Stay at Home Mom

I would love to say that transitioning from a full time working mom to a full time stay at home mommy was an easy transition but that would be a lie. Here I am a year and a half later doing something I never imagined, something I never thought I wanted, something I never thought was possible, and it wasn't easy. Prior to October 2009 I had worked since I was 17. I loved working, I loved making money, I loved having responsibilities. I was an excellent employee, I gave the companies I worked for everything I had. I helped the employees I worked with. There was rarely a day I didn't want to go to work. When I became pregnant with Summer there was never a doubt that I would go back to work. Work was all I knew, it was me. I was successful, I had a job most people never even dreamed about because it was so unreal. I was doing something I loved, helping a company succeed, helping employees wherever I could. Having a baby just meant that my life after work was going to be crazy, almost as crazy as my job.
After 5 years with my company I found myself laid off in the mists of one of the worse economical conditions in my lifetime. My company decided to relocate out of state and I had to find a new job. Kris was currently staying at home taking care of Summer while enjoying a small military retirement. I was the one who brought the money into our home. Even with unemployment rates at their worse, I didn't think I would have any problem finding a new job. Within 2 weeks of searching and submitting resumes I had an interview. It was a promising position, one I did not really want because of location but one I was certain would be mind. I never got a second call. I couldn't believe they didn't call me back. After sending out at least 100 more resumes during the last month with my company I was starting to get discouraged. I was making good money and realized that I wasn't going to be as lucky with another job.
In October 2009 I found myself at home with my husband and daughter. What do we do now? I had a severance and a savings and didn't really need to worry for at least 6 months but I didn't want to have to live on it. We lived life as normal as we possible could, we spent money like we always had assuming I would eventually find a job. For the first time ever I found myself in a position that made no sense. I had no idea what I should do with myself. Right after I left work I started teaching a mommy and me dance class. This occupied an hour of my time each week and allowed Summer to go to a free dance class. She already had 6 months worth of lessons and had no problems adjusting to me as her instructor. I still found myself on the verge of a boredom breakdown. Right before leaving my company I created a local Las Vegas mommy group in hopes of making some friends. I can honestly say that it was one of the best things I did, I ended up making several wonderful relationships with other women who to this day are still helping me pass the time and escape the boredom. Before I became a mom and made mommy friends I would say I had no real girlfriends, I only had coworkers.
That six months was a strange time in my life, I registered Summer in several classes at a local recreational center to help pass the time. She ended up taking an art class, gymnastics, dance, karate, soccer, and cheer-leading. The rest of my week was spent hanging out with my new mommy friends, with a regular weekly trip to a bookstore scheduled on the calendar. It took about 6 months for me to really enjoy being a stay at home mom, I now found myself becoming a busy on the go stay at home mom and this was something I could do.
After the six months was up we found ourselves on unemployment and still jobless. Kris decided he better look for a job because we could not afford to live off of his retirement and my unemployment. Kris ended up having an interview, I was certain he would get the job, and he didn't. Then he called a friend who told him he had a job for him only to find out his clearance had expired and he couldn't work there. It was a stressful and confusing three months, to make up the income Kris sold magic cards on eBay. I starting thinking about going into the photography business but knew that would not solve our income, or lack of income, situation. Kris and I always enjoyed shopping and eating out, but during these three months we found ourselves without anything to do together. By July luck struck, and just in time. Kris ended up getting a job that a good friend of ours told him about. It would be the dream job he always wanted.
After we found ourselves back in the saddle I joined a gym with one of my good friends. My new stay at home mom schedule found me teaching dance and Mondays and going to the gym on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. On Friday I met with other mommy friends at the bookstore. The weekends were spend taking pictures of people who liked my photography. I was busier now that I had ever been. After being a gym rat for 6 months, enjoying zumba classes, belly dancing, sculpt, I finally lost the last 10 pounds that had been holding on since I turned 30. I would have lost it sooner had I actually changed my diet but I was in no rush, I went to the gym because I enjoyed it, not because I felt like I had to go. Summer also liked going to the gym for an hour each day, she would play with her friends and color me a picture.
It took me a long time to figure out how to be the best stay at home mom I could be. I never thought I would quit working. I worry about the gap in my employment. One day I will want to work again, I think, and how hard is it going to be to get a job now. I am fortunate that we can afford to have me stay home and raise our daughter, even better since it looks like we will be having another. I admit I miss working. I was good at my job, I was respected, I knew what I was doing, people looked to me for help. I made great money, I had good benefits. Working was rewarding, I got bonuses and awards. Now if I do a good job raising my daughter no one really notices unless I tell them. If the house is clean - it is to be expected. The thing that helps me the most is hearing my daughter tell me she loves me, and knowing how much I am impacting her life. When I take her to a class I am giving her opportunities. When I feed her a healthy lunch and make her drink water instead of juice I know that I am providing better for her than someone else might. I know that by being there for her I can help make her be the best little girl she can be. I am not perfect and she doesn't expect me to be, I tell her I make mistakes and try my best. We have a wonderful relationship, it is rare for her to act up. I don't know what kind of person she is going to become but hopefully by staying home with her she will appreciate it as much as I do. I thank my husband for working so hard so that we can live this way, I am glad he likes his job and glad that I like mine. I never would have thought that I would be a stay at home mom. It goes to show you just how crazy life can be.

