I realized several months ago that I was doing SAHM things I swore I would never do. For instance, when going grocery shopping I sometimes let Tiernan sit in the basket instead of the designated seat part of the shopping cart, my house is nowhere near as neat and clean and organized as I swore it would be when I could stay home all the time, although I always offer a healthy snack first, my kid prefers junk food over the nutrient rich good for you stuff and occasionally I give in...but I'm not fretting over any of this stuff. Now that I'm home full time I have a better understanding of why moms do those things I once found so horrible. Never in a million years would I have thought staying home would be so exhausting...even on lazy days when I don't get much done, I find myself dead tired at the end of the day. My mom always said once you have kids you'll never go to the bathroom alone again...she's pretty dead on. As a SAHM you never, ever get a break. I think part of it is cabin fever, I tend to feel more energized when I go out and do something fun during the day, but the other part is that you never really get to rest. Even during naptime, my mind is constantly going--waiting for Tiernan to wake up, thinking about what to make for dinner, planning for the upcoming days, and so on. As I'm chasing Tiernan around the house, pretending like he's too fast for me to catch him, or as I'm trying to keep him out of the kitchen sink while I cook dinner, or as I'm trying to convince Tiernan that naptime really is fun, I find myself wishing he had a pause button...like, "stay right there, let mommy have an uninterrupted rest, and then we'll resume." Then, as I'm trying to rest during naptime or at bedtime I frequently find myself wishing my brain had an off switch. Still, with all the chores that I feel like I should've done but didn't, through all of the tantrums, and with the extreme lack of privacy or down-time, I would never trade my job for anything.
This is why Steve and I made the decision that, unless financially necessary, I will be a SAHM until our youngest child is in school full time. Most people who know I recently finished my degree assume I'm going to start teaching right away. When I explain that, at best, I might substitute teach a day or two a week, I usually get very concerned looks. Steve and I knew as soon as we found out I was pregnant, actually before that even happened, that I would stay home with the kids as long as possible.
I feel incredibly lucky that I get to experience life as a SAHM and I don't regret "wasting" my degree. I am so blessed to have a hard-working husband who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep me at home. So for anyone concerned that my degree will not go to good use, don't worry, I use what I learned in college everyday with Tiernan. To those who are worried about us not having a two income household, don't worry, we have made wise financial decisions and are pretty good at living within the boundaries of our paycheck. Like every couple, we have rough patches we go through, but in general we are one happy family...and I am one happy SAHM.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Welcome! 2009 wrap-up...bring on 2010!
After seeing so many of my friends' family blogs, I decided I should start one for my own family. Gone are the days of writing individuals letters, or even emails, to share news with loved ones. I will try to update this blog frequently...it will be easier now that I'm a stay-at-home-mom!
2009 was a pretty busy year for our family. Tiernan turned one, Steve recieved his MBA, and I completed my student teaching and recieved my BA in Elementary Education.
With the completion of my degree, I am finally, 100% a stay-at-home-mom (or SAHM). Tiernan and I have fun playing, but the terrible two's are already showing their ugly faces. To combat tantrums I try to keep Tiernan busy. On Tuesdays we go to an art class, which Tiernan dislikes...I'm not a big fan of it either. On Fridays we go to a movement class where Tiernan can run around and go crazy...we both LOVE this class! The instructor is great, encouraging parents to sit back and let their kids explore. Once a month Tiernan learns about farm animals at the Phoenix Zoo....this month he got to feed the cows! Plus, we go to visit GG Rachel as much as we can.
As some of you already know, most of you don't, Steve and I are trying to expand our family. We got pregnant last fall, but unfortunately, it was a tubal pregnancy. My doctor has encouraged us to wait until April or May to try again, but after much prayer we've decided to try again in March. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday...so maybe we'll celebrate the holiday, the anniversary of our engagement, and the birth of a new baby all at once this year! We are very hopeful that my body has had enough time to heal and is ready for another baby. Please keep my health and our family in your prayers.
2010 promises to be a great year. We are starting the year off by taking GG Rachel to Disneyland to celebrate her birthday in March! This will be Tiernan's third visit to Disneyland...he loves it there! I'm sure the rest of the year will hold many more adventures.
Peace and Love to you all,
Alyssa
2009 was a pretty busy year for our family. Tiernan turned one, Steve recieved his MBA, and I completed my student teaching and recieved my BA in Elementary Education.
With the completion of my degree, I am finally, 100% a stay-at-home-mom (or SAHM). Tiernan and I have fun playing, but the terrible two's are already showing their ugly faces. To combat tantrums I try to keep Tiernan busy. On Tuesdays we go to an art class, which Tiernan dislikes...I'm not a big fan of it either. On Fridays we go to a movement class where Tiernan can run around and go crazy...we both LOVE this class! The instructor is great, encouraging parents to sit back and let their kids explore. Once a month Tiernan learns about farm animals at the Phoenix Zoo....this month he got to feed the cows! Plus, we go to visit GG Rachel as much as we can.
As some of you already know, most of you don't, Steve and I are trying to expand our family. We got pregnant last fall, but unfortunately, it was a tubal pregnancy. My doctor has encouraged us to wait until April or May to try again, but after much prayer we've decided to try again in March. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday...so maybe we'll celebrate the holiday, the anniversary of our engagement, and the birth of a new baby all at once this year! We are very hopeful that my body has had enough time to heal and is ready for another baby. Please keep my health and our family in your prayers.
2010 promises to be a great year. We are starting the year off by taking GG Rachel to Disneyland to celebrate her birthday in March! This will be Tiernan's third visit to Disneyland...he loves it there! I'm sure the rest of the year will hold many more adventures.
Peace and Love to you all,
Alyssa
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