I am SAHM? SAHM I am?

Posted on May 20, 2009 by

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On Monday, I had another taste of Stay-at-home-Momism. 

And I liked it.

OK, so technically, there were no children. And yes, that is a big part of being a SAHM. But I had Little Dog … and … what? Oh yeah, forgot to walk her. Minor details.
Anyway, my day was like something out of The Sound of Music …
  • Got up at the usual time
  • Baked fresh muffins for Darling Husband
  • Made him coffee
  • Packed his lunch
  • Kissed Darling Husband good-bye
  • Was busy all morning re-organizing/painting trim in our bedroom
  • Stopped for lunch and made delicious veggie-chicken wraps
  • Did some more home-repair-ish work
  • Folded laundry
  • Had lovely apple-slices/cheese/crackers/milk afternoon snack
  • Read my book on the couch
  • Greeted Darling Husband enthusiastically
  • Played Wii together
  • Cooked dinner
  • Cleaned up
  • Laughed at Little Dog leaping over my legs
  • Took a long bath
  • Packed lunches for the next day
  • Read in bed
OK, OK, I know that sounds monotonous. But truly, it was a really nice day. Just the right mix of “getting stuff done” and “enjoying oneself.” I felt happy and rested. 
Bonus: Darling Husband was happy that I was happy and rested — and not taking out work stress/anxiety on him. 
I know it would obviously be a little lot different with a baby — no Wii tennis, for instance — but is it possible that I’m just one of those people who are really happy in the home?
According to a great article on iVillage, the four things that every SAHM should know are all things I already know:
  • Feel proud of what you do: Some SAHMs take flack from people for not having a “real career,” but I think I could happily reply that what I’m doing is important.
  • Keep in touch with friends: We will hopefully have our kids around the same time as other friends, so it would be great to have a support/social network.
  • Get organized: Storage baskets? Hello! I live for storage baskets … OK, that came out wrong.
  • Get in touch with your creative side: Crafts? Projects? I have no shortage of hobbies to keep me — and the kids — busy.
Fingers and toes crossed that this will be in the cards for us …

Not Me Mondays

Posted on May 19, 2009 by

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My bloggie friend, Lindsay, over at Musings of the Mrs., does a very funny thing called “Not Me Mondays.” It originated over at My Charming Kids, and I thought I’d give it a try.

Oh, and since today feels like a Monday, I’m doing it today! So here goes nothing …

I did not forgo making dinner on Sunday, and eat chips instead. I did not attempt to trick Darling Husband into thinking he already ate dinner … and then give up and hand him his own bag of chips. I totally prepared something healthy and involving veggies and salmon.
I did not forget to take Little Dog out for almost 11 hours yesterday — I am always on top of that, and take her out every two hours. For brisk runs.
I did not go online and order copies of Eating Well When You’re Expecting, What to Expect Pregnancy Journal and Organizer, and What to Expect the First Year. I would never be that obsessive or O.C.
I did not spend most of Monday reading Little House on Rocky Ridge — a book written for eight-year-olds. I actually went back and forth between the bible and War and Peace.

Before I was a Mom

Posted on May 19, 2009 by

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Just found this sweet poem — originally an e-mail forward — in Nadine Silverthorne’s column on SweetMama.ca, and thought I would share it with all of you mommies and future mommies …

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn’t want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn’t stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn’t know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn’t know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.

Two months from today! Yay!

Posted on May 19, 2009 by

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Best Friend’s wedding is in exactly two months! 

Everything is really coming together — she has her shoes, I have my shoes, we have shoes for the bridesmaids, her wedding lingerie, garter, etc. Hair appointments are booked for the big day.
And, of course — bonus — I am not pregnant, which means I will definitely be fitting into my sleek gown.
Two months, two months, two months!!!

Nursery decorating for Jack or Jill

Posted on May 15, 2009 by

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My lovely friend C is expecting, and her hubby is determined to not find out if the baby is a girl or a boy.
Wow — the willpower! Darling Husband feels the same way, but I’m not as nice as C — wild horses couldn’t keep me from finding out the gender, haha.
So they are planning a gender-neutral nursery, and I thought I would help out by rustling up some inspiration!
Yellow and green have always been popular for couples who aren’t sure if they’re having a Jack or a Jill. But chic gender-neutral nurseries go way beyond slapping some yellow paint on the walls and buying a green blanket.
Decorating expects say you shouldn’t rule out blue, especially shades of periwinkle and turquoise. C and her hubby have painted their home in gorgeous, vibrant hues, so I know they wouldn’t shy away from an awesome stencil job like this …

I usually hate white walls, but when they’re splashed with bright colour, I admit they  look great. I love this eco-chic nursery…

Don’t assume a nursery needs to scream “a baby lives here!” Trendy nurseries use fabrics and textures normally reserved for Mommy and Daddy’s bedroom — like polkadots, dark wood, and modern colour combos like chocolate brown and green …
Green can also be combined with warm yellows and peaches for a cozy space. Add a couple of soft lamps and artwork, and you have the kind of nursery that just exudes peace. Wallpaper borders make me want to heave, so I love the idea of adding interest to the walls with these broad stripes …

By starting with gender-neutral walls, you can easily add some pink infusions if Baby turns out to be a girl. If you paint the walls green and buy neutral bedding, all it takes is some art or a girly throw to transform the space …
Last but not least, I’m a big fan of the white-and-yellow combination — it’s clean, calming, and totally classic … 
Happy decorating, C!

I’m Heather Laura Clarke. I’m a writer living in beautiful Nova Scotia, I have a 15-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter, I married my high school sweetheart, and this is the story of my handmade life.

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