Laundry Day is Everyday

I have been dealing with a lot of transitions lately. Adjusting to baby number three is the big one, but there have been others as well. Daddy headed out again, and both my "big" kids are entering new phases in their lives. All of these changes, while mostly good (except the Daddy leaving part), reminds of the biggest transition I made almost five years ago when I went from married and working to a Stay at Home Mom. I wish I could say it was easy, and I just fit right into it, but I struggled. I missed adult conversations and having a reason to change out of my PJ's every day. I was fortunate to be surrounded by some AH-mazing (and thankfully more experienced) Stay at Home Mom's. They lovingly and patiently passed on their wisdom over wine nights and walks. So while I find myself muddling through these current transitions, I have a good foundation of knowledge to stand on. Being a Stay at Home Mom is the most wonderful job I've had but the learning curve is steep. Since I learned from the best, I figured I'd better share some of the rules I learned to live by....

*Staying at home is a job, give yourself a lunch break everyday.
*If you clean the house a little everyday, you'll almost never have to devote an entire Saturday to it.
*Keep your kids on a routine. You need to know nap time (sanity break) is coming.
*Pack snacks that keep kids busy like raisin boxes or string cheese.
*Yes, juice boxes really are that cool. Bubbles are even cooler.
*If things don't have a home you will spend half your day moving them from one spot to another.
*Laundry day is every day.
*Go outside. Go for a walk, go to the store, play in the yard, just get out.
*Take a shower, even if you have to put a kid in a play pen.
*It's totally cool to rock the sweat pants every day, just make sure they're cute sweats!
*Sometimes kids just have to cry it out.
*If you wanna be the sheriff you gotta lay down the law.
*Whenever you schedule a well baby appointment also schedule a hair appointment. It's time.
*You are not a hawk so baby-proof.
*If another SAHM says "Call Me" she means it. She hasn't talked to an adult all day either.
*When in doubt just keep going.

Sometimes in a laundry, lunch, and diaper frenzy we can forget how lucky we are to be the one to collect all the little moments that make a childhood. Say thank you to the man who makes your job possible. And then tell him to handle bed time while you have a glass of wine. You've earned it.