How I make it through the week as a full-time working mother

Working full-time is kicking my ass. It’s been nearly two weeks and I’m absolutely drained. Sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours punching numbers and taking calls and writing letters and decoding mumbled instructions from my boss is all so very draining. A few things have helped me along the way. Since the exhaustion takes over the minute I close the boys’ bedroom doors for the night, and I’ve no other time to blog, I’m going to cop out and give you a run-down of my welcome distractions this week, both small and large, happy and sad.

Jen: Talking to Jen and blabbing about the little stuff, like we do, and plugging away on the big issues, like we do. This helps. She’s been obsessed with a new stroller purchase this week and it’s been a fantastic, if somewhat ridiculous, diversion. And, my dear sister, if you don’t go buy that shit tomorrow you’re going to get some shit from me. She’s also been reflecting a lot on change in her life – a need for change and how to make it happen. This is a subject I am particularly fond of discussing, as change is clearly my middle name. There’s only one consistent thing in my life, and that’s change. Me, my marriage, my parenting strategies, my toy organization, you name it.

Kelsey: Knowing that the boys are with Kelsey makes it easier for me to be away from them more often. To be honest, part of me was looking forward to working longer hours everyday because the job of parenting is often more difficult than the job that actually pays me, in dollars that is. But now I’m up and out of the house before 8 am. On Monday, it’s fine. On Tuesday, it’s okay. By Wednesday I am already weary of showering, of drying my hair, of finding clothes to wear that look halfway decent, and of dealing with the ridiculous nature of the people and the politics in my office. By Thursday I’m just punchy. That was today. It’s my nature to be pretty open and honest, but then there’s those days that you say things – out loud or in emails – that are a little past the mark of business appropriate. By Friday I’m realizing there’s still a lot of work to be done and I buckle down pretty good. But it’s Friday, so no matter what comes my way or how tired I am when I wake up, or how bitter I am to blow dry my hair and put on the make up for ONE MORE DAY, it’s Friday, it’s the WEEKEND! So (that was much longer a description of my week than I had intended), with two weeks plugging away at the new schedule and hearing about all the little adventures that the kids have had, and the spills they’ve taken, I’ve felt a bit sad from time to time. Why isn’t it me with them everyday? Being a mom. Being the one who goes to the park and cuddles in bed. I was that mom. When there was one child and life was simpler. Now there are three children and a big, fat mortgage. So, if I have to be away from them, even if I choose to be away from them, at least they have Kelsey.

Vacation: As of Saturday? One.More.Week. I can do anything for a week. Vacation will be bliss. My mom is worried I’m putting too much pressure on its perfection, and that there will still be annoyances and tiffs. Hell, there’s going to be nearly 20 people sharing one small house, the children outnumbering the adults, of course there will be some friction throughout the week. So I explained to my mom that it WILL BE BLISS. Because I don’t have to work. Because I can wake up every day and put bathing suits on my kids and feel absolute and total freedom. We’ll still do laundry and dishes and change diapers and manage naptimes and bathtimes and bedtimes and PHEW! But none of it will feel like the kind of work it feels like when you are at home and you are just trying to get to tomorrow. In Vermont, when we’re all together and it’s terribly hectic – all.the.time – we won’t be trying to get to tomorrow, because today is just right.

Teresa: I’ve thought an awful lot about Teresa this week. She’s been diagnosed with MS and is dealing with quite a lot, including missing her own idyllic vacation, But I really have no right to explain her situation, so just go read her blog and say hello. You’ll laugh a lot, she’s fucking funny! (T, the cursing is all for you.)

Meg: 24 weeks pregnant with her first baby, my bestest friend of nearly 20 years, has been a bit of a basket-case over the past two months or so. Lately things seem to be coming together for her, but even if they weren’t, I would continue to enjoy every mobile minute spent on listening to her and answering all those questions about pregnancy, labor, delivery and what.is.normal! I love you, Marge.

There’s more but I’ve already gone on too long. You’d think that the exhaustion would combat my usual long-windedness. Apparently it only serves to worsen it. But since I’m just hours away from Friday, I’m already in carefree mode. I can taste Saturday. Mmmm.