"Stay at home" mom

I always wondered what "stay at home" moms did all day. I knew that having kids sucked up all your time, but I truly didn't understand how. I didn't get how people would say that their days just flew by when they were at home all day. All of my stay at home experiences involved LONG days, and I had convinced myself that in just one extra day at home, I could get an entire week's worth of stuff done.

Those of you who are stay at home moms are laughing right now. I know you are. And you should be.

Since I quit my job, I've had a "stay at home" week, and I don't think I've ever been more busy. I've done a whopping 1 load of laundry (all week!) and 1 load of dishes (in the dishwasher, NOT a difficult task), and somehow my house is still a mess, I still have Alaska stuff out, I still don't make my bed before noon every day, and I still don't cook dinner.

Just now I figured out the problem with my theory. All of my "stay at home" days have been because I was sick. And sick days go by SLOW. In my house growing up the rule was that "if you're too sick to go to ____ (work, school, church) you're too sick to play". So, I was bound to the bed/couch and I was not allowed to do anything except watch Disney movies, read books, and puke my guts out.

Now that I'm a grown up - I still live by that rule, I set up camp on the couch or bed, everything I could need in a day within arms length. I am usually surrounded by 3 or 4 remote controls, a phone, a book, a drink (with a straw - we only used straws when we were sick growing up) a bag of Saltine crackers, and garbage can in case of emergency.

Looking at the situation now, it makes complete sense why I thought 8 hours was such a long time, and why I knew that "if only I felt better, I would be getting so much done right now!" but the thing that never occurred to me, was that when you're feeling well, even when you're a "stay at home mom" you don't really stay at home. You still have things to do.

I've had a very relaxed week, and it's been full of fun, but I somehow still find myself driving home in rush hour traffic 3 out of 4 days so far. I'm not getting home any earlier than I was before. And while I might be at home more hours of the day, I'm checking my e-mail, blogging, reading, and NOT cleaning, doing laundry, and cooking. For this reason, I don't think I will ever be able to call myself a "stay at home mom" I'm changing it to a "with my kids" mom.....but until kids come, I'm just plain "unemployed" which doesn't sound nearly as pretty.