I didn't intend to take so much time off of work as I ended up needing to last week. What ultimately happened, aside from a collection of work, was that it was difficult to communicate with everyone else about my new schedule and when it was going to start. Granted, no one really cared or had a problem with it, or would even notice if I'm gone, but - as my mother likes to say - I like to have all of my ducks in an row. Monday was a holiday so I came in on Tuesday not sure, but definitely hopeful, I'd now be part-time. Such luck, it was! So I got to spent two days at home, not including the weekend. It proved to be longer and more exhaustive than my other job, start and end much earlier, contain two lunch-breaks instead of one even though neither are guaranteed, but ultimately offered the same amount of fulfillment and accomplishment, just in a different way. Like I told my friend, Mer, "I am at home enough, and at work enough to have enough work to do at both." I don't think it was possible to say 'enough' any more in that sentence.
I'm still getting used to things, and I haven't quite broken the habit of getting up early since I had to catch the bus at dawn in Junior High, so I woke up at 5:45am. Zoey woke up at her usual 6:30-7am, although it has gradually started increasing. Clearly Jacob was happy to have me home because he got to sleep in an extra hour and came beaming out of the bedroom, "Good morning, Housewife!" When Zoey napped, or was otherwise occupied, I cleaned the house. It hadn't been done in awhile and I liked the idea of not having to use up my weekend doing it. Otherwise, this is what we did.
It's been a bit chilly in the mornings, and you can tell by the way the sun looks; fall is right around the corner. So we put on our sweatpants and silly socks and played footsie. She thought it was so cool!
There was definitely a lot of lounging.
Now that I am part-time, perhaps I will be able to better tackle my to-read list, which includes two Vanity Fairs from 2009, two from 2011 (I always buy the Angelina Jolie issue even though I am totally Team Aniston), September 2010 Cosmo, February 2011 Marie Claire (which turned me on to Physician's Formula Happy Something-Or-Other that mimics antidepressants as it mixes with your body chemicals), I don't know how many Glamours, and I don't know how many books. The trouble is, I've discovered I have even less time because, at least when I was working, I had a guaranteed hour-a-day to dedicate to reading. I am pretty much busy all of the time now, especially since Zoey has started toddling everywhere.
On Zoey's to-learn list was how to feed herself and eat solid solid foods. We started with Gerber's Pick-Ups, apples.
The ceremonial Dumping of the Food from the Bowl.
Then, of course, play in it.
She was soaked in apple juice when it was all said and done. And aside from the two pieces I put in her mouth hoping she'd realize it was food, I don't think any actually wound up in her mouth.
So we changed into a cute dress and continued our day.
It looks like a baby exploded in our house.
As my initiation to being a more stay-home mom, I decided to bake cookies. We usually buy the box of oatmeal from Costco that comes with a lifetime supply of Regular Flavored oatmeal so I use that to make oatmeal raisin cookies. If I do say so myself, they were fantastic. So good that one night I literally could not stop eating them. Zoey decided that while I baked, she would reorganize the tupperware cupboard. She is so good with that, and ensuring Daddy and I have plenty of dog hairs in our lunches.
It was the Inaugural Playing with the Kitchen Utensils.
Baby, you have to wait until the cookie batter is on the spoon first. (Don't worry, I didn't actually give her any cookie batter; I ate it all myself.)
The Inaugural Playing with Pots and Pans.
Wow, that IS loud!
Our finished project. As I said, they were amazing! :-) I guess I'm in the club!
Zoey's first attempt with a Gerber Apple Cinnamon cereal bar. She seemed to like it, but was way more interested in playing with it. Naturally, it was time for a hose-down once it had been disintegrated.
Then we spent the afternoon snuggling.
I know I would have been an even better "little housewife" if I had made dinner, but I didn't. Whatever, I baked cookies. Next up: chocolate chip!
