Mommy Blogs

It occurred to me this morning the reason why there are so many "mommy blogs" in the world.

It's simple really:

Being a stay-at-home mom, especially to more than one child, is hard. 

Working moms have it easy.

And I'm allowed to say this because I do both.

I've broken down my rationale into categories, so let's start with breaks.

There are no breaks.

Sometimes, when Greg is home, I pretend I want to do the dishes just so I don't have to watch Batman again. During the day, if I get a half an hour total when both kids are sleeping, I don't really know what to do with myself, so I sit down and spend twenty minutes figuring it out, and then I go and fold laundry or clean up lunch or a half a dozen other things. 

At work, if I need a break, I sit down. I check email. I give the kids a worksheet that takes ten minutes so I can breathe. And it happens to be mandatory that I get a plan bell, and my plan bell happens to be during the nearly two hour lunch period which means I really do get an incredible break in my day. 

It's hard to make friends.

Those other moms--the ones who are at home 365 days a year--they are hard to penetrate. 

We went to the park last week and there was a clique of them sitting on top of the rock climbing wall as though they were reigning over their park kingdom. 

At gymnastics class every monday, I scoot Will in the direction of the moms' kids who I know are all playmates. I interject an "Oh he's so funny!" here and there, but my lack of outgoingness is totally a disadvantage.

I compared last week's park experience to walking into the high school cafeteria as the new kid in school, which I never had to do, and I'm incredibly grateful for that.

At least at work there is always someone to talk to, to avoid the awkward being-engrossed-in-something-on-my-iPhone moment. 

You would think this is an incredible club, "Moms," with new members always welcome to commiserate with and swap crock pot recipes and teething advice with.

But no.

There's no time for anything beauty related.

At least while working my 5 a.m. alarm insured a peaceful shower and the opportunity to not only do my hair but to apply makeup.

My showers are currently a multi-tasking one minute in length so I can hop out and make sure the loud thud wasn't my own little Batman launching himself off the back of the couch at "the enemy"ie; his baby brother.

I don't dry my hair. Ever. That's just asking for disaster.

And I now carry mascara in my car so that I can apply it while backing down my driveway (not to worry--I use the mirror that has the rear camera so I'm still multi-tasking and not putting lives in danger...totally).

I would ask how the moms at gymnastics class have time for full make up, if only they'd let me in their group! 

Things that used to be fun have lost their allure.

Shopping at Target.

Driving in the car and singing to songs.

Drinking a cup of coffee.

I love Laurie Birkner and the Wiggles. I do. But my Britney-esque dance club car moves just aren't the same to "Rock-a-bye your bear." They're just not.

And coffee. God where would I be without it. I wish I texted this to my friend more often, but I don't. "Just got the coffee made and had five minutes to enjoy before both boys were up."

Instead, "Cleaned up poopy diaper explosion before I could get any coffee this morning. Poop before coffee. Something wrong," is more common.

I know this will all get easier. I know that my kids are both at really difficult ages right now. And the fact that a trip to Target just isn't the same doesn't make me love them any less. 

I simply felt like blogging the truth. 

Apparently lots of moms do.

Thank goodness for each and every one of them.

Being a stay-at-home mom is hard.

But it's a cool club to belong to. 

Now if only I could figure out how to get into the cool groups...