Well, my trek on the path of her hug stay at home mom continues. It continues with triumphs, failures, laughter, and frustration. I find myself learning more about my personal clock. I am most definitely NOT a morning person. I do not tend to be productive beyond the absolute necessities before 10:00 a.m. After that, I slowly gain momentum. I have also learned that it does not matter how early I go to bed. Sure, if I go to bed earlier, I may wake up feeling like getting out of bed but I am still pretty laid back until 10:00 a.m.
Now, with that being said...I wish I was more like my mother. She wakes up, totally as in 100%, when her feet hit the floor. She has passed that gift down to my daughter, ironically her name sake. They are both busy from the time they greet their day. They are both capable of intelligent conversation, smiling, witty comments, and more. All of these things happen with no caffeine! I find that miraculous!
So, I am muddling through my days. I have my first obligation to my demanding 3 year old. If she wants to play, we play. If she takes her nap and wants me to lay with her, I am there. She is one of my reasons for making this lifestyle change. She is also way too precious to ignore in favor of dusting, sweeping, laundry, etc. don't get me wrong, those tasks do get done but on more of a relaxed time frame than I had originally anticipated.
I had huge visions and goals for myself as a stay-at-home mom. I then realized that the mom part was the most important. I am trying to embrace full-time motherhood in a guilt- free way. It's not easy but I am determined. Many people, including the full-time job/part-time mother me, have pre-conceived notions about what a stay-at-home mom's days should be filled with. It's not baking cookies, singing songs, taking walks, reading books, etc. all day. Now, you are no longer paying for the mundane tasks to be done. You are now the mundane task doer!
Some positives that I see so far, my oldest daughter is happier. I have strengthened my relationship with her and I truly feel like I know her better. I know her dreams and even though I have to divide my time between her and her siblings, I have more stamina and patience to deal with everything' especially at the end of the day day when they are all home and need things, all sorts of things. When I was working outside of the home, i me, I was drained at the day's end and found myself "zombie ng" through.
I yell less and laugh more. I have re-gained a sense of humore that somehow got lost in the shuffle. Life is good and I will keep you posted on my journey. I am not perfect or even close to it but I feel that I am on a most epic journey. I have more time with my kids and I am so much more I touch with them and their needs. My husband you ask? Well, he is adjusting. LOL, I think his hopes were high when it came to me being at home. He was hoping for full cookie jars and culinary masterpieces. I do manage to visit the kitchen as needed but it is still not on my list of favorite places to hang out!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Allow Me to Introduce Myself
Hello there! My name is April and I have made the decision to be a stay at home mom. I made this decision in July of 2013. I am not a traditional stay-at-home mom meaning that I did not have my first child, look at that beautiful face, and declare I shall never leave him. I did not do this with my second child either. Nope, still had not declared my right as a parent by the time I had my third. I made this decision when my fourth child (yup, I have 4) turned two. This was a huge, scary decision to make. Even now, I wonder how I actually took the bull by the horns and did it.
Now with all that being said, I had illusions of grandeur about how wonderful I could make the lives of my children and husband as a stay-at-home mom. It did not take me long to become grounded in reality. I am still overwhelmed by the many demands of being the housewife and mother. All of those things I used to pay to have done, I am now doing myself! There is a degree of personal satisfaction it that but time management has been my arch rival.
I live in a rural area thus I have a big yard, animals, and a fairly big house. I thought my house would be postcard perfect with me at home and meals would be extravagant and well planned out. I was wrong! My house is neater and I do cook more but I am no means a Caroline Ingalls which brings me to my name.
Just Call Me Caroline is my name because I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie. As a child, I thought Laura was so cool. Now that I am older, my admiration has switched to Caroline. She was amazing. Now I know that TV is for entertainment purposes only but she was a great role model. She was loving, a guide, strict when she had to be, and very organized. She was up and dressed in the morning and seemed to always find time to talk. The show also showed her very human side, like frustration, leaning on faith, and having to do the unexpected, even socially inappropriate at times.
So, as a stay at home mother, all be it a late bloomer, she is someone I think is amazing. I gleaned even more from reading the books as a child. My mother was able to stay at home with my siblings and I for a while but she was never "just" a housewife or mom. She was and still is married to a farmer. She worked with home when needed and was often in the field versus the kitchen but you would never have known it. She was beyond efficient when it came to getting things done. Our meals were always sit down affairs, never grab and go. Laundry never piled up and the house was always neat as a pin to the point the white glove cleaning police would salute her!
One who has never tried running a household before, namely me, would assume that being a housewife and mom would be easy and come naturally! Well, I am here to tell you it has been a learning process. I am enjoying it but it is not without trials and tribulation. I intend to blog about my endeavors, successes, challenges, blessings, and more!
Now with all that being said, I had illusions of grandeur about how wonderful I could make the lives of my children and husband as a stay-at-home mom. It did not take me long to become grounded in reality. I am still overwhelmed by the many demands of being the housewife and mother. All of those things I used to pay to have done, I am now doing myself! There is a degree of personal satisfaction it that but time management has been my arch rival.
I live in a rural area thus I have a big yard, animals, and a fairly big house. I thought my house would be postcard perfect with me at home and meals would be extravagant and well planned out. I was wrong! My house is neater and I do cook more but I am no means a Caroline Ingalls which brings me to my name.
Just Call Me Caroline is my name because I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie. As a child, I thought Laura was so cool. Now that I am older, my admiration has switched to Caroline. She was amazing. Now I know that TV is for entertainment purposes only but she was a great role model. She was loving, a guide, strict when she had to be, and very organized. She was up and dressed in the morning and seemed to always find time to talk. The show also showed her very human side, like frustration, leaning on faith, and having to do the unexpected, even socially inappropriate at times.
So, as a stay at home mother, all be it a late bloomer, she is someone I think is amazing. I gleaned even more from reading the books as a child. My mother was able to stay at home with my siblings and I for a while but she was never "just" a housewife or mom. She was and still is married to a farmer. She worked with home when needed and was often in the field versus the kitchen but you would never have known it. She was beyond efficient when it came to getting things done. Our meals were always sit down affairs, never grab and go. Laundry never piled up and the house was always neat as a pin to the point the white glove cleaning police would salute her!
One who has never tried running a household before, namely me, would assume that being a housewife and mom would be easy and come naturally! Well, I am here to tell you it has been a learning process. I am enjoying it but it is not without trials and tribulation. I intend to blog about my endeavors, successes, challenges, blessings, and more!
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