Bathrooms

Today I woke up and thought, maybe I am not really pregnant. I thought this after I got off the scale and discovered I haven't gained any weight. I don't even really look pregnant. Well, maybe after I eat my stomach sticks out but that doesn't mean anything. Can I really be almost 12 weeks with no weight gain? Of course no weight gain doesn't mean my pants still fit, so tell me exactly how that works. I feel pretty good today too - so far - so that doesn't help my thoughts either. I have a 2D ultrasound in one week to check for abnormalities, like Downs, since I am so old and all, I suppose after that appointment I might actually think I am pregnant again.

This morning I went to the store and bought a bunch of greens and fruits. Romaine Lettuce, Spinach, Cilantro, and Chard. I didn't mean to buy Chard, I meant to buy Kale. I don't even know what you use Chard for. I have a book with recipes for green smoothies and I could have sworn it said Chard. It said Kale and I don't see Chard anywhere. Now what am I going to do with this Chard? I will keep looking for a smoothie recipe that includes Chard, surely there is one. Anyway my first green smoothie consisted of Romaine Lettuce, Mango, Banana, Orange, and water. I gave a glass to my daughter and one to my father in law and told them to try really hard to drink it. I heard my daughter say Yuck. I don't think it taste that bad, and my blender did a pretty good job of mixing it all up. Of course as I am drinking it I am chewing on small pieces of something, lettuce, or ?

This past weekend Kris took Summer shopping. He takes her quite a bit, he is a good dad like that. They went to one of the shopping areas on the strip. While there Summer had to go pee. Kris had to take Summer into the men's bathroom. He told me that he had Summer cover her eyes while he hurried and escorted her into a stall. Luckily a clean-ish stall since most of the men's bathrooms are not the cleanest. While rushing her into the stall he said she was really loud and saying "why do I have to cover my eyes?" Family bathrooms are making an appearance but apparently there were none where they were. We were out eating on Sunday and Summer had to go to the bathroom so Kris took her. Unfortunately this bathroom was not clean, it was disgusting, which is the norm for a guy bathroom from what I understand. I guess soon Summer will just have to start going into the women's bathroom by herself while he stands right outside. She can do most everything herself, maybe not reach the soap or paper towels, but for the most part she can at least go by herself.

