My Stay-At-Home Mom Myths Busted

I quit my job last year and decided to be a stay-at-home mom. That last day from work gave me huge relief. I was finally going to spend time at home with the kids. In my mind I was thinking of doing crafts with the kids, baking cakes and muffins, attending PTAs -- the works. The image of this perfect mom with perfect kids, whistling while working, popped into my head. I never thought that being a stay-at-home mom would be one colossal roller coaster ride.

Here are a few lessons that I've learned on being a stay-at-home mom:

I never realized that house work was never ending. There will always be piles of laudry. The dishes will never be clean for too long. No matter how fast I work, there always seems to be, at least, one unfinished project around the house. And this is a huge adjustment from work where I just tick off tasks that are done and get on with the new tasks. Staying at home requires serious paradigm shift.

It is easy to be separated from the outside world when you're staying at home. I'm at home with the kids all day. My adult contact was limted to my husband and to my other relatives during the weekends.

Adjustment takes time. Actually, after 8 months of staying at home, I can honestly say that I'm still getting my groove. It definitely has its ups and downs but it gets easier as time passes.

No one is perfect. No matter how voraciously I go through baby books, know more about parenting than Dr. Spock or cook lasagne in 30 minutes better than Rachel Ray, I could never be the perfect mom. I had willingly given up that myth. And I tell myself that it's okay to make mistakes.

Despite the big lifestyle change that I'm going through, being a stay-at-home mom is wonderful. It is a decision that I do not regret one second. I love being present in my children's lives. And no pile of laundry is too big to deter me from being a stay-at-home mom.

This Is Me Today

Thanks Em.

Rule:

1. List 6 things that describe yourself today.

2. Add your blog to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs.

3. Tag other online friends you know.

Links: Creative In Me Little Peanut Me and Mine Pea in a Pod Sugar Magnolias Doll Me Up Deviously Creative IamDzoi My Happy Place To the Moon and Back Raising Sandy My Colorful World Working It MyParty.Finds.A Home. Em's Detour Stripe & Yellow Something Purple Vanity Kit Mind Bubbles Living the Healthy Life Insights from the Grocery Cart.

Today, I am...

:: Binging out with my sis again. Grrr!

:: Glad that Kowi's forehead is better.

:: Missing Hubby.

:: Worried about the situation in Mindanao.

:: Adding more fiber in my diet.

:: Hoping that Kuya does well in our mock exam this weekend.

Tagging: Pchi and Ritzie.

Blog Award

Thanks Mommy Elvz for giving me this award.

The rules of the award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you’ve nominated.


Now I'm passing this to: Ca tque, Joy, Nanay Belen, Tet, Shimumsy, Katelove's and Michelle.

Kowi's Forehead

Last night before bedtime, the kids were inside Manu's room, playing. I was with my sister, Ceejay, in her room when I heard a loud thump. Mamu screamed, "Give me ice!" Then I heard Kowi's loud cry.

I immediately stood up and ran outside the room to see what happened. I saw Mamu carrying Kowi. There was a BIG violet lump in the middle of her forehead.

I took Kowi and ran to the kitchen to get ice. Ceejay right behind me. I opened the freezer door to get whatever I could find that was cold and put it to Kowi's forehead. It was a pack of green peas. Good thing that my sister was already busy preparing the real cold compress.

Kowi's forehead was so swollen and violet. I knew that she fell hard but I didn't realize that she fell that hard to get a bump that big.

We applied the cold compress to Kowi's forehead for 30 minutes. Thank God that Evan Almighty was on HBO. Kowi loves that movie. It had created the perfect distraction for me to keep applying that cold compress to her forehead.

Here she is after 30 minutes. The swelling had subsided and the color has lightened to a light violet. She is drinking milk and still cranky. Who could blame her?

Two Days Unplugged

For the past two days I have been unplugged. Grrr! My Internet connection was on the fritz, maybe due to the weather, I don't know. Grrr again!

I'm here in my mom's house for the long weekend. Hopefully, their Internet is better than mine. Only problem is that I have to wait in line after they (meaning my siblings and mom) finish their online games before I can surf.

Well, one good thing came out of being unplugged -- I had more time to clean the house. Haha. As in general cleaning. I even mopped the ceiling. =)

Withdrawal symptoms anyone?

A Rainy Day

I woke up at 5am to see that it was raining. Originally, I had planned to cook pancakes for breakfast today but decided to scrap it at the last minute. There is only one fitting breakfast for me and the kids on a rainy day like today--champorado.

Good thing I had some stocked in my pantry. I took it out and cooked it. As expected, it was yummy. There's nothing like steamy, hot champroado to warm your tummy and jumpstart your day.

Too bad I didn't have tuyo (dried fish).