potty train this kid. But yesterday, she did everything on her own. Today she has done it all by herself again. I guess it was timing and that good old Adams patience that did it. I'm not going to say there will never be accidents again and we still have night training to go but, I think the worst is over. Rejoice with me, people. We may never have to buy another daytime pull-up again.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Photographer in the Making
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| Cate |
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| Abby loves Christmas just for the paper! |
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| Daddy |
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| Mommy |
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| Learning to take pictures of herself (just a neck this time.) |
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| Sebbie |
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| Davy |
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| Uncle Josh |
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| Daddy teaching Abby to take pictures of herself. |
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| Mommy and Cate |
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| Sebbie and Abby figuring out the camera. |
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| Cate... again. |
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| Grandpa... almost. |
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| Grammy doing her favorite thing. Sleeping. |
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| Sisters. |
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Ever Changing Perspective
As I have stated before, my opinion changes with each passing day. My opinion of things... all things. Children change you. Before I had kids, I was a reasonable human being who could conquer anything and could have since I was born. I didn't need my parents. I was totally self-sufficient.
I remember being in the movies and seeing a couple who had just met about to kiss. My mom always yelled out (in the theater!), "Don't do it!" She covered our eyes (even as teenagers and young adults) when there was nudity in a movie! She commented EVERY TIME that sex before marriage was stupid. I thought she was nuts.
Then I had kids and I realized that my parents were always there, influencing me, challenging me, making me a better person. I felt the heavy responsibility of doing this for another human being. When Abby was first born, I was a perfect parent. I knew exactly what I was going to do in every situation and there would be no backing down, no mind changing, no confusion. Just swift, reasonable discapline.
Then she said her first words ("Mommy, I want to be a princess!") and I knew I was screwed. You never know what you are going to do in a situation until it arises and then you still don't know. That's what time outs were made for. You can just send them to their room until you have come up with a better plan... maybe. Or you can just let them off with a warning.
So the other day, Abby had a sippy cup with Disney's Ariel on it. She commented, "Mommy, this princess is naked." After a good laugh, I realized I am noticing more and more of what the media is teaching my baby. When I was a little girl, I watched those movies over and over and just now I'm realizing what they were telling me:
1. 16 is the age when you should start looking for a mate. REALLY?! 16!!! No wonder teen pregnancy is so prevalent.
2. If you've got it, flaunt it. Bikini's are normal every day attire. HA! This is totally reinforced by Hollister, Abercrombie and Fitch and a host of other mall-rat stores.
3. If you want to know if he loves you so, it's in his kiss. Really? It's not in his character or behavior or track record? No wonder divorce is so prevalent.
Now I'm not saying that every kid who watches a princess movie is going to be a single, skankily dressed teen mom. What I am saying is that I notice things now that I'm a mom and I don't know if I want my baby getting the messages I'm getting. Disney princesses are totally losing their appeal for me.
Abby loves Veggie Tales. They have princess stories too. Sweet Pea Beauty and Princess Petunia portray princesses who don't care about the outward appearance (which I will admit is easy for "her" to say as she is the prettiest vegetable I've ever seen...) but care about what's inside. When I stopped by Focus on the Family on my way back from Christmas, I saw a little girl walking from the bookstore with a Sweet Pea Beauty plush character. I went inside and found a host of princess products. I want my little girl to be able to love being a princess. I want her to play dress up and enjoy glittery things but I also want her to get the right message. You are God's princess. You are Daddy's princess. You are special and unique just the way you are and nothing on the outside will change that. It's what's inside that counts. I bought the Sweet Pea Princess and plan to get her the castle and characters that go with it. She loves it.
I hope that I can teach my babies values that make a difference in their lives. I know that I will not always be able to shield them from everything in this world, but I want to be the bigger influence. Someday I'm sure she will be watching The Little Mermaid and I'll be saying, "16! Are you kidding me?! Abby, you are NOT getting married at 16 so just forget about it!" And she'll think I'm crazy but maybe, just maybe, she will secretly think I'm great!
I remember being in the movies and seeing a couple who had just met about to kiss. My mom always yelled out (in the theater!), "Don't do it!" She covered our eyes (even as teenagers and young adults) when there was nudity in a movie! She commented EVERY TIME that sex before marriage was stupid. I thought she was nuts.
Then I had kids and I realized that my parents were always there, influencing me, challenging me, making me a better person. I felt the heavy responsibility of doing this for another human being. When Abby was first born, I was a perfect parent. I knew exactly what I was going to do in every situation and there would be no backing down, no mind changing, no confusion. Just swift, reasonable discapline.
Then she said her first words ("Mommy, I want to be a princess!") and I knew I was screwed. You never know what you are going to do in a situation until it arises and then you still don't know. That's what time outs were made for. You can just send them to their room until you have come up with a better plan... maybe. Or you can just let them off with a warning.
So the other day, Abby had a sippy cup with Disney's Ariel on it. She commented, "Mommy, this princess is naked." After a good laugh, I realized I am noticing more and more of what the media is teaching my baby. When I was a little girl, I watched those movies over and over and just now I'm realizing what they were telling me:
1. 16 is the age when you should start looking for a mate. REALLY?! 16!!! No wonder teen pregnancy is so prevalent.
