SAHM: Not for the faint of heart

SAHM: acronym for Stay At Home Mom

Seems like a simple job from the outside in. Stay home. Be maternal. Be a mom. Get stuff around the house done. Whats the big deal, right? 

WRONG. It is by far the hardest job I have ever had. Period. 

On a good day, its the most fun and rewarding job you can find. Full of smiles, giggles, adventures and fun. There is nothing better than seeing your baby/child do anything for the first time. Be there to catch them right before they have a disastrous fall, roll around on the floor and give endless kisses and hugs. That smiley little person, happy as can be. Loving you, loving life. 

On a bad day, the toughest among us consider a small padded room with 1 window and peace and quiet as a possible reality. One of my friends said in a facebook status "my husband may come home and find his wife sitting in the closet, gorging herself on chocolate, rocking back and forth, and laughing maniacally..." I can totally relate.

Tuesday was one of those days. Everything was trying. Sophia did not want to be put down...she is at least 23 pounds....there is only so much carrying one mom can do. When she was on her own, she did EVERYTHING she was not supposed to. Pretty sure "No Thank You" were the only words I said ALL DAY LONG. Climbing on the stone fireplace, throwing food, cups, bottles, trying to climb the stairs, pulling off the corner covers from the stone fireplace, banging on the glass cabinet doors, refusing to nap...the list is endless. When I took her away from any of these things, she cried, yelled and I think at one point tried out a tantrum. Oh and she had a horrible night the night before so I was functioning on about 5 hours of sleep. It was in a word....exhausting. In a few more words...exasperating, frustrating, crazy, maddening. 
Now when you have a bad day at work, you go vent to a co-worker. I have no co-workers. I have a dog, 2 cats and the aforementioned trouble maker. 

Thank you Bill for taking my phone calls and calmly listening to your harried wife vent about the misery that was my day. Thank you Val for letting me vent via email during nap time. I made it through that day thanks to you two and nap time silence. 

Wednesday was a great day. It almost makes me forget Tuesday...almost. 

Sophia aka Trouble

a list of mom stuff

1. There is definitely some sort of snot, milk, formula, spit up etc on your shirt and you shrug wipe at it with a diaper wipe or your sleeve and go about your business. This includes being out in public.
2. You have a profound love for you coffee machine. (My Keurig & I are engaged.)
3. You have more grey hair. Yes literally. At least for me its true.
4. Yoga pants are a staple in your wardrobe and not used only for exercising.
5. One of your arms has quickly become stronger than the other.
6. You know what baby food tastes good and what tastes like vomit.
7. Long hair = hair cut or in my case constant pony tail.
8. Necklaces are a now considered a possible choking hazard. Not for the baby but the from the baby accidentally choking you.
9. You park near the shopping cart return in every parking lot.
10. You know that diaper wipes can clean up anything and will use them accordingly.
11. You know the song to any random Disney or Nickelodeon song. In my case its the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song. (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Come inside - Its fun inside! M-I-C-K-E-Y    M-O-U-S-E)
12. Doing anything alone and not in a hurry is relaxing. (Especially Target)
13. You are the last one to actually eat at most meals.
14. Businesses that have drive throughs become your favorites. My town has a drive thru Starbucks and a drive thru CVS. I love them.
15. Things that annoyed you before you had kids don't even register now. Example: Repetitive noises would drive me insane. Sophia LOVES to bang things together ALL DAY LONG...not phased.
16. Via Jess Nusbaum - and during this nap, how much time do i have? do i leisurely enjoy my coffee or do i blow dry my hair for the first time in a month? hmmm... is that baby food in my hair, too?
17. I find baby socks everywhere and regularly I pull them out of my purse.
18. Realizing I am out in public with a baby bow in my hair....why? Because my daughter rips them out of her hair repeatedly and I end up sticking them in mine without thinking about it around the house and then I do the same thing out in public. I am so cool. 
19. 
These are just the ones that came to mind as I typed. I will update I'm sure.

First Steps!!!

My daughter has officially taken her first steps! And I in all my mom glory actually caught it on video!
Sophia has been showing some interest in the idea of walking for the past week or so. Mostly she would cruise to the end of something and then let go and promptly fall to a crawling position. Let me say that I am AMAZED at her fearlessness...she just lets go and hopes for the best...I am sure there is a lesson there with some corresponding proverb or cliche' in there.Anyway, she basically falls onto her hands and knees and goes on her merry way. No fuss, no crying.
So, Bill and I have been doing "practice" walking with her when he gets home from work. We put her between us and get her in a standing position and prompt her to "walk" to mommy or daddy. Its ADORABLE and she can take few steps before we have to catch her. The pure joy on her face is to die for. But we haven't considered these steps her "first steps" because we are prompting and encouraging and facilitating them.

This morning we  girls were hanging out in the kitchen, drinking coffee and having girl talk. (So really I was chugging coffee because she decided to wake up at 6am and she was babbling like a banshee). And she started cruising down the counters on our island towards the oven. Now the oven is a main attraction because there is this cute little baby in there that does the same thing that Sophia does and screams and laughs at her.... Anyway, I noticed that Sophia appeared to be cruising with an intent purpose so I whipped out my iPhone just in case.
Next thing I know she gets to the end of the counter where she would usually drop down and crawl the 3 feet to the oven but she does not drop. She steadies herself, shimmies forward and lets go....and walks!!!! It was so awesome! It may have only been 3 little steps but as a mom your heart explodes in excitement and pride. You have just witnessed your child take the first steps of the millions in her lifetime. There is nothing like it.