It is official. I should be voted out of motherhood. I am obviously a complete dropout even by my own standards. A total reject. In one month I have broken the most cardinal of rules. I have sinned in the ‘hood and I am here for my penance. I may never be able to repair the damage I have caused my one month old son due to my choices.
I will confess my offenses below.
I no longer boil water over the stovetop to sterilize both the nipples and bottles. This is an act of the past… as in my first child’s past. I now cleanse these feeding tools in the dishwasher (gasp!). I should be shunned.
I am known to prop Ashton’s bottle by use of his Boppy and many blankets to ensure he is fed. Seriously, it is a madhouse here on Pine Creek. The bottle prop is something only an uninvolved mom does, right? I insisted we hold Kaden for every feeding unless something was of a 911 importance. I am sure my official Mom Card will be revoked. I am a bad, bad mommy for meeting my boy’s needs in unison.
Generic diapers are on his little bum. The Especially for You from Babies R Us were on sale; and I swooped up 4 boxes each holding 96 diapers at $12.91 per box. He will use all 384 diapers by the end of the weekend (this is a total of 4 ½ weeks). Only the best diapers were bought to wrap around Kaden’s po-po. We used Pamper's Swaddlers until switching him to Huggies Little Movers at $14.99 per package containing only 40 diapers. Make a citizen’s arrest, for I have not had his rump dressed in the very best. I am a bad, bad mommy for saving substantial money for our savings.
When the boys cry I don’t go running. I complete the task at hand, which usually involves Kaden. We get to a stopping point and I excuse myself to care for Ashton’s needs. I spend time consoling him eventually retuning to play with Kaden. I don’t run to their every whimper. I don’t hold them at the first of every cry. Child Services would probably like to hear all about this neglect. I am a bad, bad mommy for finding calmness in amidst our daily madness.
I change Ashton’s clothes up to four times daily. If the last change is an hour before Adam and I go up to bed he will sleep in these clothes. He sleeps in his daywear! We are buried in laundry and may never dig ourselves out. As I type the fashion police are probably GPSing directions to our home. I am a bad, bad mommy for saving time and energy for what is really important.
I have learned that to complete tasks the ‘easy’ way is not necessarily the ‘lazy’ way. It is practicing the motto: work smart not hard. I have learned it is okay to bend my own rules to better the running of our home. As life changes I have to bend and so does the way I think and perceive what is right and what is wrong. On day two of Ashton being home we altered our parenting and realized we were not only co-parenting, but ‘co-childing’! We had to adapt to allow a greater way of survival…er…. I mean living.
We have amended our (my) rules to ensure each day is spent enjoying more family time. As with any new addition we pay closer attention to our finances. We have also started prioritizing the standard of living we desire. I am not referring to a standard measured monetarily, but one of our time.
Time slips by so quickly. A morning is gone before I know it. The night is here as I begin loading the dishes and folding the laundry. At one time these tasks were completed by midmorning. So, I guess I fail as domestic goddess too, for I push back and put off my daily tasks into the night. I do this so my families (few daily) hours spent together may be filled enjoying the energy of a toddler and the smiles of a newborn as Adam and I linger a little bit longer in the love we have created. And for doing this I am a bad, bad mommy.
As this new journey of being a mother of two begins I appreciate being a bad, bad mommy and all its wisdom. I am better at managing our time and finances than I was six weeks ago. I am guilty of quickly identifying what and who needs my attention and how to best meet the need. I am guilty of loving my family and finding ways to lessen the work to increase the play. I am a bad, bad mommy and I am urging other mom’s to join my revolution.
