[Witness my love for the Wii Fit over at the Ladies of Loserville today...]
A funny thing happened yesterday. I went to work. Well, sort of.
I still have this lingering side gig that I picked up before the kids came along. It’s very few hours and done almost exclusively from home on my own time. I don’t love it, and I may ditch it in the spring when this year’s cycle ends, but it’s a bit of continuity on the résumé and all that.
Yesterday, the trustees for whom I work were having a meeting, and wanted me to stop by for a few things. Sure, no big deal, right? Well, the meeting was at 9:30AM in Boston and I don’t have a steady supply of babysitters at my beck and call. Fortunate for me, the meeting just happened to be half a block from my sister-in-law’s apartment and she wasn’t busy, so she volunteered to watch them. Whew.
So, for the first time in a long time, I actually had to set my alarm and wake up before the kids in order to get in a shower and be ready to go. Pulled the kids out of bed at 7:30 (they were quietly awake, but on a normal day I would have let them chit-chat for a while longer), immediately fed them breakfast (which also would normally have waited a bit), and then went straight back upstairs to get them dressed (which I normally don’t bother with until about 9:30). We had shoes and coats on, bag of toys and snacks packed, all of us in the car and on the road at 8:20AM.
While sitting in rush hour traffic, my sister-in-law called to say that she had forgotten about an internship interview, and could I possibly be back by 10:45? Not a problem, but still… another last-minute wrinkle. Kids in the back, dropping hats and beloved toys. Trying to keep my eyes on the road. Run run, hurry hurry, complications in childcare, don’t be late to the meeting, don’t be late to pick up the kids.
It was a small, small taste of what I imagine it must be like to be a working mom, dropping kids off at daycare. And may I say? Damn, you guys. Hats off, I cannot imagine doing that dance with two toddlers every single day. I’m sure parts of it, like anything, get a lot easier with repetition and routine. But I’ve gotten so used to the pace of my mornings, and days in general, it’s hard to imagine managing to get to an actual job at a reasonable hour, five days a week.
People sometimes ask me if I plan on going back to work. The answer is: probably, but not now. I’ve said it before, but I am finding myself really satisfied with this choice of staying home with the kids. Is it always sunshine and rainbows? Hell, no. Do I miss being in my own office, chatting with co-workers, and accomplishing non-poop-related tasks? Yeah, sometimes. But mostly I really really like it here, and can’t imagine giving it up anytime soon.
Of course, I may change that tune when the kids hit two…
Well, it’s 8 AM right now and here is what my day has been so far:
4:45 AM my alarm goes off
)
5:00 Up and change into work out clothes
5:15 to 6 or so, do 15 min of yoga, then 30 min of Shred DVD (thank you Ladies of Loserville to get me in gear to do it
6:15-7:15 Shower, makeup, hair, & dressed (I wasn’t born pretty, so it takes me an hour, and I listen to NPR which helps me feel connected)
7:15 – 7:45 make breakfast for Kate and me
7:45 – 8:00 15 minutes of me-time with a cup of joe
8:00 – Kate wakes, I get her dressed, head downstairs for breakfast, then out the door at 8:30. Drive her 1/2 hour to my in-laws, then 1/2 hour the other way to my office.
Luckily, I do get to stay home with her on Thursdays, and there are days I work from home (sans makeup/hair). This schedule works great for me.
I have a balance with her that I love, although I wish I could be home one or two more days with her, but I envy moms who can be home with their kiddos.
I totally agree with Lisa that I envy Moms that get to stay home with their kids. Right now, my workday schedule with the babies goes like…
4:30 – 5:00 – Babies wake up to eat
5:30 – 5:45 – Shower
5:45 – 6:15 – “me time” (reading email, checking facebook and reading celebrity gossip)
6:15 – 6:45 – get dressed, make lunches, pick up living room, clean bottles, etc
6:45 – 7:00 – Nanny arrives, leave for work
I used to try to get back to sleep after the babies ate, but having to do the nasty wake up twice in one day was too much. But sometimes, I am glad to go to work where I get to use two hands to do things, which I never get to do at home!
Carrie´s last blog post..Look at us!
Hi there!
I was reading your blog the other day about scheduling… I have an 8 month old and we’re trying to get him to stay in his crib longer in the morning. He goes to bed between 7:30/8pm… he likes to get up about 5:45, but we’d really like him to stay in bed till 6:30/7. Any suggestions on how we get there???
Thanks!!!
Leah
Leah´s last blog post..Getting help around the house….
I do not in any way regret my choice to work, because for me and our family, it is the right choice. I would not be a good stay-at-home mom and I know that. But man, the one thing I envy about SAHMs is the leisurely mornings. We treasure our weekend leisurely mornings.
Perhaps now you understand why the boys get to watch an episode of Dora every morning Jon is gone while I change diapers, change clothes, brush teeth, fix hair, put on coats, shoes, hats and mittens. In the summer, it’s putting on sunscreen instead. Once the boys reached 18 months, they learned to run away and not listen. Better to bribe them with tv for cooperation.
Thanks for the shout out to working moms!