2. If you've got it, flaunt it. Bikini's are normal every day attire. HA! This is totally reinforced by Hollister, Abercrombie and Fitch and a host of other mall-rat stores.
3. If you want to know if he loves you so, it's in his kiss. Really? It's not in his character or behavior or track record? No wonder divorce is so prevalent.
Now I'm not saying that every kid who watches a princess movie is going to be a single, skankily dressed teen mom. What I am saying is that I notice things now that I'm a mom and I don't know if I want my baby getting the messages I'm getting. Disney princesses are totally losing their appeal for me.
Abby loves Veggie Tales. They have princess stories too. Sweet Pea Beauty and Princess Petunia portray princesses who don't care about the outward appearance (which I will admit is easy for "her" to say as she is the prettiest vegetable I've ever seen...) but care about what's inside. When I stopped by Focus on the Family on my way back from Christmas, I saw a little girl walking from the bookstore with a Sweet Pea Beauty plush character. I went inside and found a host of princess products. I want my little girl to be able to love being a princess. I want her to play dress up and enjoy glittery things but I also want her to get the right message. You are God's princess. You are Daddy's princess. You are special and unique just the way you are and nothing on the outside will change that. It's what's inside that counts. I bought the Sweet Pea Princess and plan to get her the castle and characters that go with it. She loves it.
I hope that I can teach my babies values that make a difference in their lives. I know that I will not always be able to shield them from everything in this world, but I want to be the bigger influence. Someday I'm sure she will be watching The Little Mermaid and I'll be saying, "16! Are you kidding me?! Abby, you are NOT getting married at 16 so just forget about it!" And she'll think I'm crazy but maybe, just maybe, she will secretly think I'm great!
FUNNY!
I found this HILARIOUS! I almost peed my pants reading it! Check it out.
11 Step Program to See if You are Ready to Handle Children. (Laura Shetley, you totally qualify as a part time parent as you put up with most of this jut being my friend.)
11 Step Program to See if You are Ready to Handle Children. (Laura Shetley, you totally qualify as a part time parent as you put up with most of this jut being my friend.)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
It's a New Day
I heard a story once about a man who smoked. He was addicted. He asked his pastor one day, "How do I give this up? I know it's killing me but I love it."
The pastor said, "How did you start?"
"One day, I just picked up a cigarette and started smoking. It didn't take long for me to love it."
The pastor suggested, "Today, don't start." It's not about stopping. It's about not starting.
Today is a new day. What are you not going to start?
I'm going to eat healthier. I have been working on this for a while so it's not like I'm starting something totally new. I have eliminated soda (which used to be a problem). I'm slowing down on the caffine alot. I used to live on coffee but I'm down to one cup (8 oz.) a day. I have also just stopped buying things that I eat as snacks throughout the day that were helping me to pack on the lbs. like Little Debbies (yummy...) and stuff like that. If I don't buy it, I can't eat it! Well, now I'm going to see how "naturally" I can eat. How much chemical crud can I cut out? How many raw fruits, vegetables and nuts can I eat to fill me up? Can I get back to the Daniel diet? We'll see. I'll log whats good about this plan. I'll also warn about what's hard.
Don't think I believe this is going to be easy. My biggest problem is CHEESE! I love cheese but frankly, it's terrible for you. It's all fat. The fat overrides whatever good qualities it may have. And don't tell me we need fat in our diet. There is plenty of natural fat that is already perfectly balanced in things like avocados and nuts.We'll see how much this logic helps me when I have a craving for my famous macaroni and cheese. Had vegan pizza last night from Papa Murphy's and it was wonderful!
The pastor said, "How did you start?"
"One day, I just picked up a cigarette and started smoking. It didn't take long for me to love it."
The pastor suggested, "Today, don't start." It's not about stopping. It's about not starting.
Today is a new day. What are you not going to start?
I'm going to eat healthier. I have been working on this for a while so it's not like I'm starting something totally new. I have eliminated soda (which used to be a problem). I'm slowing down on the caffine alot. I used to live on coffee but I'm down to one cup (8 oz.) a day. I have also just stopped buying things that I eat as snacks throughout the day that were helping me to pack on the lbs. like Little Debbies (yummy...) and stuff like that. If I don't buy it, I can't eat it! Well, now I'm going to see how "naturally" I can eat. How much chemical crud can I cut out? How many raw fruits, vegetables and nuts can I eat to fill me up? Can I get back to the Daniel diet? We'll see. I'll log whats good about this plan. I'll also warn about what's hard.
Don't think I believe this is going to be easy. My biggest problem is CHEESE! I love cheese but frankly, it's terrible for you. It's all fat. The fat overrides whatever good qualities it may have. And don't tell me we need fat in our diet. There is plenty of natural fat that is already perfectly balanced in things like avocados and nuts.We'll see how much this logic helps me when I have a craving for my famous macaroni and cheese. Had vegan pizza last night from Papa Murphy's and it was wonderful!
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