A Day in the Life of a Stay at Home Mom

For some reason, the majority of the world is under the impression that stay at home moms have it made. What could be better than staying home all day long? When someone asks me where I work, I tell them that I am a stay at home mom and that seems to become a converstaion starter. People assume that I just because I do not work outside of my home, I do not work at all. Not true, definitely not true. Since becoming a stay at home mother of two precious boys, I have never worked harder in my life. The main difference now though is that I do not get the normal "perks" that others get when they work outside of the home. Do I get paid vacations or sick days? No. I do not get to go home at 5 pm each day. My day does not start at the same time each day and I do not have the weekends to look forward to at the end of a rough week. For me, my "perks" come in other forms. Hearing my children laugh, learn and squeal in delight are the best perks. Of course, I would not change my life for anything, but next time you say that stay at home moms do not work, please think of me!

Do you hear that? Don't worry, that's just the baby crying to eat breakfast at 6 am. Wait a second, before I sit down to feed the baby I need to get a diaper for him and a change of clothes to begin our day. And so the day begins. After the diaper change, I sit down and nurse the baby and make a mental note of the "to-do" list and set the schedule for the day. Sometimes there are just not enough hours in a day. After feeding the baby and cleaning him back up, my happy two year old comes out of his room. "Mommy, mommy!" A little cuddling and some good morning hugs is the best way to start the day. Then, it is off to the kitchen to pour him some milk in a cup-only to find out that he wanted apple juice this morning. After making cinnamon rolls, oatmeal, muffins, panckaes, waffles, eggs or some other type of breakfast food the day really gets fun!

It is time to start the laundry, unload the dishwasher, sterilize bottles, clean the bathrooms, vacuum the floors, sanitize the toys and clean up the breakfast mess. We need to go to the grocery store today and the sheets on the beds need to be changed. I need to be home around noon for lunch and naps. My "to-do" list is growing by the minute as my husband calls and needs me to contact his barber for an appointment. Thanks for reminding me, bills are due today and I need to get them paid so that we don't get any disconnections. But wait, do you hear that? The baby is crying again and needs my attention just as I begin to start the work on the chores that needed to get done. His diaper needs changed again and the two year old needs to change from his pajamas into his daytime clothes. Fortunately, he can change his own clothes. Diaper is changed, time to get the housework started.

Whew, it is already almost 9 am and what I have done? I have nursed the baby and it is time to do it again! I have made homemade blueberry muffins and my two year old has been fed and changed. I have one load of laundry into the washer and one that needs to be folded. I have changed two diapers and gotten the baby dressed for the day.

I give my two year old a pack of play doh and some cookie cutters at the table and I go back to nurse the baby. Sitting back down nursing the baby, my "to-do" list pops back into view in my head. What a list! I have crossed off a few items and still have several things left to do. Perhaps I can get them done at naptime today if everyone cooperates. Oh, you thought I rested during naptime or sat down and had my lunch break? No, no not usually.

After nursing the baby again, it is time to help clean up the play doh crations and then I throw my hair into a ponytail and get the kids in the car. It is off to the grocery store and then home in time for lunch. After the grocery store and lunch, it is almost 1 pm. Most of the world just took a nice lunch break, yet I have not even eaten breakfast today! Some days there are just too many things to do and I forget about myself! It is time to attempt to put the kids down for nap and of course, some days are better than others. About half of the time I am able to get both the baby and my two year old down for a nap at the same time.

During naptime, I finish up the dishes from breakfast and lunch, prepare dinner, swap out the laundry and attempt to do the rest of the housework. Just then, I realize I needed to call to make my dear husband an appointment at the barber shop. Check, check-take a few items off of my list and continue. Shortly after taking a quick breather and looking over the failry clean house, kids are waking up from naps.

It is time for a quick snack break for the two year old and nursing for the baby. After everyone is changed, fed and happy again our afternoon begins. Most afternoons are filled with playtime, crafts, storytime and outside play. Some days are spent making cookies for daddy or birthday cakes for Dora the Explorer! As the afternoon flies by, it is time to yet again nurse the baby and make sure that dinner is ready to be on the table when our hardworking husband and father returns from work. What a gift he has given me to be able to stay home and enjoy our children's every minutes!

After dinner, it is time for a quick kitchen clean-up while daddy plays with the kids, toy pick up and then our day is done. It is time for baths, teeth brushing, pajamas, stories and bedtime. Oh, and of course, a nighttime feeding for the baby. After the kids are in bed, I rethink the day and well, most days my list continues to the next day. That is okay, I would not change it for the world. I got to see my children laugh and learn today. Wait, now I need to take a shower and brush my teeth! :)