Confessions of a SAHM

Something happen the other day that made me sit back and shake my head...at myself.  So much changes when you bring a little one home.  Joyful changes, rough changes, ugly changes, but changes nonetheless.  Here's an insight into some of the "adjusting" we have had to do and truths I've discovered:

1. You leave your brain at the hospital.  Seriously!  I have a double major and minor.  I'm a liberal arts junkie.  I CAN'T SPELL SIMPLE WORDS ANYMORE.  I'll write something down, step back, look at the words, and promise that something is askew. Memory?  You can forget about that.  I've never been late paying a bill.  Ever.  I walked around a month ago with one in my purse for a week simply because I forgot to drop it off by the post office. 

2.  You will do things you thought only your grandmother would do.  Case in point, the other night I left my keys in the ignition of my car, left it unlocked parked in our driveway, and didn't realize it until almost 24 hours later.  Luckily, my car is ancient and no one wants it, but still only I'm 27.  Who does that?

3.  Showering and primping only go so far.  Actually, I should probably say IF you get a chance to shower or primp.  Let's be honest, there have been days when I don't shower until Emory goes down for the night between 9 and 10 PM.  Even if it does happen and I remotely resemble the woman I looked like prior to baby-life, it doesn't last long.  My hair almost always has to be up thanks to come grabby hands (see below, found a new and very easy way to keep my hair up and out of the way).  My clothes typically get changed multiple times a day since I'm usually covered in spit up at various points throughout the day.  Nothing covers the smell of spit up.  Nothing!  As Murphy and his lovely law would have it, inevitably as soon as you have completed a somewhat decent look for the day you will be covered.  It's reminds me of getting slimed on Nickelodeon when we were kids.  Except it's not green...yet.

Bohemian twist.  Front view.  This was definitely taken at 3 AM, so please excuse the au naturale face.

Back view.  I had to run to the produce stand and Harris Teeter this morning.  Fast, easy, and doesn't have to be perfect.  LOVE!

4.  Sleep is a distant memory.  This isn't so much the case for Phillip.  He's a sound sleeper.  I, on the other hand, am not.  I have always been a light sleeper.  I worry and stress which in turn keeps me up until I become so delirious that I pass out...often times this doesn't happen at all.  Emory, as it happens, is a very noisy sleeper.  He talks, grunts, sucks on a pacifier louder than I've ever heard any child, etc.  This is one of the reasons he was transitioned to his own room at 4 weeks.  He is a wonderful sleeper (usually going 10 to 12 hours at night) and has been since he was about 7 weeks old.  Regardless, I usually get up about 50 million times a night just to check on our little grunter.  I only wish that were more of an exaggeration.  It's not.  My brain never turns off.  Ever.  I can't remember the last time I fell asleep before 4 AM.  Most nights it isn't until 5 or 6 AM.  When he begins to wake up at 7 something (insert more pointless noises) and doesn't actually wake up until 9ish, it doesn't make for a whole lot of sleep.  I've seen the impact of no sleep too.  My eyes have huge circles under them (see sans make-up picture above) and almost always burn.  Headaches galore and nothing you take will ever get rid of them.  I never knew this was possible but most days I have several dizzy spells for no reason at all other than sleep deprivation.  Zero energy!  I make myself take Emory and Mason on walks several times a week, but that's seriously all I can do.  Luckily, Emory is a pretty cute fella so he makes it worth the cost.

5.  Mealtime?  What mealtime?  I realize this is terrible, but there are MANY days that I do not eat a thing until Emory goes to bed.  WAY too late to be eating folks!  I don't know how it happens, but an entire day slips by and it's only when I stop that I realize how hungry I am.  I do the same thing with drinking.  Initially when nursing, I was thirsty all the time and subsequently drank like a fish!  I'm trying to get better about this because it has caused some problems with production.  It's just hard when you are trying to keep up with laundry (oh the laundry), chores, play with a baby that doesn't like napping during the day (feel free to give pointers on making this happen), and maintain the every day balance of your family life.

As I've said before and will continue to stand by, it's all worth every bit of the sacrifice!  I wouldn't trade my stinky clothes, messy hair, and sleepy eyes life for all the money in the world.  There's one thing that makes me COMPLETELY FORGET that I look and feel like something the cat drug in...

...and here he is!