Temporary Stay at Home Mom
I KNOW people say that being a mother is the hardest job in the world. I don’t doubt that because of the severity of the job that’s true. I mean… It’s not often that a life if in your hands 24/7. Mental and emotional pressure put on ourselves has got to cause some major job anxiety. Granted, that comes in the job description of motherhood whether you’re also working outside of the home on top of that or not.
At this stage of my life I won’t have the chance to stay at home with my child for awhile, but I will have the chance to experience it for a few months, and let me tell you… I don’t care what anyone says, I’m looking forward to that SO MUCH.
Sure, maybe there will be spurts of cabin fever and nights when I’m so incredibly exhausted, but I am very much looking forward to putting sacrifices like that in for someone I actually love.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the people I work with currently, but I just imagine days where I’m at the office until 2am, or mornings where I’m called in at 4 (yes, it happens) are more worth it when it’s for someone you’re willing to do anything for.
Already after a long shift at work I am excited to rush home and greet my furry child as well as my husband. It’s by far my favorite part of the day. We’re lucky enough to work our schedules so we get the same days of together every now and then… No matter how strange the days. We don’t need to do anything extraordinarily fun for entertainment. We’re both totally happy with vegging together laughing over youtube videos or stories from work.
I look forward to letting the house go when I feel like it, and napping with my little mini me. I look forward to going for summer strolls around the neighborhood with her and our dog Snoop.
I look forward to family trips where people will be excited to meet and greet her, and I’ll be proud to share her with the world.
I look forward to documenting her every tiny milestone… Even though I thought that was so silly before.
I look forward to diaper explosions and projectile vomit. I know, it’s strange but I do. What better to blog about than that?
I look forward to afternoon picnics with our little family, and trips to the park. And if that doesn’t happen very often so what! We’ll have an indoor picnic with movies and quick snacks.
I especially looking forward to photographing EVERYTHING!
Some people have told me they looked forward to going back to work once their leave was over, and that work outside the house was so much easier. Many times I think this is coming from women who enjoy being challenged professionally and say being at home and not having adult stimulation all day is the hard part (let me add that I’m not saying you’re NOT mentally stimulated if you’re not working outside the home, people just tell me it can get challenging talking to a child all day. If I wasn’t working outside the home I’d still find ways to have fun and interact with others.) … But I’m not going to let that be my mentality during my leave.
Family really means so much to me, it’s the top priority in my life. I never thought I’d want to or enjoy be a mom who stays at home, but like I’ve heard, everything changes once you see that baby… I feel like that already happened to me the moment I saw her on the ultrasound screen.
I’m going to enjoy every week, day, minute and second of being home with my little girl, no matter how difficult. Because I know how it is on the other side, and I know children grow so fast. Who care’s what’s harder? Working outside the home… Staying at home and working with your children… it’s not a competition! I just want to look back at my time at home and know I didn’t take it for granted.
I am lucky enough to stay home after having to return to work for six weeks after my leave was up. I love staying home, it is the greatest job I have ever had.
As a mom who has experienced both sides, yes working is much easier. But at the same time, leaving your little one is the hardest.
Enjoy your time with her…you’ll return to work soon enough. I don’t know what plans you have for care providers after you return, but now would be a great time to explore your options.
“Many times I think this is coming from women like me who enjoy being mentally stimulated and challenged professionally… ” I don’t think these are qualities limited to women who work outside of the home. I actually found that I feel more mentally stimulated with the volunteer work I do (mostly) from home, such that it makes me reluctant to look for work outside the home just yet. Being home has also afforded me the time to pursue various areas of research and read books that I just wasn’t able to do when I was working.
http://marfmom.com
You’ll love the time you spend with your little gal. Make sure to take all those fun baby classes, meet other new moms, and breath in the moments! Enjoy!
Oh, you look gorgeous in those shots!
Enjoy every second you spend with her! 🙂 They grow up so fast!
You wrote
“Some people have told me they looked forward to going back to work once their leave was over, and that work outside the house was so much easier. Many times I think this is coming from women like me who enjoy being mentally stimulated and challenged professionally..”
Sorry but I did laugh a little not at you but at the situation.
As I’ve might have told you before I come from a very success driven family. After school I went to university and took 2 degree (one in sport medicine and another in nursing with a major in biochemistry!!!) Call me crazy but I LOVE science!!! I hold up a GPA of 4.0 and had 2 jobs(about 35 hour weeks)had a social life and volunteer at many charitable organization!!! Did I sleep, not much LOL
But after graduating and being in the work field I did not slow down still worked long and hard, to make money to please my employer to be better at what I do etc…
The met Mr. H fell in love got married and 1.5 month later got pregnant. My dear husband and I felt that the Lord was teaching us that we need to have me to stay at home and raise children was the calling for our family.
Did it come with a huge decrease of income, you bet!!! More then anyone could think! We change our lifestyle and made a lot of compromise but I am home serving my husband and soon to be 3 little one that is all in less then 4 years!!!!
