On Being a "Stay-at-Home" Parent

I love it. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. I have never been happier. In fact I think I am happier than I have ever been.

Today is the first day I have felt like an active part of society. Yesterday, Mina and I went to the doctor (for me- all's well) and I think that set me on a path to being a real person again.

I do not begrudge the last (almost) 4 weeks of eating, sleeping (ha), and breathing baby life. I think the time Damon and I have spent has given Mina the best chance at life that we could give. Studies show babies who are held and touched a lot in early life tend to have higher IQs. And as Damon foresees Mina as a future Theoretical Physicist... IQ is a good thing.

However, I have not been much good around the house... I have not cooked an actual meal or done more than a single load of laundry since I got home from the hospital. I have been living off of processed food and raw vegetables while wearing not much more than a nursing bra and undies and sitting on the couch nursing.

Today I have managed to do some dishes and 2 loads of laundry... And we went on a nice walk. I also got a nap... So I am feeling pretty damned good.

I could see making this lifestyle my own. I keep thinking/dreaming of all of the things I want to do. I want to get a pottery wheel and start creating (maybe even selling). I want to work on the house. I want to take up sewing again. I want to get back to cooking and baking. All the while, I would be able to nurture and teach my daughter.

But for now that is a pipe dream. We make a decent living and have a nice house. We are not frivolous at all- we are still sharing a car and carpooling (something I am actually proud of), my mother-in-law is watching Mina 2 days a week (saving us $5000 a year, easily), while Damon and I will be off work a total of 3 days a week ("saving" us another $5000 a week, at least). With Insurance, Damon's pay is going to be reduced by 16%, my pay is being reduced by 20% because I will be working 3 days a week. So unless we win the lottery or our mortgage company decides to commit some random act of generosity, we are stuck for now.

Lucky for me, I still have 4 weeks of maternity leave to enjoy this life. I sure as hell am going to do so.