Your opinion, please.

A friend was recently told that, as a SAHM, she doesn't work. This was said to her by a mother whose children spent roughly 10 hrs a day in daycare from the time they were 6 weeks until they started school.

SAHM asked Non-SAHM if she thought the caregivers at the daycare worked. The reply? "Of course they work! They cared for MY children."

Soooo, caring for someone else's child is working, but caring for your own isn't because it's what? Expected? Required? Help me with this one. As a SAHM aren't you caring for your child while doing what needs to be done around your house at the same time? Cleaning, laundry, dishes, yard work, taxi service, etc?

I'm not looking to get into the big debate of who has it harder, SAHMs or Non-SAHMs. I'm not judging Non-SAHMs. Some of them look at those of us who are fortunate enough to be SAHMs with envy and jealousy in their eyes. Of course, some of us are looked at with contempt for "selling out" or "not being able to cut it". Then there are the SAHMs who judge Non-SAHMs for choosing to work rather than care for their own children. Whatever your situation is, I hope you're in the one you chose.

I've learned that time with those we love is precious, be it our children, our parents, our family & friends. This moment will never happen again. You're only young once (don't I know it!) & your children are little for only such a short period of time. There are days I regret that I let my Post-Partum Depression eat up the first 6 months of Sunshine's life. I'm grateful that I'm able to stay home with Sunshine. And while they were some of the hardest, most trying days of my life, that I was able to shoulder the responsibility of being both Mommy AND Daddy while Hunter was deployed.


So, tell me---is caring for someone else's child work but caring for your own isnt??

What a crazy week!

If the past week was any indication of what 2010 will be like then stop the train, I want to get off!

It started with Sunshine getting sick at our friends house on New Year's Eve. Standard tummy bug stuff that lasted into Friday afternoon. By Saturday she had recovered & was back to her normal giggly self. Sunday afternoon was a different story. She got an ice cream while we were out running errands (Dutch chocolate w/ m & m's mixed in and a waffle cone with rainbow sprinkles). She didn't want to finish it & gave half to Hunter. Sunshine not finishing her ice cream is like me not buying Koigu KPPPM. By Sunday evening we were convinced something was up---she didn't want any supper & went to bed complaining of back & tummy pain. Off to the ER we went. 3 1/2 hours later we discovered that a UTI was to blame. We're on day 6 out of 10 on Bactrim.

On Tuesday, Hunter woke up with a tummy bug. He managed to go into work for about an hour and a half before coming home to get in bed, where he spent the rest of the day. He got up around dinnertime & seriously was greenish gray looking. Not good. Luckily, one of our friends (the same one whose house Sunshine was sick at) was able to come over to sit w/ her (she was sleeping) while I took Hunter to the ER. In 6 hours he had 2 liters of IV fluids, zofran, phenergan, morphine (for stomach pain) & an abdominal series of Xrays. The diagnosis was gastroenteritis. They were about to start a 3rd bag of fluids when Hunter told them he'd be fine going home w/ anti-nausea meds & promised to continue to push fluids. He was confined to quarters (day home from work) for 24 hrs & is on the mend.

On Thursday I dropped Sunshine off at school, Hunter went back to work & after a little Farmville on FB, I started cleaning the bathroom from top to bottom. I had lunch later than normal & felt a little wobbly when I went to pick up Sunshine at school. I figured it was my blood sugar b/c of the late lunch. A half hour after we got home I realized I was sick. An hour after that I was in bed & was miserable for the next 12 hours. Stomach bugs are no fun but when you're diabetic, it can be dangerous. Pedialyte pops are my new best friends.

I spent Friday in bed, watching movies, napping & trying to feel better. Today I'm still not 100% but I feel a lot better than I did on Thursday!

So, 2010, in your first week you've had all of us sick. Let's try for a kinder, gentler 2nd week, shall we???

1st day of Kindergarten Redux

When we were looking at houses we specifically looked at houses that would put us in certain zones for elementary schools. This house puts us in the zone for a great school & as you know, Sunshine can walk to school (with Mommy), which is really unheard of these days.

Today was her first day at newschool. She was excited when we'd talk about it, woke up giddy, talked about how she was going to make 2 new girlfriends today & hopefully see her friend Turner on the playground.

I walked her into the office & then down to her classroom. She was a little bummed as she wanted to walk herself down the hall (and around the corner & around the other corner!) but was okay with it. Until we reached the door to her class & someone says "There's a new student" She dug in her heels & refused to take one more step. I had to do a little push/pull to get her in the door. Her teacher seems very nice & told Sunshine that they'd been expecting her. Actually, the aide & teacher seem nice.

I admit to getting a little teary eyed this morning on my way back to the car (it was 21 degrees out--you think we're walking to school in that?! What do you think this is? Vermont???). She looked like such a big kid today!

Kitchen painted!

Okay, 90% of it is. There is a weird corner part about 3" wide where 2 doorways meet that isn't done yet. And one spot to the left of the window in the 2nd pic that Hunter forgot to sand (the previous owners had nail holes in the most random places!). But it's done! I love the blues with the color of the cabinets & am excited to start looking at materials for the counter & floor!