Morning Sickness Sucks

I know it will all be over eventually, but in the meantime I am losing months, weeks, days, hours. I wake up feeling sick but able to get up, get something to eat, able to sit at the computer and do a few things. I eat thinking that will make me feel better. I drink thinking that will make me feel better. I look around the house at the mess I have not been able to clean for the past month and try not to let it bother me. I look at my daughter and try not to worry about what she must think, how different our life has been in the past month, how we were so busy running here and there and now we sit at home day after day while I lay in bed. She doesn't seem to really notice, or care, at least she seems to love me just the same, if not more. Maybe because I am so darn emotional and all I can do is tell her how much I love her and hug her and kiss her and cuddle with her. She has started falling asleep in my bed because we have been cuddling lately. I love cuddling with her, she makes me feel safe and not as sick, or at least I tell myself that. No doubt some of the sickness is in my head, I mean I know it is there but if I am busy, if I have something to do I don't notice it as much. It is harder to make yourself clean the house to forget the annoying nausea, easier to leave the house, yet so hard to leave the house. I would rather feel sick in my own house, near my own toilet, just in case. My morning sickness starts to get worse in the afternoon, I don't know why, I don't know if it is something I ate, or didn't eat, or lack of water because it taste so bad I can't hardly stand to drink it. By the time dinnertime comes around I am usually too sick to even eat, though I usually make myself, and that doesn't make me feel better, or if it does I am still just that sick. When it is 6:00 pm I find myself looking at the clock waiting for 8:00 pm when I know Summer will go to bed, because then I can go to bed. Even though I am not tired at 8, I know that sleep is my only relief. Somehow the sickness is better when I sleep. Still there but I don't dream of it all night. I have to get up and go pee several times a night and the sickness reminds me where I am. It takes me awhile to fall back asleep, to the sanity I need so bad. Upon waking after 9 or 10 hours, where my body and mind are no longer tired, even if I yearn to stay asleep, I just can't sleep any longer, I hope today will be the day that I feel better. But it isn't going to be today, I felt the morning sickness again as soon as I started moving around, before I even opened my eyes. So I lay there and wonder what I can do to make it better, what I might eat for breakfast, what I might drink. I think about the things I need to do, dishes, laundry, getting dressed, Summer. I think about how sucky this is for Kris, working and listening to me complain again, for yet another week, hearing me say how it should all be over in a few more weeks. How I need him to do more, more, it is never enough. I think about hiring a maid for the day but I don't want to be laying around while someone else has to work, and I don't feel well enough to go anywhere. I am not even really that sick, I mean I could go somewhere if I had to go, I just don't want to leave, don't want to make myself strong, I don't want to leave the comforts of my home. One day I will just wake up and I will feel fine. I won't notice it at first, but then it will hit me and I will immediately worry that something is wrong. Why am I all better? Not today, hopefully only a few more weeks. My sanity seems to be holding out for now, I am prepared to deal with today as best I can, do what I can, try to push myself to do more. Right now I also have a headache and a burning sensation in my stomach, maybe the cereal was a bad idea, or maybe it was the milk. Or maybe I need to drink some water. Maybe I should take my vitamin, maybe it does help me feel better. Maybe something exciting will happen today, or maybe not. Morning Sickness Sucks!

Back at it?

March 15th

4 Days late, decide to buy an $8.00 test from Albertson's. A lot to spend on a test but I was already there. Not expecting anything but at least knowing will stop the what ifs,

March 16th

7:00 AM: Now I am 5 days late so I decide to get up and test before Summer wakes. I am surprised she is even still asleep /shrug. I go into bathroom, grab the $8 test kit from bathroom closet, try to keep the cat off my lap while I try to pee correctly on the little stick. Before I even finish peeing I start to see the + sign appear. I thought these tests could take up to 2 minutes.

7:02 AM: Sitting on the toilet in shock. Over 2 years of trying and it is positive? What the heck am I going to do now.

7:03 AM: Freak out a little. Wonder who I should tell. Should I tell my husband, should I try to keep it a secret from him a bit longer. Will he even believe me because we have been here before, of course that test was very faint. I decide to take a picture of the test on my iphone and send it to him in a text.

7:05 AM: Send him a crappy picture with the following "Ummm this was positive immediately. I guess I am day 33 today." He replies with " ....." followed by "Noway". I text back "I'm in a bit of a shock"

7:06 AM: He calls and we talk for about 5 minutes. We decide not to tell anyone given my background.

