Small Victories of a Stay at Home Mom

I've never had a professional career. I've never worn a suit to work. I've never made a conference call. I've never climbed the corporate ladder. I've never gotten a promotion. But, I work everyday. I'm a monster-exterminator. I'm a clothes layer-outer. I'm a meal-negotiator. I'm the quickest to give baths, remove band-aids and find that favorite song. I'm the maker of fluffy-duffy eggs, silly stories and beds. I'm a toy and bargain finder. I'm a hand-holder and hug giver and ham and cheese tortilla-maker. I'm a referee, a coach, a therapist, and boo-boo-fixer.

I'm a mom. Could there be a more magical, precious, difficult, wonderful, blessed job? I think not. This list isn't one of notorious accomplishments. Just little victories of an ordinary-lovely life.

Small victories of a stay at home mom:


1. Finishing the laundry and discovering that ALL the socks have matches!

2. Getting all that laundry put away the same day.

3. Making a healthy meal that all members of the family like.

4. Getting the baby to sleep 6 consecutive hours.

5. Finding a laundry detergent recipe that will wash 180 loads of laundry for about $3.

6. Not letting my oldest son see me tear up when he casually says, "That's ok mommy. It doesn't hurt that bad. I don't need a kiss."

7. Crying with relief when my middle son comes running, finger outstretched, still expecting one.

8. Actually remembering to set the coffee maker the night before.

9. Remembering to put coffee in the coffee maker I set the night before.

10. Sleeping through the night when the baby does, and not waking up every hour fretting over him.

11. Getting 3 kids to nap at the same time.

12. Saving more money than I spend on a trip to the grocery store.

13. Making my hubby laugh really hard.

14. Getting into pre-pregnancy clothes.

15. My kid looks at me, understands, and takes the appropriate action when I make my "mom-eyes" at him from a distance.

16. Resisting the chocolate cake with butter cream frosting and sugary sprinkles at a kids party.

17. Getting amoxicillin into a 4 month old without staining his clothes.

18. Realizing a little extra baby weight shouldn't determine the mood of my day.

19. Getting dressed, fixing my hair and putting on my makeup when it's not a Sunday.

20. Remembering a play date, birthday, appointment, or phone number when I didn't write it down.

21. CORRECTLY remembering a play date, birthday, appointment, or phone number when I didn't write it down.

22. The day my hair finally stops falling out due to those post-pregnancy hormones.

23. Finally leaving the baby and having a real dinner with my hubby at a restaurant without TV's on the walls and with real glass glasses on the table.

24. When someone makes the comment that I have well behaved children when they are away from me.

25. Though my house is messy, my family is happy.

2/09