A few people (hopefully nobody who reads this blog) have suggested that as a stay-at-home mom, having all sorts of “free time”, I ought to be doing ______ (fill in the blank). I think they assume that I sit in front of the television and eat bon-bons all day. (Oh, wait, that’s what I’m supposed to be doing?) Anyway, after one such conversation, my self esteem plummeted, and I ate several Dove dark chocolate eggs while awaiting notification that I’d won the “World’s Worst Wife and Mother” award.
So, I decided to track a day in my life to see what I actually do. After seeing it all written down, I can’t imagine why I don’t have time to do the things various people think I ought to be doing. All sarcasm aside, if my parents didn’t live next door I’d be in very sorry shape right now.
If you want to see all the stuff I did today, read on…
1:27 AM: awaken to screaming baby. pick up baby. rock baby.
1:29 AM: give up and bring baby to bed.
4:52 AM: feed baby.
6:30 AM: wake up to alarm. transfer baby back to crib. take dogs out. feed dogs. check email.
7:10 AM: shower. dress. get laundry and trash together.
7:24 AM: take out trash. start laundry.
7:33 AM: pick up wakey baby. change diaper. feed baby.
8:05 AM: eat breakfast. play with baby.
8:53 AM: change diaper. feed baby. try to get baby to nap.
9:43 AM: finally get baby to sleep. move laundry. crochet in front of Tivo.
10:49 AM: pick up baby. change diaper. feed baby.
11:15 AM: baby needs another diaper change. (uh-oh. first dirty diaper in three days.)
11:17 AM: oh, sh*t, diaper leaked.
11:18 AM: worst. blowout. ever.
11:20 AM: give baby bath.
11:30 AM: dress baby. scrub onesie. change crib (puddles of spit-up). fold first load of baby laundry. start another load of baby laundry.
12:15 PM: play with baby.
1:00 PM: take dogs out.
1:05 PM: feed baby.
1:46 PM: try to transfer sleeping baby to crib.
1:47 PM: pick baby back up.
1:52 PM: eat lunch.
2:15 PM: make bottle.*
2:18 PM: play with baby.
2:45 PM: change diaper. take dogs out. take baby for walk around the block, end up at Grandma’s.
3:30 PM: attempt to get baby to take bottle.*
3:47 PM: try sippy cup.*
4:00 PM: give up and feed baby.
4:15 PM: put sleeping baby in pack & play at Grandma’s. go to Target to buy different bottles.*
5:27 PM: return to Grandma’s. play with baby.
6:30 PM: change diaper. feed baby.
6:45 PM: eat dinner (thank you, mom!)
7:00 PM: leave baby with Grandma. go home to feed and let out dogs. quickly wash and sterilize new bottles and pump.*
7:15 PM: head back to Grandma’s. play with baby. change diaper.
9:15 PM: return home. change diaper. change baby into pajamas. feed baby.
9:40 PM: take dogs out.
10:00 PM: pump. take milk out of freezer to thaw overnight.*
10:40 PM: blog. watch Tivo. attempt to stay awake.
11:15 PM: take dogs out. check on baby. get ready for bed.
11:23 PM: fall into bed. realize laundry isn’t folded. ignore until morning.
* Due to the show being so close and the rehearsals getting longer, I needed to leave a bottle with my parents last night for Carrie. She refused it. She’s taken bottles before, so I thought it was a fluke. Nope – she wouldn’t take it today, either. Hopefully she’ll take the new bottle tomorrow night, or she’s going to have to go 6 hours until I get home.
I had someone call me to do a big volunteer job when my boys were little. She said they were asking stay at home moms because they had so much more time. Guess whether I helped at all??? People were forever asking me if I was bored. As soon as they entered kindergarden, they asked when I was going back to work, now that they didn’t “need” me all the time anymore. When monkeys fly out of my butt, that’s when!
But at least you have the cutest baby in the world to play with!
My mum was a stay at home mum, and I can really appreciate the extra time I got to spend with her. In this day and age, not many people can afford to be stay at homes, so I think you’re doing a great job. I’m sure Caroline will remember it and cherish the closer relationship she’ll have with you.
Free time? Is that some kind of joke? Are they insane? When I was a stay at home mom there were days that I didn’t have time to take a shower and usually ate cheerios because they didn’t involve cooking time. I remember when I went back to work it was so nice to be able to rest. Yes, I went back to work so that I could rest.