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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Antsy In My Pantsy

By the time February rolls around,  that cabin fever feeling really begins to set in.  I find myself wistfully staring at the window, wishing  it was warm outside so I could throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top and go outside to garden.  Or just take Hunter for a walk in the stroller.  Or go to the playground. Or anything, really.  As long as it's warm-I'm in 7th heaven.  When it comes to the cold weather, though, I am a complete wimp-o.  And it seems as if the older I get, the more difficult it is to get me outside.  I want to want to do it.  Really.  I do!  I love to skii, go sledding, skating-all the fun winter activities.  But it just takes some major motivation.

So, like I was saying-cabin fever has really set in.  And I find myself, after staying home with Hunter for a year and a half, that I want to work.  I find I base my days around my tv shows (the Dr.'s at 9am, Sesame Street at 10, and Dr. Phil at 3, of course!).  Hunter has been scaling back to one nap a day pretty much since he hit the 16 month mark.  He's been doing much better, and goes down at night much easier as well.  His naptime is typically around noon.  Then around 5, I start dinner, wait until Babe comes home,  eat dinner, evening playtime bath, then bedtime.  That's a normal routine for us, give or take.

I've found I just can't do it.  Strictly being a SAHM, that is.  Or should I say exclusively a SAHM.  Let me just make myself clear: I love spending quality time with my little guy-but man, oh man, I miss working.  I miss setting my alarm clock, waking up, getting dressed and going about business, then coming home to take care of the rest of my family affairs.  That sounds so crazy, doesn't it?  I've been battling with this for a few months (I'm sure the whole being-stuck-inside-most-of-the-day thing hasn't helped either), and every time the thought has crept into my head I would instantly dismiss it because I felt like those thoughts meant I was a bad mother.  I look at it in a different light now. Every mommy is different, and it doesn't mean I love my son any less or love being with him any less.  It just means I need my own "me" grown up time away from changing diapers, dancing to Yo Gabba Gabba, and terrible two temper tantrums.

Where was I going with this...Oh yes.  I need to get out of the house.  And I just might have found my chance. I went job searching last week and found a part time job opening for a children's gymnastics instructor.  Next week I have an interview, and I'm not going to lie-I'm pretty damn excited!  It will only be about 10-15 hours per week, but I think it's something that is much needed, for both Hunter and I.  Hunter will be able to play with his little buddies and socialize, while mommy can get out of the house and make a little extra money. 

I think that's a win win.


How many of you have felt or feel the working "itch"?  Or maybe you haven't and you're totally content with being a SAHM ( I look up to you moms, especially those like the Duggers-I am so fascinated by them.  How do they do it!?)  In any event, what do you do when you feel like you're going crazy staying at home?

11 comments:

  1. I have cabin fever pretty badly as well and I have to leave the house every day for work. The cold weather definitely brings me down.

    The job sounds perfect. It will give you an opportunity to do something for yourself but you will still have time for your little man.

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  2. I treat being a SAHM like a job. I have a ist of things to do, I get up early, get all ready and then check things off!! Just like a job.

    And I go to the zoo when I want to get out. Our state zoo is 10 minutes away!!!!!!

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  3. I like being a SAHM. I am very introverted and generally don't need a lot of external stimulation to "fill me up." Rather, people tend to drain me. I think one day, I may go back to work part-time, but right now I am happy staying home... that being said, I have friends who NEEDED to go back to work. They needed to be around people. They needed "real" work. To each their own!

    Good luck! This job sounds like a real winner!!!

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  4. I am loving being a stay at home. My problem is that I need to go out and meet more mom. Cole and I are feeling the cabin fever and need some play dates.

    Good luck with the job. If I ever foudn a great part time job, I would take it. Extra money would be so nice!

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  5. Sadly, I live in Texas and have cabing fever. It's sooo cold and rainy lately and driving me crazy! My MOMS group keeps me pretty busy. Today I HAD to get out and went to the gym and just walked around the mall. I couldn't spend any $..I wish..but walked around. So ready for spring. I want to hurt that groundhog!

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  6. Jessica,
    I hear you! I usually go out for playdates, go to the Y, go shopping-but lately the other half's truck was out of commission, so he had to use mine. We were in the house for 3 weeks with no vehicle-I was pulling my hair out!

    Warm weather=more opportunities, at least in my mind.

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  7. Sarah,

    I had that problem as well a year ago. We were still new in town, and I had no idea who anyone was. I actually started a moms group on meetup.com, and only paid for it for a month (I think it's like 20/month, and that can get pretty pricey if you pay for it out of your own pocket!) I found it was worth it for that month. we were able to meet, get to know each other, then swap info (facebook, phone numbers) to keep in touch. Just an idea if you're looking for other moms and you don't really know people in your town/city:)

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  8. The Girl,

    SO lucky! We have a little zoo around us, but it's only open a few months out of the year. That's a good idea about treating being a SAHM like a job-because all of us who are know it absolutely is!

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  9. Melissa,

    It's true-everyone is so different about wanting to either be a SAHM or going out to work. I never could understand how moms could want to go to work-I used to work with a woman who, after having her baby girl, couldn't WAIT to get back into the grind. I thought, are you crazy? I would LOVE to stay home all day! WEll, it wasn't until I had my son that I could relate to her.

    I think that's great that you are content being at home with your son. It really is a job in and of itself, and so rewarding at that. It's great that as moms we have the freedom to choose what is best for us!

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  10. I had the itch after my now 3 yo. I wanted so much to be home with him but after he turned 1 I felt like I was stuck. Is that wrong? I've always worked. I was a single parent with 2 children long before I met my husband and had my younger 2. I don't think I've missed out on anything now that I've been working full time.

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  11. Good luck with the job...It sounds perfect! I think we all get a little cabin fever sometimes, tee hee ;) Welcome to SITS...cute blog!

    Jamie :)

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