When ask: “Do you miss you work” My instant reply “I don’t have time to miss it LOL”
Am I challenge, YES everyday is all aspect of my life, from physically to mentally to emotionally!
Was my life better before having children and staying home?
It’s was different, I’m still under stress and pressure, do long hours (no pay and no break)but knowing that my responsibility to raise a godly family is met by me staying at home is a reward all to itself and no money could take that away or replace it!
Knowing that I have a impact (negative and positive) in the life that God as giving me to take care of, make my duty as a mother more and more challenging and I love it!
I love being home, I sincerely can tell you that I never felt like “it’s time to go back to work, this is too hard, I’m not challenge enough, I’m bored, I need to get out of here”
Weird cause I taught after making the decision of being home I would somehow miss work, miss talking to adult most of the days, miss the paycheck, the praises etc.. But those taught never crossed my mind. I’m happy to be doing God’s work and He is the best employer so far.
Psalm 103: 8-12
“The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
So Staying at home is work, but does not have financial benefit but other benefit that a conventional work would not give 🙂
Sorry about the length of this comment!!!
You’re going to make such an awesome mom. You’re already a great mom now and Spawnie hasn’t even gotten here yet. Trust me being a stay at home mom is rough at times, but it’s the best job ever. You get to experience all the major milestones first hand.
I would so love to be a stay at home mom! I know it is a hard job, but it is harder for me to leave my baby so much for so long – I miss him and I love the weekends playing, teaching, feeding, and even cleaning – but there just ins’t time to fit it all in.
I was a career gal who was not going to let a baby change my ways, and then i heard her first cry. My world flipped upside down. 6 weeks later I returned to work and gave my 2 week notice. I have been a SAHM since and i would NEVER change it. Finances are tough,the days are long, I do get stresed and sometimes long to talk about something more than Elmo, but nothing compares to being there for my daughter in the flesh all day every day. I have been blessed to see her grow. To hear her learn. To be there for her every step of the way. I will take any sacrifice 10 times over, just to know i was there in person that day when she rolled over for the first time.
You will love being home. It does come with its own down side, but the honor of being there or your child makes every dirty second worth it!
Oh I am just finishing up my maternity leave. I have 3 weeks left and I hate that each day passes so quickly. It is seriously the best thing in the world. I wish that I had the ability to stay home for good, but like you I won’t be able to at this time. So I have been cherishing every moment and letting the house go a lot. We’re not sealed to our house for eternity but we are sealed to our family! Enjoy every minute and let her sleep on you if you want all the time…you have the right…because you’ll be going to work and won’t have the ability to as much! Good luck and congrats again!
I only get to take 8 weeks off. And after finding out last week that we are expecting a son I cried last night because all though I cannot wait to see him, I know once he is here it will be oh to soon before my leave is up and I will be needed back at work. I wish to the bottom of my heart that I could stay home longer if not forever with him. I am not a career woman never have been but circumstances as they are do not allow me to be the stay at home mommy I had dreamed of. Thankfully I will be handing my little man off to daddy to watch during the week. Mind you at the expense of him not being home on the weekends with us on the weekends. So I say enjoy it cherish it, cause no matter how long or short it is it, is never long enough.
You know, it’s kind of funny. I never thought I’d be a SAHM. I was happy that as a teacher I was having my son in June so I’d have the summer with him and could happily return to work three months later. Unfortunately, the school lost funding and had to cut positions, and the girl who had been on bed rest for two months was first in line (I wasn’t a contracted employee, so I was easier to let go too). Suddenly I was a SAHM when before my job defined me. Looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened. I would have liked it to have been on my own terms, but the old saying holds true that “God works in mysterious ways”. Now, nine and a half months in, I wouldn’t trade my SAHM status for anything in the whole world. When my son gets so excited to see me when I walk in a room, when he reaches for me while we’re visiting family (even though it upsets them, I kind of love it lol) I feel so incredibly special and wanted, no, NEEDED. No job has ever made me feel that way!
I love your yellow ensemble you’ve got going on! You look great!
You got an award!
🙂
http://amomcandream.blogspot.com/2010/03/blogging-award.html
I have to totally agree, you are going to make a totally awesome mother. Staying home with your children is a wonderful experience. As you know I’ve been home on disability, I have a 2 year old soon to be 3, a 9yr old son, and a baby on the way. It’s A LOT of work, no stress I have ever had as a “job” has ever been as worth it as this. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I enjoy and cherish every moment I get to watch my children grow and learn.
Good choice staying at home. You have to enjoy the baby when you can.
I really like your top and you look gorgeous. Enjoy your day.xxxMsBabyPlan
What a great post! I love your view on everything, so many things to look forward to! 🙂
I’ve been back at work for just over 6 weeks. Take as much leave time as you can! It goes quickly and going back to work is hard! (I cried for days.) If ever I doubted whether being a stay at home mom was the job I REALLY wanted, I don’t any more. I can’t wait to get to the point where I can stay home – hopefully it’s long before he’ll remember me being gone!
