Stay-at-Home-Momhood

Well, it's officially been over a week since I left work.

I'm not sure why, but I hesitate to call myself a stay-at-home mom.  But I am (now).  I do miss the idea of having a job out of the home--but I don't miss work. AT ALL.

I miss the facade of having it all--a job I love, and my well-taken-care-of family at home.  In reality, I didn't have either.  I just didn't realize it.

It's amazing what you'll tolerate, a little at a time.  That's how it was at work.  And at home, I'm crushing it.  Cooking, cleaning, being active with the kids, getting their homework done, little fun things, you name it.  Both Elena and Vivian tell me several times daily how glad they are that I am home.  If that's not validation enough, I have a bathroom that hasn't shined for a year (don't judge me) that is now spotless and my favorite room in the house.  The house TLC is coming along slowly, three hours at a time (while both kids are in school) and it's going great.

You don't have to tell me that stay-at-home-moms work.  Any parent already knows this, working or not.  In my case, I found out the hard way that my home life suffers plenty when my work life is (was) overloaded.  So far...my sabbatical is a huge win.  Physically--no more constipation issues, I sleep much better, and my contacts don't bother me any more (no I'm not making this up).  Mentally, I still juggle a lot--but it's things I WANT to do, which is relatively new. Emotionally, I feel better about being there for the kids.  Elena and Vivian have been hugely appreciative--something I would never have expected from kids so young.  Vivian has playmates coming to the house, which is completely new.  Elena is planning playdates after school.  Everyone is going to bed better than before.

Life is good.  I'll have to put up pictures of our recent adventures--roller skating, cooking, making the basement a playroom, art projects...eventually.  Now, it's time to rest.