Life as a SAHM

I can’t believe that it’s been an entire month since my last day at work. Time is certainly flying by as a stay at home mom.

Having said that, it definitely hasn’t been easy. Let me explain.

Not only does my full time job now entail a full day of fun and craziness with my own two kids, but I’ve also offered daily daycare for my niece. She’s one, they’re two. If you think your day is busy, try coming to my house for an hour!

I try to never commit to something that I can’t follow through with. If I sign up for a workout program I see it through, if I start reading a book I finish it, it’s just who I am.

So when I had to sit down with my brother and sister-in-law to tell them that I had come to the realization that I’d bitten off more than I can chew by offering to watch my one-year-old adorable niece five-days a week along with my twins, I was beside myself.

Taking care of my two-year olds day in and day out is one thing, but when you add a one-year-old into the mix, now THAT’S busy!

Various questions arise that I fight myself on daily:

Do I keep all three of them on the same nap schedule? I can’t go far, but I do have a triple stroller so the splash pad and parks are definite options but only if they’re on the same schedule.   Or do I put them on alternating naps so that I can divide and conquer? That way it’s not three against one, but then I’m stuck at the house.

My niece is awesome; she’s active and smart and full of smiles. I love having her around my girls and the bond that they’re forming. But I’m overwhelmed and tired and stressed at times and I don’t want anyone to suffer because of my inability to handle three under three. So I had a chat with my brother and sister-in-law asking them if there’s any way that I could watch her twice a week rather than five days. I want to watch her and have the girls grow up together but I think I just need to find a better balance.

I feel sad that I’ve let them down, angry that I’m overwhelmed, but confident that this is the right move for all involved.

Talk about an emotional month!