I’d love to stay home, but we can’t afford it… I always thought I would be a SAHM when I was younger.
It was SO hard going back to work after taking 3 months off and it’s still hard even though my girl is 2.5. I just miss her so much and hate that someone else is the one that gets to raise her. Of course I’m a teacher so it’s not like I get a lot of adult interaction (some with other teachers). It’s very exhausting to teach all day and then be a Mom and try to keep up with housework.
I’m expecting #2 and will get about 3 months this time too since part of it will be summer.
I LOVE summer when I get to experience being a SAHM. It’s much easier than teaching and trying to to do it all. In the summer I have 1 child (soon to be 2) to take care of and not 25. I try to justify working when I’d much rather stay home since I do get much more time than most working Moms. Plus my husband is a teacher too, so we get lots of family time on breaks. Oh and I can’t forget the 3 hour naps she takes during the day. lol
Sorry for all the rambling! Anyway, It’s hard to do both, but you do what you need to for your family and all will be okay. Enjoy every minute with your beautiful little girl!
What a great attitude! Enjoy every second home with that little angel! I don’t have experience with it yet, but it sounds like a magical time!
Wow. I visited your blog many months back when you were just trying. What a wonderful surprise. Such an adorable baby bump! And staying home with my munchkin has been amazing! Relish every moment of it. : )
Good day Future Mama, enjoy it.
I mostly stay home with my son and it’s great! I’m sure you are going to have a blast!
Stopping by from SITS
Cheers 🙂
– CoconutPalmDesigns
I am SO anxious to be able to stay home with my little girl! I’m one of those women who are NOT career-driven, at least not in the corporate office environment. I would so much rather spend my days putting time into my child’s and my own life, not “working for the man”. At the same time, I don’t want to lose that adult interaction, which is why I’ve already put so much effort into building relationships with other pregnant woman and new mothers. I fully intend to be active after my little one comes. I don’t want to sit at home all day long, I want to get out with other moms and their little ones. I also want to find some fulfilling work to do from home so that I still have interactions with adults, but on my terms.
Women that go back to full time work after having a baby amaze me. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it AT ALL, I just know it’s not for me!
Anyway, I’m rambling – but I totally know how excited you are to have that time with Spawnie while you are on leave. It’s going to be so wonderful to devote all of my time to being a mom for a while!
Hey Future Mama,
Everything changes once the baby arrives and you first laid eyes on him/her. So so true… enjoy the moment you get with your child once she arrives… and yes, do take lots and lots of pictures cos they grow up super fast and also, we also forget things very fast… I have forgotten how small my boy (now 13mths old) used to be lying in my arms… even though I’m with him 24/7 (I’m a SAHM, quit my job when my boy turns 3mths old), time flies real fast!
Looking forward to reading more great posts from you! Btw, I’m your latest follower! 😀
I’d love to stay home, but we can’t afford it… I always thought I would be a SAHM when I was younger.
It was SO hard going back to work after taking 3 months off and it’s still hard even though my girl is 2.5. I just miss her so much and hate that someone else is the one that gets to raise her. Of course I’m a teacher so it’s not like I get a lot of adult interaction (some with other teachers). It’s very exhausting to teach all day and then be a Mom and try to keep up with housework.
I’m expecting #2 and will get about 3 months this time too since part of it will be summer.
I LOVE summer when I get to experience being a SAHM. It’s much easier than teaching and trying to to do it all. In the summer I have 1 child (soon to be 2) to take care of and not 25. I try to justify working when I’d much rather stay home since I do get much more time than most working Moms. Plus my husband is a teacher too, so we get lots of family time on breaks. Oh and I can’t forget the 3 hour naps she takes during the day. lol
Sorry for all the rambling! Anyway, It’s hard to do both, but you do what you need to for your family and all will be okay. Enjoy every minute with your beautiful little girl!
I only get to take 8 weeks off. And after finding out last week that we are expecting a son I cried last night because all though I cannot wait to see him, I know once he is here it will be oh to soon before my leave is up and I will be needed back at work. I wish to the bottom of my heart that I could stay home longer if not forever with him. I am not a career woman never have been but circumstances as they are do not allow me to be the stay at home mommy I had dreamed of. Thankfully I will be handing my little man off to daddy to watch during the week. Mind you at the expense of him not being home on the weekends with us on the weekends. So I say enjoy it cherish it, cause no matter how long or short it is it, is never long enough.
Oh I am just finishing up my maternity leave. I have 3 weeks left and I hate that each day passes so quickly. It is seriously the best thing in the world. I wish that I had the ability to stay home for good, but like you I won’t be able to at this time. So I have been cherishing every moment and letting the house go a lot. We’re not sealed to our house for eternity but we are sealed to our family! Enjoy every minute and let her sleep on you if you want all the time…you have the right…because you’ll be going to work and won’t have the ability to as much! Good luck and congrats again!
I love your yellow ensemble you’ve got going on! You look great!