--- BACKGROUND ---

In 1997 after being on birth control pills for 10 years I stop taking them and get pregnant immediately. I find out I am pregnant on my 21st birthday. A day or two later I start spotting, so I go to the hospital. Ultrasound does not show a baby and assumes I miscarried. I think I am 4 or 5 weeks, really early anyway. I am only 21 and it does not upset me. Miscarriages are normal, says the doctor, they happen all the time.

In 2004 after convincing Kris that I really want a baby, he finally gives in, we try, I get pregnant the first month. Things are going as planned until I go in for my 11 week appointment. They cannot find a heartbeat and the ultrasound is still. The baby apparently quit growing around 8 weeks. I decide to wait it out and miscarry naturally. A week later major cramping and a ton of blood. The following week more cramping and bleeding leads me to the hospital where I end up having to have a D&C suction for an incomplete miscarriage. All the blood is a bit traumatic.

In 2005 we decide to try again and again get pregnant the first month we try. At around 5-6 weeks I start bleeding. To the hospital I go, finding no heartbeat so I immediately schedule a D&C, not wanting to go through a miscarriage and seeing all the blood again. As I am in the hospital completing the paperwork for a D&C I start cramping. I go into the bathroom and miscarry right there and freak out. Luckily the doctor was nice enough to assist and make sure it completed. I do not end up needing a D&C.

In 2005 after three miscarriages I decide to see a fertility specialist. All test are completely normal, doctor tells me to get pregnant again and see what happens. After several months we don't get pregnant. Clomid should help. Doesn't work. Next step is IVU. I don't want to spend $10000 and have several shots given. No way Kris would be up for that anyway. I leave and figure it just isn't going to happen.

In November 2006 I am on vacation visiting family and realize I am late. I get home and after being almost two weeks late by now I figure I must be pregnant. Blood tests confirmed. This is my fourth pregnancy. I am not hopeful at all but glad I actually got pregnant. I call fertility doctor to ask what I can do to prevent this one to miscarry, he says nothing. I ask OB doctor what I can take, again the answer is nothing. Nothing obvious is causing my miscarriages so nothing can be done to prevent them.

December 2006 I am extremely sick. By 9 weeks I am in the hospital getting IV fluids for severe dehydration. I feel like I am going to die. I have lost 10 pounds in 1 month. I ask if I can get an abortion because I am worried I am going to lose my job. The military does not do abortions and tells me the sickness will eventually pass.

The all day and night morning sickness passes in January 2007 after 6 weeks of misery. I missed most of December, Christmas, New Years. I depleted my vacation and sick time at work. But I am alive!

Smooth sailing through June 2007. Then I find out baby is breach and I am starting to get high blood pressure. Bi-Weekly monitoring. 1 Failed attempt to turn baby. C-Section is eminent. C-Section is scheduled for 7/24, the day before my due date, but they planned to attempt another turn and induce. It didn't matter because on 7/13 I woke up and my water broke. Rush to the hospital because I know she is still breach. Find out I have a prolapsed cord, fastest c/s ever! Healthy 7 pound, 11 ounce baby girl is born at 8:11. I blogged about the day here: http://create-it-all.blogspot.com/2007/07/happy-birthday-summer.html

--- BACK TO THE PRESENT ---

March 17th: I have now known for 2 days and some hours. I feel hopeful. My stomach feels really hard and has a lot of pressure but I wonder if it is all in my head or not. I am trying not to become consumed with it but so far I am failing. Here's to hoping the month passes quickly and 8+ weeks comes and goes.

March 25th: I am 6 weeks and I am starting to get sick.

March 31st: I go to the hospital for an annual pap, an appointment I made prior to knowing I was pregnant. They wouldn't do it but put in the request for my blood work to confirm I am pregnant. I told them don't bother calling with the results, I would just wait for a call from the OB clinic.

April 1st: I am 7 weeks and I am really sick.

April 6th: The OB clinic calls to schedule my first appointment. My mom is in town visiting, if you consider watching me lay in bed all day visiting ... My aunt also arrives.

