stayin’ at home

I’ve recently had a few people ask me how it is to stay home. Just last week a lady who is pregnant with her second asked because she is considering staying home. “So how is it to stay home every day?”. That’s the question asked but the underlining question is “how bad is it to be home every day?”. It makes me laugh because I never even considered it to be bad or hard before I quit my job. I just always knew this is what I wanted to do.

Josh asked me over the weekend if I missed going to work every day. I honestly answered no. I do sort of miss being forced to get up at a certain time and shower every day. Most days I don’t shower until the afternoon and it makes me feel a little lazy. Otherwise I don’t miss the work, sitting in a cubicle, planning when I can take time off, or being away from home for so many hours a day.

Yesterday I thought I would try to keep track of my day. The days go pretty quickly. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve watched TV in the afternoon. Sure there are plenty of days where I’m counting down the minutes until Josh gets home but most days are normal, chilled out.

7:00am – My Jasper alarm first goes off. I hear him yell “mommy” from his room.
7:15am – Get him up and we snuggle/play in my bed.
8:00am – Diaper change, get Jasper dressed, brush teeth.
8:15am – Time for Jasper’s breakfast. He chases the dog around and they play while I clean the kitchen.
8:50am – Head downstairs with some toast (coffee for me).
9:00am – Sesame Street! This is the one show we watch every day. Jasper plays with toys and the dog for the first half. Then he sits on my lap for the second half.
10:00am – Jasper is actually watching Sid the Science Kid so I get some laundry started.
10:20am – Headed upstairs to get something and Jasper follows. So I use that time to clean up the bedroom and make my bed.
10:30am – Back downstairs. Jasper plays with his toys in the playroom and I dust the downstairs.
11:00am – 11:15am – I vacuum which makes the dog bark and the boy screams/laughs and runs around. Bebo needs to go out asap and I smell some funk from the boy. I also realize that the most annoying show just came on downstairs so I MUST turn the TV immediately. This is as chaotic as my day gets.
11:25am – Diaper change and then complete and utter meltdown because I wouldn’t let Jasper have cookies for lunch.
11:35am – Jasper eats a granola bar and gets a cookie after.
12:00am – I read some blogs while Jasper tears apart the love-seat cushions and climbs all over it.
12:40am – Emotional breakdown #2 for Jasper so I decide it’s going to be an early nap for him. Laundry is done so I get to do some folding.
1:00pm – Josh is home for lunch so I visit with him while he eats.
1:15pm – Finally get my shower in.
1:45pm – Consider cleaning the bathrooms but instead decide to take a little nap.
2:45pm – Jasper is awake. We spend the next hour or so eating marshmallows and goldfish. We take the cushions off the love-seat and use it for a jungle gym.
4:00pm – Josh is home! I’m basically off duty after that. Jasper is all about Josh when he gets home. The garage door opens and Jasper says, “Yay! Daddy home!”.

The thing about being home with your kid all day is that you don’t miss anything. When Jasper first started counting with Sesame Street I was there to hear it. When he does something especially silly I get to laugh along with him. Of course there are difficult days. Days when I just want a break or want to leave the house. But most aren’t like that. I am so incredibly grateful that I get to be the one to take care of my little guy. He is an amazing little buddy and I love spending my days with him.