A Blondie State of Mind: A Day in the Life

Hey guys! Sorry I've neglected my blog lately. I've been very busy chasing the 2 little ones around and clearly the blog was put on the back burner. To be honest I have been having a hard time juggling everything. Since that has been on my mind, I thought I'd share a little about my day to day life. Not that y'all are even interested, but it's therapeutic for me to write these things out. What better way than in my blog? Who knows? Maybe someone can relate...

I've been thinking a lot about being a stay at home mom. I must be honest I have questioned whether or not I should put my boys in daycare and work full time. It would be great to get out of the house, have a break from the kiddos, and be around some adults. Being a stay at home mom is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done! At the end of the day I feel beat down and drained physically, mentally, and emotionally. I do know I'm doing the most import job ever which I constantly remind myself, but the day to day is very thankless and grueling. And you know what?! That's OK. I went through a really hard spell this summer when I didn't have much help with the boys since they didn't have MMO to attend. I was so desperate for some help I went to look at daycare programs. Let me tell you as soon as I walked in, I knew I wasn't going to do it. Not that there is anything wrong with daycare by any means! I am just fortunate enough that I don't have to work full time, so I feel like my calling right now is to be a full time mother to my boys. I need to enjoy the time I have with them now because they will be off to school before I know it. And let's be honest, if I did go back to work, I probably wouldn't break even paying for 2 in daycare, ha.

I don't want to coming across sounding like I don't enjoy staying at home but really I do! It is the most precious time, and I am so fortunate that I have it. I love these little boys more and more everyday, and I truly wouldn't want to be doing anything else. I am so thankful and so blessed with these 2 little guys so full of life. Words really can't describe my love for them. I am just being real and honest when I admit that it's not all roses.

Now, a day in the life...

My day begins anywhere from 6-6:30. I try to get up before the boys so I can have a cup of coffee and try to get a little web work for The Pink Monogram done before I hit the ground running (literally). Normally I am fortunate enough that they sleep or will play in their cribs for a little bit in the morning. Although the time change has messed us up a bit this week.

It varies, but lately the boys have been getting up around 7-7:30. I go in and change 2 diapers and clothe them both if we are heading to the gym or MMO (a feat in itself). I then give them their morning milk (yes, they still love their milk) and breakfast. They may or may not eat what I give them for breakfast and trust me, I've tried all different types of foods. I never know what and if they will eat. This is one of the most frustrating things for me...getting them eat and trying to find healthy foods that they WILL eat.

At some point I get myself dressed (meaning I throw on workout clothes, put my contacts in, and throw my hair back in a pony tail). No time for a shower or makeup. I can't even imagine fixing my hair. I then load them up in the car and head to the gym or MMO depending on the day. The gym is great because they can expend some energy in the nursery AND Momma gets a much needed release. Next I load them back up in the car, which is a process all in itself. You should see me walking into the gym: double stroller, diaper bag, yoga mat, workout bag, and purse. I might go run an errand after the gym if time allows and we are all in good moods. Everything we do is on a schedule around nap time. I've tried to forget the schedule but every time I do, I pay for it. A schedule is what works best for us, so we try to stick to that as best we can. Plus nap time provides me some quiet time and that's when I get to work. It's essential for my sanity. If we do run the rogue errand, I have to unload the boys again and put them in either the double stroller or grocery cart. As I enter the store I always get a little nervous. I never know how it's going to go down....2 screaming boys that BOTH want to be held, boys that want to throw everything out of the cart onto the floor (yes, we've had many casualties at the grocery store) or the rare occasion that they will be perfect angels. Needless to say I try to get in and out as quickly as possible. After our morning outing, we return home by 11-11:30, and I begin the lunch process. After another diaper change and an attempt to feed them lunch, I chase them around to go down for naps. Normally they go down pretty easily but some days naps are impossible. As soon as I shut the door to their room, I breathe a sigh of relief. Whew! Now it's time to make my own lunch, watch some TV to have a quick moment for myself then back to work on the website for The Pink Monogram. Did I mention I haven't had a shower yet either? I will normally shower at this time too. Taking a shower with them in the bathroom is a nightmare. I really don't mind working because it does give me a little outlet, a chance to use my brain, and a little extra money, but let's be honest, some days I just don't feel like it. On those days, I lay on the couch and watch TV and maybe even get a nap in (if the boys are napping that is). If naps are a no go, I have to decide whether or not to listen to screaming while I try to work or get them up and chase them around until Daddy gets home. The worst part of the day for me is after naps. This is when I am most exhausted. I mainly just run interference and make sure the boys don't kill themselves. This is why we have to do something every morning because I can't keep up with them in the house all day. Way too hard! They are into EVERYTHING!! Once Daddy gets home, I have an extra hand thank goodness. We do dinner and get the boys ready for bed. They go down between 7-7:30 thankfully. Then it's bedtime for Momma. No really, I'm in bed by 9 most nights. I am totally exhausted by the end of the day.

Even though the days are long and hard right now, I love watching Van and Eli grow and learn. It really is a miracle! I hope I don't come across as ungrateful because I do know how blessed I am. I am so thankful for the 2 little lives I have been entrusted with. I will leave you with some recent pics of my 2 little monkeys...