A Day in the Life.....

I know my fellow stay at home moms can relate to how hard it is to be a homemaker. I know that my husband and some of my family members don't realize how much work it really is. A few times I have written out EVERYTHING for the Hubs so that he can see how much I really do.

Stumble out of bed.
Start coffee.
Change Ali's diaper.
Help Chloe wipe bum.
Help Chloe wash hands.
Prepare breakfast.
Dish up plates for both kids.
Pour out juice.
Set both kids up with breakfast plates.
Prepare my plate.
Eat my food.
Get Ali down from high chair.
Clean up Ali's face and hands.
Get Ali dressed.
Get Chloe dressed.
Help Chloe brush her teeth.
Unload yesterday's dishes.
Load breakfast dishes.
Wipe down kitchen counters.
Shower (every other day).
Get dressed and ready.

And this is all by 9 AM.

Fast forward to the afternoon.

Start preparing lunch.
Prepare lunch plate for Chloe.
Prepare lunch plate for Ali.
Pour milk cups.
Put Ali in high chair.
Prepare my plate.
Eat my lunch.
Get Ali down from high chair.
Wipe Ali's hands and face.
Help Chloe go potty.
Help Chloe wash her hands.
Load lunch dishes into dishwasher.
Wipe down kitchen counters.
Change Ali's diaper.
Find Ali's blanket and binky.
Sing song to Ali while rocking her.
Lay Ali down for a nap.

And this is all by 1 PM. Chloe and I do some type of project or preschool time, then she has "quiet time". Then Mommy reads, messes around on the computer, does some chores, etc.

Fast forward to predinner.

Set Chloe up with a project or coloring.
Give Ali something to do on the kitchen floor.
Make dinner.
Clear and set the table.
Prepare dinner plate for Ali.
Prepare dinner plate for Chloe.
Pour milk cups.
Put Ali in high chair.
Prepare my plate.
Eat my dinner.
Get Ali down from high chair.
Wipe Ali's hands and face.
Help Chloe go potty.
Help Chloe wash hands.
Send kids to room to play.
Load dinner dishes into dishwasher.
Wipe down counters and stovetop.
Sweep the floor.
Empty the garbage.
Wipe down table.

And this is all by 7 PM.

Fast forward to pre bed time.

Start filling bathtub.
Strip down both kids.
Supervise bathtime.
Empty bathtub.
Dry off Ali.
Give a baby massage with lotion.
Put on new diaper.
Put on jammies.
Brush her hair.
Dry off Chloe.
Give a toddler massage with lotion.
Put on jammies.
Brush her hair.
Prepare a small bedtime snack.
Load bedtime snack dishes.
One final swipe of the kitchen.
Find Ali's blanket and binky.
Read one book.
Rock and sing to Ali.
Lay Ali down for bed.
Tell Chloe a story.
Sing a song to Chloe.
Read one or two more books to Chloe.
Help Chloe go potty.
Help Chloe wash hands.
Help Chloe brush teeth.
Get Chloe a drink of water.
Tuck Chloe into bed.
Sing one final song.
Collapse onto couch.

So, this is done every single day, even on bad/lazy days. If it's a good day you can also throw in two loads of laundry, washed, dried, folded and put away, vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing the bathroom, changing bedding, running errands, paying bills and balancing the checkbook, mopping, doing an art project and decluttering.

I'm not claiming to be supermom, not hardly. I think I try to justify to myself that I am actually doing something worthwhile.

Recently on a college application I had to report my employement status. My options were Working Full Time, Working Part Time, or Unemployed. I would definitely say I am employed, my house, children and husband are my employers and the pay is CRAP. And I would love to say that I get so warm and fuzzy knowing I am doing something worthwhile and important. The truth is that when I realize how many hours are spent doing trivial things like folding Chloe's underwear and sweeping under the stove, I long for a career and padded bank account and a sense of accomplishment. Because the dishes, yes they are done, but changing the world, no, that will have to wait until naptime is over.