Seriously, I don't know how you people do this!? You would think I might be kinda-sorta good at staying at home with my TWO children seeing how I spend everyday at school with TWENTY-THREE children and manage to keep a good sense of humor and a bit of sanity.
But there is a huge difference...
At home there is someone attached to me at all times. Either I am carrying someone or they are pulling on my leg, butt, arm, some part of me. Usually repeating, "Uppy mama!" at decibels that could reach a hard of hearing person. You have to learn to do everything with one hand or arm. This can be tricky, especially when working with liquids. And you are never alone. Yup, not even in the bathroom.
Then there's the drool and boogers. A box of Kleenex a day!!!! Where are they keeping all of this stuff?
We have also entered what some may call the 'terrible twos' with Kate. I love her strong will, and I believe the doctor when she says that Kate will make a great leader some day, but right now she is just coming across as bossy! That's right, my 22 month old is bossy. I have no idea where she gets it from. (HA!) She is like a Baby Hitler. "No-No Daddy!" "Move Mama!" "Mine!" "Eat now!" We are puppets and she is the puppet-master.
Oh yeah, and we also have a human vacuum cleaner in Neddy. Seriously, I can clean the floors eight times a day and she still manages to find the little microscopic scrap of whatever on the floor and choke on it. Yet, she does it all with a smile.
And please tell me how these beautiful red-heads can be playing so nicely and the moment they know I am watching, something vicious has to take place -- a bite, a shove, sometimes even a body slam?
Probably the worst part of staying home is the poop. I feel like my kids poop an extraordinary amount throughout the day. I am talking 5 poops a day....times two. And it isn't just little rabbit turds. This is full-on, up-the-back, what-have-I-been-feeding-you poop. And it reeks. And it lingers. Sometimes I wonder if the smell is just burned into my nostrils.
This doesn't sound like a glorious way to spend your day? I didn't think so either.
The truth is: I am a better parent when I am at work. I feel like I am using my God-given talents when I am at work teaching and I am more appreciative of the time that I do spend at home with my girls. Now that I am back to work this week, I am able to look past the heinous poop smell that is emanating from our garbage can, I don't mind digging scraps and leaves from Neddy's mouth, and Baby Hitler has become quite comical.
I need to be a working mother. It seems, for the moment, that I have found some kind of balance in life. This is what works for me.
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