April 8th: I turn 35. I do not get out of bed for long.

April 14th: I see an OB doctor for the first time because I am considered High Risk. I am almost 9 weeks, I see the baby on the ultrasound. My blood pressure is fine. The baby looks bigger than I figured it would. I weigh 131 which is 10 pounds lighter than when I started with Summer, because I haven't gained any weight. I am still not excited yet, anything can happen.

April 30th: I am now 11 weeks and still sick, but honestly it isn't as bad as it was with Summer. I have only thrown up three times. I can eat. I have trouble drinking water and taking my prenatal vitamins. I keep telling myself three more weeks. I miss hanging out with all my friends. I miss going to the gym. I worry about my thighs. I have been reading a ton of books, I read two books in the past two days. Most of the time I don't really think about anything except breathing and trying to stay comfortable. I feel bad about the time spend laying around but then again I don't. I hope it is worth it but I know anything can happen. I have a long way to go. I am not sure when I will feel safe. I have another ultrasound in 10 days, because of the High Risk status. Maybe I should worry about the test coming up but I don't. I can't change anything anyway. I am actually optimistic, I know whatever happens will happen and I will handle it. Whose to say whats best anyway.

So maybe I am back blogging for awhile.

Pictures?

Life has taken a turn for the super busy, and I changed a setting on my flickr which made my pictures go away. I don't really want to fix it because I just don't have time! I may be stopping this blog for a while with intentions to work on my other blog more - and I will be working on a book this year too, so many exciting, but busy, things happening. Don't fret, follow me on facebook and get your picture fix, and one day - maybe soon, I may be back.

New Years Eve

What did YOU do for New Years Eve?

I can tell you what we didn't do - we did not stay up until midnight, even though I told Summer she could. In fact the plan was to stay up and party until 2011. We headed over to a friends house around 7:00, lots of drinks, food, good company, things were going as planned until 8:38 PM when Summer announced to Kris and I that she was ready to go home. Home? "Summer, I told you - we are staying all night, you can stay up late. Do you want to go lay down in the back?" to which she replied "yes" and that was the end of that. Kris looked and me and I looked at him and we both just shrugged our shoulders. We were not disappointed - in fact sleeping is one of my favorite past times, so we decided to leave the party early, like we have done for the past 3 years, head home and put our baby to sleep in her own comfy bed. She was so tired, we figured it would be less than 5 minutes in the car that she would be asleep, we were wrong, it was more like 3 minutes.

All in all it was still a wonderful holiday, we spent a few hours with our good friends, Summer got to party for a bit.

And of course - pictures. I always show cute pictures don't I? Here is a picture of Summer earlier that afternoon - wearing bright red lipstick that she picked out and posing for the camera!

And here are pictures about an hour after that when Summer decided she would decorate her face like Halloween for New Years. Yup I was a little confused myself, luckily she used markers and crayons made for her white board and it came right off.


Our New Years Day tradition is lunch at Red Lobster so that's what we did. The rest of the day was spent enjoying nothing, or doing nothing rather. It was nice. I hope the rest of the year is just as nice and I expect it will be.

Christmas

Christmas Eve - we opened two gifts, a cute purple bathrobe and some purple pajamas.

We wrote our letter to Santa while we munched on a carrot that was suppose to be for the reindeer. The letter says: "Santa ---- I want a hippo and a baby --- Summer. We left the letter with the plate of cookies and the carrots that were left where Santa could find them.

Christmas Morning - We opened our gifts. We were very happy with them.

We looked really cute while we opened our gifts.

And didn't mind all the mess on the floor.

and there was a lot of wrapping paper on the floor.

We tried the scooter too, not worrying about how messy and cute our hair might be.

We loved everything about opening gifts.

Especially hippo pillow pet gifts.

We tried on some of the gifts, some were very slippery.

One of our gifts, the one from Santa, was waiting outside in the backyard. We spent a lot of time on that gift.

It was fun, I think we should do it again next year.