Confession of a stay at home mom.

I know my husband will be reading this and I’m totally okay with that.  (Sweetie, I don’t worry, it’s nothing bad).  So my day as a stay at home mom is probably similar to most families with a stay at home mom.  Many of the things my boys and I do each day are the same; we get up, eat breakfast, they get some free time to shake off the morning grumpies while I shower, they get dressed, we do chores, go to the gym, eat lunch, have some more free time, go out and play, come in for dinner, get a bath, and then we their bedtime routine.  Of course not every day is exactly the same, but unless we have something specifically planned, this is our day.

So here is the confession part:  I spend all day taking care of my young boys so when I get a chance to do ANYTHING by myself, I will do it.  The list of what I will do includes, but is not limited to, filing all the paperwork in my “file pile”, regrouting whatever needs regrouting (I would be happy to read a grouting book to learn how to grout), cleaning the entire kitchen floor with baby wipes, cleaning the garage from top to bottom, disconnecting all the wires from our Bose, PS3, TV, and Tivo, scrambling them all up and reconnecting them correctly and neatly.

I would do all of this not because I don’t like to spend time with my boys, but because while I’m am spending time with my boys, I see all the things around me that need to be done.  My boys, of course, are my priority, but being able to focus fully on anything without almost constant interruption is somehow very satisfying for me.  Not only is it a break (more of a mental break, really) but I complete something big that was on my list and what a relief that can be.  This break is always better if my husband is the one watching the boys while I’m doing whatever it is I’m doing.  Jack and Callen love spending time with their Daddy and I can see that the break we have all had (me from them, them from me, Blanton from work) has done us all good.

So, here’s what made me think of all of this: yesterday I had enough time to steam clean the family room rug!  It really needed it and this morning when I woke up I was so happy to see how awesome the carpet looked.  Lame?  Yes, I know and my 22 year old self would tell me to get a life, but I don’t care!  Yesterday I spent a few hours by myself, home alone in the house, watching a Tivoed episode of Swamp People during each emptying of the gross water that was being sucked out of the carpet.  (I could go on about this and even show pictures, but it’s too shameful.  The word “yuck” does not do it justice.)  Anyway, I feel refreshed today and that's kind of rare but part of the territory when you have young kids.  Yay for me and my mental break yesterday!  Lame?  Again, yes, I know.  But again, I don’t care!