(And you didn’t even have to experience the dreaded “had a bad day at day care so I’m going to be in the worst mood ever” pick up!)
LauraC´s last blog post..Travel plans
This is so funny…I’ve been “playing” SAHM for the past few weeks, and MAN – I’m so ready to be working mom again.
I guess it’s all in a.) what you’re used to and b.) what you can handle. Although, I suppose we handle what we’re used to 
Nancy´s last blog post..Toddler Sheets
I can’t even imagine!
We are so lucky to have found a great nanny…it is all we can do to get the two of us out the door by 8am. I can’t imagine what it would be like if we had to get two kids completely ready and packed up too.
We do have our routine down now…my husband is usually ready before me and goes and gets the kids up and makes their breakfast. But, I do miss being able to really hang out with them in the morning before I leave. Maybe some day!
Erin´s last blog post..It seems like just yesterday…
Love this post! I am a SAHM and I always get the “how do you do it” questions- that question should really be directed at working moms, NOT twin moms! Or at least just at twin working moms! I cannot even begin to imagine how they juggle it all!
Ours are seven, and I just lost what had been a wonderful work-from-home freelance gig. While working from home is quite the challenge, like you, I cannot imagine trying to make the transition to office work now. SO now trying to piece meal assorted freelance gigs to try and keep a bit of revenue coming in, but still doing it from home.
I admire every mom who manages to make whatever she has going work! (ALL varieties have their challenges–SAHM, WAHM, Office working mom…)
Cheryl´s last blog post..No, Wii Ain’t Gonna Take It
That was my dance last year. Oh, and I was pregnant while getting the two of them out the door. Oy. Now, they stay home with their dad during the day. They are sleeping when I leave in the morning, which affords me a little more “me” time. However, their bed time is one hour after I walk in the door from work. I wish I had those crazy mornings back as it was simply more TIME with them. Someday it will be a perfect situation…
Cynthia´s last blog post..Presenting…Hannah Montana!
i have such admiration for the way that every mom handles her own unique situation, since each presents its own challenges. balance isn’t always easy to maintain! i am so grateful that i have been able to stay at home for this long…i am going to have to start work again soon, but hoping that at work at home position comes through!
rachael´s last blog post..Go, go, go football!
What, you don’t have a steady of babysitters at your beck and call?!
I feel your pain — I was asked to go in for a two-hour meeting this Thursday (a very rare occurrence), and I scrambled to patch together child care for Jack! I DEFINITELY do not miss the days of trying to get out the door for work. We were lucky enough to have a nanny, so at least we didn’t have to do drop-off and pick-up, but I definitely much prefer my current routine! I can’t imagine being in an office full-time anytime soon. Although the work-at-home gig brings home much less money (perhaps not a good idea in a year that we’ll be buying our first home), it definitely buys me more peace of mind!
Beverly´s last blog post..18 Months Old
Yes, mornings are hectic for me, a working mom of twins with husband away from 12 months. And yes, I enjoyed the leisurely mornings of my recent winter break. However, staying home seems a lot more stressful to me. I remember the maternity leave months, and compare them to the commute-daycare-work slog, and I’ll take the latter any day. Some people are better parents when they stay home and some are better parents when they work. I’m the latter.
Sadia´s last blog post..Overheard 4
Thanks for the love!
Doing the mad dash to daycare in the morning with two (nearly) two-year olds is precisly why we relish our weekends even more! I am very reluctant to plan much for the two days a week that we have a chance to spend extra time in our pj’s and eat breakfast off of a plate vs. out of the hand.
Although like LauraC said, I don’t regret my choice to work, though personally I second-guess myself often.
I think once my kids are off their AM & PM iron doses and they learn to brush their own hair and teeth, our house at 7am will be a much happier place.
CarrieinAK´s last blog post..Lots-o-Locks
Oh. I so agree. I am asked all the time if i plan to go back to work once the twins are older and I just don’t even want to think about it right now… I don’t know how working mamas do it! I know i won’t go back to work until the babies are in first grade atleast…
About once a semester I’m a guest speaker at a college. I’ll drop off the younger one at a friend’s house and make arrangements to get my older one to and from preschool. I’ll get everything all together. Then I’ll get together everything I need. By the time I’m finished speaking and collect the kids, I’m exhausted. We usually end up with carry out for dinner!
Alex Elliot´s last blog post..My New Hobby and Tending to My Own Knitting
I have a friend who has three kids in three different schools and has a 45 minute commute to work. I have no idea how she does it. I think of her all the time when I wonder what working would be like. But honestly the reason I don’t work is because I’m not worth more in the workplace. I couldn’t earn enough money to pay for full time sitter/daycare. Maybe when they are older and are in school, the return will be greater, but not right now.
MereCat´s last blog post..For Those About to Cook, We Salute You
I only have one 17 month old but some mornings are just plain crazy. Most mornings are routine and dare I say easy. The TV does stay on in the mornings way more than I would really like but it allows me and hubby to shower, get dressed, and get breakfast and lunch packed.
I really admire all Mom’s of Twins because I can’t imagine those bad mornings with two Koles.
Emily´s last blog post..Pictures from last week