I never expected to find myself as a stay-at-home mom. But, it's sometimes those unexpected things that turn out to be the greatest blessings in life. I truly believe I am living "the blessed life" and I keep expecting to wake up from the too good to be true lifestyle that I'm living. Don't get me wrong, it's hard work. I fully believe I work harder now than when I worked full time. But, I'm not complaining. It's a labor of love and it's certainly more rewarding than any position I've ever fulfilled. It's also the position I take more seriously than any I've ever had.
You might be wondering what I do all day that makes this job so challenging. Let me describe a typical day. I usually get up around 7:30 a.m. (Sometimes earlier, rarely later.) I get Cohen up when he awakes (usually around the same time as me) and get him a cup of milk to start his day. Once he has milk, it's time for me to have coffee. I pour my coffee and go the fridge for some creamer. By the time I find it, and get it out, I have to remove Cohen from the bottom drawer of the fridge where he has discovered an avocado that he doesn't want to let go of. I pry him lose and safely shut the door to the fridge only to remind myself that I still have to pour the creamer into my coffee and open the door again to put it back. I try to distract Cohen so that I can return the creamer without having to pry him loose again.
After coffee, I try to take a quick bathroom break. Cohen is glad to see me in the john and quickly joins me as he throws all his clean towels from the shelving near the bathtub. Once they're all in the floor, it's time to move to the bathroom cabinets which must be slammed shut about a dozen times in order to make the proper morning musical arrangement. After music, it's time to read. Mommy gets to read her "Parenting" magazine for about 30 seconds while Cohen moves down the hallway to his room and returns with his favorite picture book. Then, it's on mommy's lap to read it, nevermind the fact that I'm still on the toilet.
Once potty break is over, it's time for breakfast. While I'm preparing food, Cohen goes in the cabinet to get out a bag of black eyed peas that he enjoys dragging around. Then, it's into his drawer to throw all his sippy cups and their lids in the floor. If breakfast isn't ready yet, it's on to the pantry which he climbs in and retrieves his favorite tangerine. Since he ate it right through the tough peel yesterday, I threw it away and tomorrow he will likely only be left with a potatoe to leave in the floor. Finally, breakfast is ready and it's time to wash hands. As I attempt to wet, wash and rinse Cohen's hands, he attempts to grab every object in the sink or within arms length of it. I strap him in his chair to eat so that I can then clean up all the messes he made while I was preparing breakfast. Once he's done, I clean him up and all the messes he made while he was eating the breakfast I just prepared. Then, I put him down and attempt to pour a second cup of coffee.
Cohen will need a nap soon so I begin getting ready for our morning walk. I usually walk for 60 minutes every day, pushing Cohen in the stroller. He usually naps for a good 30 to 45 minutes during this time. I use the quiet time to pray. As I attempt to get ready, Cohen either joins me in closet for a romp in the pile of dirty laundry and a spell with mommy and daddy's shoes or he heads into the bathroom with Weasel. The latter is when I know I'm in trouble. In the bathroom, he and Weasel both head for the catfood as if they were both cats. Cohen has sampled cat food many, many times, but seems to forget from day to day that he doesn't care for it and spits it out. He stradles Weasel's feeder and puts his foot in her bowl to stir her food with his toes. Then, he goes for a dip in the toilet. I usually catch up with him about now. He's always startled to see me and yells, "No" and then slams the toilet lid down, as if he's completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Before I'm completely ready, he's at my feet with his dog blanket doing his sleepy whine. Now, it's time to get him ready. I have to change his diaper and get him out of his pajamas and into some clothes appropriate for the a.m. temperature. Getting him out of his clothes is a cinch. It's recapturing him to slap on a diaper and pull on some clothes that takes skill. After all, he loves to play chase.
Eventually, mommy wins and we head outside to walk. Whew.....I'm already tired. I'll have to pick up where I left off tomorrow!
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2 comments:
Taylor just started this week becoming a "toddler." I noticed it when I sat her in the living room to play while I fixed dinner, and 5 second later her toys were everywhere and she was in the kitchen playing with dog bowl. She's quick I tell ya. It won't end for a few years, huh?
So, is she walking now?
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