I'm a stay at home mom

There are many reasons why Lincoln woke up at 4am: teething, a cold, restlessness, a car door slammed, or he's too hot. Those (and many more) thoughts go through my head and now I'm totally awake. Since he cannot communicate what is wrong, I'm left to assume its all the above.

His normal routine is to wake around 7:30 and go down for his nap at 11. His body seems to be hardwired to this schedule so I have to keep a fussy kiddo happy until then. So I packed him into his wagon and braved the heat to walk around the block, then we stood outside in some more heat to watch the garbage truck (he was totally entranced), and had a TON of cookies.

As I took this sweaty walk, I started to think about how I needed it as much as Lincoln because I was getting stir crazy! Then I started to think about how the job "stay at home mom" doesn't get the respect it really deserves. It is a controversial topic AND I do have a lot of friends who  have kids and work full time. I am surely not discrediting them, but expressing my thoughts on what it feels like to be a full time, at home mommy. 

I hate to say it, but when I was younger I always thought, " I can't wait to have kids, stay at home, not have to go to school or work, and watch tv!" No joke, I truly thought that. Sadly, I think that is the general assumption with many in todays society. Sometimes I think my husband assumes thats what I'm doing... Im not perfect I watch my shows and put my feet up when Lincoln is napping, but I feel it  is so deserved on some days!

I think many if not all mothers would agree with me that it is the easiest thing in the world to love your child with everything you have. I am not exaggerating when I say I would do ANYTHING for my child and even when he is being a little monster, I will give him a hug and a kiss like nothing has happened. Yes, I only have one child and he is just over a year, so maybe I'll change my tune when that is no longer the case... but I doubt it. Where the real challenge comes in is taking the energy and time to be their parent, teacher, role model and ear. Really, "parent" should be all those in a word, but I like to make lists. 

When your child wakes you before you want and cries/whines for the majority of the day while raising chubby arms just to be held ALL THE TIME, the last thing you want to do is play, teach, or sing. You really want to sit on the couch scroll through instagram and drink a diet coke. Or maybe thats just me. At this point I remind myself that I am caring for a human here! A future adult in this civilization, who will one day make decisions that will affect many around him in good and bad ways. When I look at it this way, I feel like this job is pretty dang important. I'm the one to teach him compassion, selflessness and respect, all of which I feel are best taught by me.
Sadly, since I've become a mother, when I am asked what I do-I have to tell them that I am a hairstylist and a mom, as if being a mom isn't enough of a resume. Maybe it's the media or it's human natures ugly side of "keeping up with the Joneses", all I know is I must change my view as well as encourage everyone else to do the same.
To all those ladies who are experiencing some serious cabin fever or feeling the pressure to "do more", know you're not alone. To help myself with perspective I like to think that I only get Lincoln full time until he's 5-yrs-old, then he's in school most of the day. When he's 18 I'll get him from time to time. That is only 5% of "only mommy influence" in the grand scheme of my life. Why let myself miss any moment of that!