Temper, Temper

It has been forever since I posted anything. This is due mainly to the fact that sometime after his second birthday my adorable well mannered little boy turned into a temper tantrum throwing little turd.

I have forever heard the adage "terrible twos" but I was somehow in my blissful mother bubble thinking it would never happen to my child and that these things were most likely blown out of proportion. Well Im awake now folks and no, its not something people just make up to scare young parents. This mess is real! Screaming, hitting, throwing, crying, kicking, and yelling are apart of our daily lives now. As are chants of my new mantra, "This is a phase, it will pass.....this is a phase, it will pass". Trips to the grocery now require bribes and the toting along of countless Hot Wheel cars or other toys. And god help you if one of these teeny tiny pieces of die cast metal gets misplaced. No matter how many the child has, he can keep track of them ALL. In the car stoplights are now spent furiously reaching behind the drivers seat frantically feeling around, contorting my body into unnatural positions until at last I surface triumphantly clutching the small dropped toy like it were gold, only to be asked to preform the same feet a few minutes later.

I'm now receiving "the look" from people when we are out and about. I recognize "the look" because I used to give it to people before I knew better. Almost always given by people without children, or parents of one very young child. "The look" says, "what is wrong with that kid", "get your kid under control lady", or simply, "Jesus Christ!". I used to think these things too when I saw kids flipping out in public. Now I give a different look, one that says, "yeah, you too huh?".

We are getting through it. Its not all bad and there is so many wonderful things happening with Ari now as well. His verbal skills continue to amaze us. It is the most incredible thing to carry on a conversation with your child. He has really developed a little sense of humor, and cracks us up on a daily basis. Compared to many he really is a little prince, and hey lets face it, there have been days when I would have laid on the floor kicking and screaming if I thought I could get away with it. If you ask my husband he will tell you I'm a pretty good whiner too.

Motherhood, my chosen line of work

It is true what they say, that the older you get the faster time seems to go by. What they don't tell you is how to manage, appreciate, and make the most of the time you have.

Occasionally I will meet other SAHM's who in addition to being full time mothers carry other titles. Business owner, writer, interior decorator, event planner and something called consultant. Now, I'm not exactly sure what a "consultant" is but if its telling someone what you think about something, sign me up I could do that all day. In fact I wish people would "consult" me on things more often it would make my life a hell of a lot easier.

My question to these mothers is how do you find the time? Seriously, where does it come from? I can hardly get a load of laundry run or take out the garbage, let alone write a business plan, attend a few skype meetings, make cupcakes for a bake sale, and iron the linens. I have been struggling with this question for a while. Is it that I am unproductive? Am I lazy? Do I need something more going on in my life? The answer to all these questions is probably a little bit yes. However I realized that women who carry these extra duties and titles are known as WAHM, or Work At Home Moms. When they put there kids down for a nap they don't have the luxury of settling in to watch TV with leftover pizza, or reading magazines and checking email. They have to work their other job. Their day is a constant battle between two worlds. The world of paid job and the world of unpaid job and they are asked on a daily basis to make sacrifices between the two.

What you may not realize is that I too "work at home". Just because I'm fully dedicated to my job as a mother should not deprive me of the title of Work at Home Mother. True, I don't have an additional paid gig but I am the resident doctor, chef, toy fixer, problem solver, tear wiper, hug giver, mess cleaner, seamstress, laundress, gardener, manager, librarian, and Ill say it, freelance consultant, (even if my advise is unsolicited most of the time). I am all these things and more in addition to mothering my son. Believe me, most of my day is a lot less Stay, and a lot more Work. I'm not a total bum, Im just a damn good and extremely dedicated mother. No longer will I feel guilty when I dont get around to cleaning the bathroom, or moping the kitchen floors. Im working here!

So to all the "Stay at Home Moms" let us not feel inferior to those dutifully titled, "Work at Home Moms". Let us band together in our slipper wearing and our love for reality television. Let us recognize that we have been given the greatest gift of all, more time. WAHM's I salute you for having the energy, dedication, and patience that I lack. Lets all remember the most important thing is that we are mothers, and our hard work and determination to provide the best for our children is what unites us all.

Memorial Day Weekend

Finally get a three day weekend and John goes out of town (of course). He deserves some time away though. We realized before he left that it was his first non-work over nighter since Ari was born. Its good to get away. Neither of us do it enough.

So its just Ari and I for a few days. We started our morning at 5Am with a #2 and diaper rash. A good way to start any morning. Needless to say Im on my third cup of coffee and the kiddo is still in his pajamas. Worth mentioning... my sons favorite new pass time is waiting for me to get in the shower and then pound on the door yelling, "Door Door!" while pushing toy cars through the gap under the door then sticking his hands through and feeling around for them. Put a new twist on it today however, imagine my surprise to get out of the shower and find a handful of soggy cat food! Think it's going to be a long weekend.