Whoever said a stay-at-home mom's work was easy?
And what better way to teach the man in your life just how good he has it than to let him become a stay-at-home mother...overnight?
That...is exactly what I did. After passing onto my wife a horrible stomach virus that I had just a few days ago, I found myself yesterday - almost instantly - donning the trademark apron and kitchen gloves as I took upon myself the most under appreciated job in the Western Hemisphere: the American Housewife.
Having been laid off for three months in 2005, I thought I had been no stranger to the task of keeping the house tidy and preparing for a newborn. I had, after all, been a big help to my wife during that time, taking on tasks to help her as she kept meals coming, laundry going, and bassinets rocking. But I truly had no idea what it was like to become the "real McCoy" until I took on the role of "wife and mother" myself...alone. And having experienced nearly 24 hours of the never ending payless job, I must say, "It's NOT EASY!"
Before moving forward, I must preface the following with this: My wife is - by choice - a stay-at-home mom. She chooses to stay in the home, keeping a continuously-moving eight-month-old entertained, maintaining a never ending pile of laundry (babies are MESSY), and keeping three hungry mouths fed. She rarely complains, and she loves what she does. Now, with that said, she is probably one of the strongest feminists I have ever seen! She will champion the rights of women in the workforce and if a news story ever breaks about women not being paid as much as men for doing the same - if not better - work, you'd better believe my wife will have an opinion about it!
Last night in the early evening began with her feeling a bit under the weather, but still anxious to make it to a women's Bible study at our church, I took it on myself to do all of the baby bedtime routines - something I admit my wife normally takes charge of (after all, I am such a busy person with an office and a computer and a comfortable chair).
I pulled out the blanket, sat my daughter down next to me, watched a "Baby Einstein" DVD I have seen a thousand times (every night), fixed her nightly bottle (did NOT feed it to her yet - there's a routine - and you MUST follow the ROUTINE or the world will end), gave her a bath while she splashed more water OUT OF the tub than what was actually IN THE TUB, dried her, put lotion and diaper rash cream on her, changed her while she kicked me (repeatedly), picked her up, THEN fed her her bottle while I rocked her (in a room my wife had JUST THAT DAY rearranged so that my daughter would continuously be distracted by the changes in the room), sung her a lullaby, and at last...attempted to put her to bed.
AND IT WORKED.
She went to sleep. And I was so proud of myself. When my wife got home, I boasted by no small measures just how much WORK I had done that night. As it turned out, her infection had begun to get worse and she soon found herself going to bed as well.
Was I finished with the household duties? Of course not! A Mr. Mom's work is never done! With every "teething" cry in the night, Mr. Housewife was up at all of them, making sure the gums were soothed and the pacifier stayed in. And at 7:30, rise and shine, I was up for the day, changing diapers, shushing noisy little dogs, and feeding morning bottles.
And after a morning regimen of "Blues Clues," banging toys together, making airplane noises to get a spoon-ful of cereal in an eight-month-old's mouth, and putting her down for her first morning nap, I finally get a moment to relax! And now, the dogs are needing to go outside. And when that's finished, there's a house to pick up and a sick wife to care for.
And so, I admit, "Being a Housewife/Mom is HARD!"
Every stay-at-home mom and housewife should be paid...VERY WELL...for what they do! There! I've said it! Now, if you'll excuse me, I MIGHT just get to paint my nails and get a bubble bath!
Never mind! The baby just woke up!
