10 Days of Captivity (Mine)

Paul left Friday for a 10-day business trip to South America. He IS coming back (they have extradition - I checked). We are winding down day 6 and it has been a LOOOOONG 6 days. For everyone. I am even more in awe of single and/or working moms. You women NEVER get a break. How do you do it? I am losing my mind, patience, and sense of humor after 'only' 6 days. On a typical day, Paul comes home and I can either hand off the children and hide from all or at least have a battle partner and some adult company at the end of the day. Lately, my day starts and ends with 2 kids chasing me around the house begging for food, toys, battle negotiations and other random requests. Tomorrow we head home for a visit. Why? Because I thought it would be a brilliant way to pass the last 4 days of captivity. Yes, packing up a 6 year old and a 2 year old, ALL their crap and driving 3.5 hours across the cornfields seemed like a brilliant idea. Happily, once we arrive, we will visit with friends and family, eat, play and wreak havoc on the metro Detroit area. As usual, I will try to do too much while I am home. I want to see everyone during our limited time. So, I will be alone with the kids at a hotel and stressing out that I am running late to meet someone or missing seeing someone. But, in the end it will all be worth it. Won't it??

Mommy Wars, work, career, home

Do the mommy wars really exist? Is it an urban myth? Does anyone really care that much about what other people are doing? Don't we all have our hands full worrying about our own lives, taking care of our own families? Am I so clueless that I am missing that people are judging me for being a stay-at-home mom? Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn if someone else works or stays home. I have been told I am setting a bad example for my daughter by staying home. Do I care about what that person thinks? Did I rush out and get a career? Hell, no. I have friends who work and friends who stay home. I have never once heard someone pass judgment on someone else's choice. I truly think it is a figment of our crazy mom imaginations. I think we are so worried about whether we are making the right choices for our kids that we project our fears and concerns onto others. Most moms I know are too busy with their own kids, houses, husbands, families and friends to worry too much about what the lady down the street does all day. I also don't freak out when people call me a STAH mom. I don't get offended by the term "working" mom. I reserve that term for women who commute and collect a paycheck for doing a job or providing a service. I've been asked if it is hard to stay home with my kids. Yes!!!! It can be mind numbingly boring, stressful, repetitive and exhausting. But, on the other hand, I have great admiration for women who get up at the crack of dawn, get themselves and their kids ready, drop them off at school/daycare, work a full day, come home and deal with dinner, husbands, kids and household duties. Yes, I "work" but I do it at home. No, I do not collect a paycheck. No, I don't judge you for choosing to work or choosing to stay home. Do what is right for you and your family and mind your own business.

Waiting for friends and baked goods

Here is a shock for you. I am waiting ("patiently") for my friend to visit and bring baked goods. It's been a long week and I could some fun. Sara is out of school and already claiming she "doesn't know what to do". She doesn't seem to like my suggestion - quit whining and clean up your toys. We are trying to establish a summer routine. It isn't happening. So far, we all spend the morning hanging around in our jammies. She is very excited to start camp next week. Christian enjoys having her around all day and will miss her. He follows her everywhere. He gets very offended when she won't let him into the bathroom. However, by the end of the day, they are fighting. His tactic? To sit on her. Her response? To run away. Then he thinks it is a game and chases her. Usually, Paul come home at this point to find his kids screaming at each other and running around the kitchen table and his wife yelling at the kids. A lovely homecoming after spending the day with academics. Then I declare a laundry emergency and hide upstairs folding clothes. So, day 4 of summer vacation and the countdown to 2nd grade has begun.

Have a great weekend!