The Sophia Chronicles
everything i don't want to forget…
baby & me…
JUST A FEW THOUGHTS ON BEING A STAY AT HOME MOM…
yesterday i was at the store & i saw an old friend i used to work with, she was accompanied by her 15 month old little boy & i of course had my “little shadow” with me. we got to talking & she asked me where i was working now & i told her i was lucky enough to be staying home with baby sophia. i thought i was hearing things because she said she couldn’t believe i was doing that because i didn’t seem like the “stay at home kind of mom” & if that wasn’t enough she asked me if i missed being independent… yep those words seriously came out of her mouth. i just said no & that i had to get going. i haven’t been able to get her statements out of my head, what does the stay at home type mom look like or act like & does being a stay at home mom mean i am chained to sophia & dishes & laundry & dirty diapers & i wear frumpy clothes all day & never shower & i always have baby food on my face?? well, the other day i got back from hy-vee & realized i did have baby food on my face, every day i strategise when i can take my shower & even then i’m done in 4 minutes because she is screaming in her crib, i know about what time each morning & evening i will be cleaning her cute little bottom from doing her “duties”, i literally have to talk myself into putting on something other than sweat pants to leave the house & some days i would love to leave the house without packing a bag or to have my day revolve around what i want to do not what she needs to do & the list goes on & on. but what does all of that say about me? to me it says that we have been given sophia as an amazing blessing & being with her is the most important thing i could ever do. it also says that our other two kids are at points in their lives where if i wasn’t there after school or on the week-ends to monitor there every movement then who knows what would be going on in their lives, it is hard enough to know what they are up to when i am always with them, i can’t even imagine what it would be like if i wasn’t there. i know there will always be a debate between being a stay at home mom & a working mom & which is better for your kids, i think there are valid points on both sides & i have done both. all i know is that for me (& my family) right now, me staying home with the kids is the best possible thing for everyone. the fact that shane supports my desire to stay home with sophia makes me love him even more. i can’t even imagine having to drop her off with someone else for them to go thru daily rituals with her & comfort her & feed her, etc… etc… . i know how lucky i am to be able to stay home with my baby & i will never take that for granted!! so no, i do not feel any less independent & i think i really do seem like a stay at home mom… whatever that means.
The Sophia Chronicles 
My dear Gina…..I am so glad you are staying at home with Sophia. It is so important to give her stability even as a baby…and Mom should be that pillar in her life to provide that! Give her lots of hugs and snuggles….teach her to enjoy beautiful things to see and to smell and to hear and to taste and to know how much she is treasured by her family and friends and especially her Lord. A stay-at-home Mom is a special angel who is there for her children. She makes lots sacrifices but when get “babies” are grown the rewards are plentiful and you can look back and rest in the fact of “job well well”…..although it may not seem like it such a job after all!
You are right there is no debate about a “stay at home” mom vs a “go to work and leave your baby for someone else to raise mom”…..the most important job of all is to know and do what is important for your children and to know how it is being done. Some women don’t have a choice and they do have to go to work but given a choice you are doing a grand job baby food on your face…four minute showers…someday you won’t have to do those things and it goes so fast you can’t believe it. I’m so proud of you. Love Mom