My decision to be a stay at home mom

Chris and I decided very early on that I would stay home with our son. Before getting pregnant, I spent a year working full time as a supervisor at a deli and going to school online. I quit my job a couple weeks before Chris left for deployment so that we could focus on spending time together, and we had already made plans for me to move back home with my mom *just in case* I got pregnant. I moved back to San Diego when I was about six months pregnant, and a day later was offered my old job. I excitedly accepted, since it was something to keep me busy for the month until Chris got home, and the extra income would pay for the whole nursery. I worked for two months, and it was torture. My belly button was right even with the counter, so everytime my belly grazed the counter, I would get a braxton hicks contraction. It was funny to see the reactions of all of my old 'regulars' though- I had left to move back home while my husband was deployed, and showed back up seven months pregnant. I could only imagine what they were thinking.



My last day at work!

I stopped working about six weeks before Caden was born and took three months off of school. It really is difficult going to school with a little one- I have to do class work, clean the house, eat, and get my self ready during Caden's short nap times. Chris takes Caden when I need to do homework at night, but that leaves us little time together.
As much as I love staying home with my son, sometimes it gets hard being stuck in the house every day since I'm not used to it. So when I got offered my job back again last week, I'm not surprised that I actually considered it for a minute. I thought about what it would feel like to get out of the house and socialize with coworkers again, the hourly pay I would have to ask for to cover day care, the process of choosing a day care. Then it hit me- the reason I had decided to stay home in the first place. I want to spend every day with my son. I want to watch him learn new things. I want to be the one to put him down for a nap and be there when he wakes up. I have nothing against women who decide (or have to) go back to work. In fact, a few years ago, I didn't know whether I wanted to be a stay at home mom or a business woman. My choice was made clear when I was diagnosed with endometriosis at 20 years old, and we decided to try for a baby a few months later. With two years of school left and an entry level job, I ended up getting exactly what I wanted all along- time to stay home with my babies and time to pursue a career later. It isn't what I originally pictured for my life, but it is absolutely the way I want things to be!