It seems like you should be able to get a ton done…
…you know, since you’re home all day.
right?
right.
Except that I can’t seem to have more than 10 minutes when I don’t have someone either:
a) pooping their diaper
b) wanting to eat
c) screaming about something or another
d) all of the above
The house is messier. Because it’s *never* empty.
I do laundry…CON.STANT.LY.
Constantly.
More dishes to do since there are now three meals a day prepared.
Which leads to more dish towels to wash.
More napkins to throw away.
More crap that falls to the floor…
…only to be ground in by the constant parade of feet.
I don’t have time for sewing, reading, or otherwise doing anything besides basically…
…well, just making sure someone isn’t crying.
(Strangely enough, any “projects” I manage to do are done on the weekends when Andy is home to help keep an eye on little ones.)
The hardest part though, so far, is how it just kinda keeps going on and on and on.
Don’t get me wrong. There’s no such thing as a day off when you work full time either.
In fact, frankly, it’s worse in most ways.
You put in a long day or week and then you come home and still have to be mom. You still have dishes and laundry and groceries and scraped knees and all that other stuff. Weekends are not time off…they’re just time to get all that house business taken care of.
And that’s been the biggest thing for me to adjust to just the same.
While I never got a weekend “off”…something *changed*.
I was busy as ever, but at least I didn’t have to go to the office. I didn’t have to get all dolled up. I didn’t have to rush around in the morning.
There was a paradigm shift. Saturdays and Sundays just felt different.
I wasn’t “off”, but there was a distinct beginning and ending to weeks, months, years.
I find myself a bit put off on Saturdays that I have to make lunch for everyone. Not because I didn’t make lunches on Saturdays before…just that now…well…
I DON’T WANT TO MAKE LUNCH BECAUSE I’VE MADE LUNCHES FOR THE LAST 64 DAYS STRAIGHT!
And frankly, I’m sick of making lunches. I don’t want to make lunches. I want to do something different today because it’s the weekend for Pete’s Sake!
Does that make sense?
Nothing really changes. Except of course, that Andy is home, which is nice and does provide some change. But my daily tasks are the same regardless of the day.
I don’t want to call it tedious, because that carries such a negative conotation…and so far, I’m not wanting it to be negative. It’s just the fact of the matter.
The dishes are the same. The laundry is the same. The stupid lunches are the same.
But the kids are different every. single. day.
And in the end, that’s the best part.
I get to watch the changes first hand.
Even if it means that I have to make yet another PB&J…you; know, for the 546th time.
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i hate making lunch, too. drive through anyone?
It's taken a long time but I've decided to delight in a job well done – no matter how many more times I have to do it. Kitchen is clean? I'm going to enjoy it for a few seconds. Housework is such a chore but somehow we are supposed to cheerfully serve our families and demonstrate a heart filled with love and pleasure for doing what we do for them? … yeah … not quite there yet. I have so loved "watching" you (through the blog) grow into this role as full time SAHM. You are doing a great and important job!
I am thoroughly LOVING this little "series"…So How Do You Like It?… You're honesty is refreshing and really makes me feel like, what? I'm not the only one that feels/felt like this/that?! Thank you… :)
I am loving this series too – I could go on and on about this subject. Mainly because I work, but I work from home – so while I have job responsibilites, I still have all the stay at home mom responsibilities too. And boy can I relate to this post!! Granted, I don't have 3 little ones in diapers, I only have one – but I think the daily house stuff is similiar. Usually I have a word running through my mind and it's MONOTONOUS. While my kid is different every day and I love seeing him smile and learn and grow – all the daily chores are the same, the meals, the cleaning, the laundry – GAH, it goes on and on and on. You say it all so well – and I so appreciate your honesty and candidness (is that a word? because ummm, not sure). Anyway, thanks girl – for speaking the truth!
I used to struggle with the weekend blues too. But now that my youngest is closing in on three it is a lot better. I still make lunch, but I also watch some random flip that house show on TLC or read for a couple hours while the kids are awake and playing. It's made a big difference for me. Also Mike makes grilled cheese sandwiches almost every Sunday so I am getting taken care of too. It's the little things.
Recently made the switch to SAHM from full-time work and I totally relate (even though I only have one). The house is waaaaaaay harder to keep clean! Totally thought I'd be able to have a spotless house since I'd be home all day to clean it -WRONG! Just when I've got the kitchen cleaned, it's time to make another meal . . . But oh how I love not doing the morning rush and the day care drop off (although it would be nice to drop her off every now then:)