I once had someone (who was not a mom) ask me what I could possibly do all day with no job. So, I think I'll share a recent 24 hour period. Of course, this isn't the norm. But then again, there really isn't a norm. Sure, there's often a routine and certain things that need to happen at certain times, but flexibility might be the key to being a stay at home mom. So, here goes.
Friday
noon - finish cleaning Max's room - vacuum, mostly w/Max standing at his crib (outside of his crib), sucking his thumb holding onto the wrinkle in the sheet through the slats of the crib OR hanging onto my legs OR attempting to vacuum with the ball popper
12:30 - pack diaper bag with items to amuse Luke and Max; load up cake pops to take to bake sale at school; run thru drive thru and grab food for everyone; eat sandwich in car
1:00 - arrive at school; take bake sale items to bake sale person; set boys up with lunch (and attempt to convince Luke that it's a game to keep all the crumbs in one area); attempt to help with some set-up of chili supper for later in the day; talk with Seth's teacher and her assistant; attempt to keep Luke out of the class (Seth's) that is playing with playdoh in the gym/cafeteria area.
2:40 - leave school having accomplished very little; bring all three boys home; pick out clothes for the boys for the chili supper; put a very tired Max and Luke (who had been up since 5:40) in bed; let Seth stay up but negotiate a deal where he must help me pick up before he eats his leftover treat from lunch
3:15 - continue to remind Seth he's picking up, not playing; help him pick up toys just to have it done; clean up the kitchen, again (we finished making the bake sale cake pops at 11:51 Thursday night so it was still a bit of a mess); talk to my sister for a few minutes
4:45 - do happy dance when hubby comes home with bogo Starbucks; chat with him for a few minutes while Seth tries to simultaneously share all about his day; change clothes, touch up make-up, brush teeth; try to help Dave calm Luke who woke up screaming (he does this a lot); let my dad in and suggest he lay low while Dave dresses the boys so they can all come to chili supper together (mom was out of town)
5:20 - leave for chili supper (solo, thus driving the truck); nearly take a header out of truck upon arrival at school; work the PTF dues table (not nearly as painful as the other committee members had assured me it would be); greet my only family who flits by me to their table in the back
6:00 - chili supper starts
6:30 - Dad hangs out at the table with the boys; Dave is nearly next in line for food so I sneak away from table where I'm working and help him carry food for the boys to the table; finish up at my table; get myself food; try to corral kids for way too long; kiss everyone goodbye and stay to help clean up
8:45 - figure out that I'm not much help with clean up and leave; get home, help Dave finish up baths and dress boys for bed
9:15 - sit down - such a life of leisure! ha ha; realize the boys' jerseys aren't clean for their games in the morning (oops), thus, start more laundry; make Thanksgiving menu, weekly menu, grocery list, look for coupons (all w/Dave's help); get jerseys into dryer
Saturday
12:15am - collapse into bed, realizing that the contact solution that takes 6 hours to neutralize is probably not an option tonight
5:55 - wake up to two oldest boys waking each other up; sleepily beg them to stop fighting, whining, picking at each other SO early in the day; turn on television to buy a few more minutes of quiet; finally convince myself to get up and get ready
7:30 - breakfast for Seth and Luke; get jerseys out of dryer; pack diaper bag and Max's breakfast for the games; encourage/beg boys to get ready for games
8:15 - get sleepy Max up and dress him; load everyone up and drive to the games
9:00 - Seth and Luke both have practice then games, both starting at 9; Dave is co-coaching Luke's team so Max and I are outside with Seth the whole time; 45 degrees is REALLY cold when there is no sunshine and you're 18 months old and eating your dry cereal trumps the wearing of gloves/mittens
10:15 - Luke and Dave join us for Seth's trophy "ceremony;" I breathe a sigh of relief that flag football is done, at least for the time being; drive home and get grocery list, which of course, I forgot because every week I forget something (does it count that I packed a diaper bag for two kiddos, breakfast for Max, my purse and my camera, a hat for Max, and gloves and a hat for Seth?); potty breaks/diaper changes for all; load everyone into car again
11:00 - head to grocery store - all 5 of us (yes, all 5 of us the Saturday before Thanksgiving!); rip the list in half, as well as the kiddos - oh wait, just kidding! Although that also involved a strategy meeting: "Max and Luke both must ride in the cart. Thus, one person cannot take both Max and Luke and also get groceries. Who do you want? And who gets Seth?" Let's just say I took the one who partway through was sucking his thumb with his head nearly leaned on the side of the cart. Dave took the other two. And perhaps won't do it again anytime soon (don't I say that everytime??)
And that concludes our 24 hours together, well, technically 25 because we didn't finish at the store until about 1. Hope no one asks me the "what do you DO all day" question for awhile.
