I done this

Yesterday was perhaps my most productive day ever as a temporary SAHM (stay-at-home mom to those not within the SAHM community).  In summary:

--made a chocolate pie

--made mini-quiche

--made two oven-bake clay hand and footprints of Theo

--swiffered

--did two loads of laundry

--went to the store

--did many, many dishes

--did several pumping sessions

This productivity was prefaced by a conversation I had with my friend Jazmin where I could not for the life of me remember what I had done the day before (after thinking really hard, I realized I had eaten fish tacos).  It was followed by a conversation with my friend Paulina about working vs. not-working (she doesn’t want to work), in which I adamantly defended the value of work (the structure, the working towards something bigger than yourself, the people). 

This epiphany has only come to me after almost three months of being at home.  I think it’s safe to say that I’m finally settling into my home life, but at the same time I do see clearly now how I value my professional life.  I think if all employers provided daycare within their building, then America would be a much happier place.  I want to work, but I’d also really like to take Theo with me so that I could visit him during lunch and get him immediately after school.  Today, I read this article on Salon about the pitfalls and joys of unstructured time for a professor on sabbatical.  She signed up for idonethis.com, which of course inspired me to do so as well (it’s free if it’s just you).  Everyday, I’ll get an e-mail asking me what I did, I will respond and my tasks will be logged into a calendar.  I’m excited to look back at my calendar at the end of the summer.  I’m hoping it will be filled many times with things like “went to beach”, “ate fish tacos”, “played with Theo in pool”. 

Mother’s little helper!  (I mean, my son, Theo)

I did many dishes yesterday and this is the scene I looked at.  I realized it made me really happy and decided to take a picture.  The items are: (Theo’s body/hair wash, fake flowers (no watering required!), container for herbs, bell I got on my post-collegiate European vacation with Paulina, cactus my mom gave me 6 years ago (still alive!), elephant planter with succulent).