My Recent Life Discovery Using Word

Whether you are a working mommy/daddy or a SAHD/SAHM like me, we all have routines. Every day we do the same things, at pretty much the same times and go through the same motions (possibly because we are sleep deprived zombies...) without giving any of it one second thought. With the impending birth of baby #3 within the next couple of weeks (but we all know he is coming NEXT week since both my other boys came around 38+2), I had to type up a "daily routine" for Michael's grandmother who is driving down from Wisconsin this Sunday to stay with us for a few weeks and help take care of the older boys and make sure my house doesn't burn down while I am recovering and getting the new baby added into the mix. I must say that I am ever so grateful that she offered to help us, I haven't ever had anyone stay with me previously to help with things and I am really looking forward to her being here to help and to visit and spend time with B and C. She is an angel and hopefully won't hate us by the time she is ready to leave very generous to do what she is doing.

So this morning while updating and revising our "daily routine"...I noticed that I am on page number 5. Page 5 of a DAILY routine. I didn't use double spacing or a large font....but since when did one normal, typical, not out of the ordinary day of our lives take up FIVE PAGES OF PAPER? I had to stop and review it and make sure I didn't type the same thing 14 times and maybe it should all fit on 2 pages? No...it's 5. Good gravy. It's so amazing when you stop and think about every little itsy bitsy, teeny tiny, mundane and tedious detail that goes into a day of caring for not only your children but yourself and your home. I said to myself, "self? do I really do ALL of that? Every. Single. Day?" (Thankfully I didn't answer myself or we would REALLY have problems).

Whether or not you work outside the home or stay at home like me, you should be proud and amazed at yourself for all that you accomplish in a 24 hour span. Some days I feel like a slug (and it could just be because I look like one right now with my baby belly) and like I don't do anything, but I now see just how much goes into my day and that I can't let people who think SAHMs or SAHDs are lazy or don't do anything bother me. I may not be bringing in a paycheck, but my job is JUST as important, if not more at times. I am responsible for other little people. I am responsible to keep my children safe, healthy, fed, clothed, comforted and loved (until daddy comes home and then it's shift change...just kidding...kind of). Some days my greatest achievement is just making sure we don't wind up at the ER and that is OK. I love what I do...and while yes, some times I want to pull all my hair out and lock myself in the bathroom because I can't take another episode of Blue's Clues or having to try and translate what my 18 month old is trying to tell me but I CANNOT understand him because he hasn't started talking, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Add to that another small human being who will be 100%, COMPLETELY dependent on me for the next 12 months until he figures out what his big brothers are doing....and yes, I may just need to be sent to the looney bin, but I am looking forward to it and all the challenges it brings.

It is pretty safe to say that my "daily routine" will go from 5 pages to 10 pretty soon.

Bring it.