A day in the life of a stay at home mom...

I love being a stay at home mom. Simple as that. I get a lot of "well, don't you want a career?", "he'd be fine with someone else watching him", etc etc. But it's my calling, it's who I am to my core and I couldn't/wouldn't change my job. Also, let my preface this post by saying.. I know not everyone can afford or want to be a SAHM. I get that. Just like I want to be here with Legree, some mom's want to be an office. I get that and that's what works for you. I don't think this job is for everyone AT ALL! Not everyone can be heart surgeons, or teachers or construction workers or nurses... so not everyone can be SAHMs either.

Being a SAHM is not all play dates, shopping all day or watching TV all day. It's tough work! I was in the working world for A LONG TIME before I became a stay at home mom. I've worked in several offices, in different capacities for different jobs. None of them came close to this. Is there times when I look around and say "What do we do next to pass the time??" You betcha! That's part of what makes it hard. We don't watch TV all day (usually two 30 minute shows a day is what Legree gets and that's while I cook breakfast and supper). Although, some days are 90 miles an hour and I don't have time to stop or sit down b/c we have too much to do!

We aren't wealthy people (contrary to popular believe that all SAHM husbands are making some big money). Ben makes good money and we are good with alloting money where we need it and being VERY careful with EVERY dollar. That's how we manage on one income, not because we are wealthy and just can. It's a sacrifice, it's a struggle... it's worth it! Since we are one income and not wealthy Legree and I can't go out shopping and spending money on this or that. Our activities have to be FREE! So, you have to get a little creative when it comes to what do in the house, around the house or near by the house that's free. I'm getting better at it. Especially as he gets older and needs more stimulation then just sitting and reading books on the floor all day. We have fun, we laugh, we play, we run around the house, we cook, we clean, we read books, we go outside and play with the dog,we do whatever we can find that needs to be done and/or looks like fun!

So, for those of you wondering what a day looks like at home, this is it...


7:20 Legree wakes up crying for his paci
7:25 Roll myself out of bed and go get him, I can't find his paci either.
7:30 Still can't find paci... oh well, he's supposed to be giving it up anyways
7:32 Turn on Barney and sit on the couch with Legree. He asks me for his cakes (pancakes). Ohh yeah, food.. forgot!
7:35 Start breakfast, mix up pancake batter, and start the frying pan going. Legree is fussing at my feet for his cakes
7:45 Cooking away and Legree is still begging. Give him a yougurt instead till the pancakes are done
8:15 Ate breakfast... now clean up all the syrup all over Legree's chair.
8:30 Finally the syrup is gone.. clean up all the dishes and clean kitchen (while Legree begs to help or gets under foot)
9:15 Done cleaning kitchen, getting everything put away etc. Legree wants to read books. OK...
9:30 After pulling every book he has off the nicely organized shelf he decided he didn't want to read any of them.
9:45 Cleaned up books, make bed... Legree sees his swing out the window and wants to go WEE HIGH! Finish making up the bed, get myself and Legree dressed.
10:00 Dad called and wants us to come over. Go outside to play.
10:30 Come back in from going outside to swing and dodge all the dog poop in the back yard.
11:00 All cleaned up, changed and ready to go to Grandparents house, Legree needs a MAJOR diaper change. Great.
11:15 Arrive at parents. Take Legree outside there to play.
12:00 Inside, Legree and dad play. I cook lunch over there.
1:00 Done eating lunch. Legree tells Grandma and Papa all his news words and tricks from the week. Plays with all their toys and runs around entertaining us. Add in several diaper changes and clothes changes because he eats a lot so he poops a lot... and he's a boy so he gets dirty, OFTEN!
1:45 Leave mom and dad's because Legree is an hour past nap time.
2:00 Carry sleeping baby boy in and put him down for nap. Check facebook/email/blog 2:30 Look around at the mess of toys from earlier in the morning. Decide to wait till later to deal with that. Clean up our bedroom.
245 Watch an episode of Grey's Anatomy (hey, everyone gets a break at your work, I do too. I just have more freedom on what I do with mine).
4:00 Start a load of laundry, fold clothes left in the dryer from a few days ago. 4:30 Check FB/email/blog again (yes I'm obsessed).
4:45 Walk around aimlessly and see what all needs to be done, like clean out our closet etc. Decide I have no time b/c Legree will be up any minute.
4:47 Research recipes online to figure out what's for dinner because I forgot to take anything out of the freezer. Decide on a yummy looking quiche that I happen to have everything for.
5:00 Legree wakes up and in is in a BAD mood. Turn on Barney so I can get supper ready, he screams when I walk away. Sit back down.
5:02. Get back up and start supper. Legree keeps fussing...
5:15 Daddy calls and says he won't be home till 6. Great, cooking supper with no extra hands. OK, not fun but i got it.
5:30 Get quiche in oven. And realize I probbly need something else to go with it. 5:32 Legree gets off couch and throws a temper tantrum to go outside. I put him in time out and watch him scream for 10 minutes.
5:42 Give Legree some Tylenol because he says his teeth hurt and that's probably why he's in a bad mood.
5:50 Ask Legree if he wants to help me make a cake. He goes nuts and is SO excited. I try to decide if I've gone crazy.
6:00 Daddy comes home, Legree squels and dances and forgets our cake.
6:10 Legree comes back to the cake and we mix it up and get it in the pan without any major mess. Pure luck.
6:15 Ben takes Legree outside so I can finish supper.
6:45 Supper is finally on the table (only 45 mins after normal time, oh well). Call the boys in and feel like I'm in Leave it to Beaver.
7:20 Finish supper, clean up Legree and kitchen. Wash dishes so I don't have to do them in the morning.
7:50 Play with my men (my favorite time of day). And hear about daddy's day at work and we fill him in on what we did.
8:05 Ben takes Legree to get a bath. Legree insists I come too (my only quiet time alone, but okay I'm coming).
8:35 Get Legree ready for bed, PJs on, sing songs while we get dressed
8:40 Read Jesus bedtime stories with Legree, say our prayers, drink milk and put Legree to bed (40 minutes later then normal, whoops!).

There you go... that's my normal 12 or more hour long work day. After Legree goes to bed I normally watch TV with Ben, or seperately if we've got somethingwe want to watch that the other doesn't care to see. Some nights I clean the kitchen after he goes to bed. Some nights I sew. Most nights I get my shower in after he goes to bed. There is just no good way to shower with a toddler in your house by yourself! That's asking for trouble! Most days also don't include trips to my parents house. They didn't get to see Legree this weekend, so that was an extra trip. That time is normally spent playing with playdoh, putting away clothes, painting something, coloring, looking at pictures of tractors or pumpkins on the internet, trying to learn colors/numbers/words, sliding down his slide in his room, going to buy groceries etc. Every day varies but it's all crazy, busy, creative and fun! It's hard, it's lonely being with a 2 year old all day. I don't have much to talk about because it's not very exciting to anyone but me. But it's my job, it's my life, it's my child and I LOVE IT!