Winding down and Getting Prepared

My time here at work is winding down. I'm trying my best to get things nicely wrapped up for the handover next Tuesday. Hopefully, it isn't causing too much of a burden to my team members. My pride won't let me just slap something over on their desk and take off. I take a lot of pride in my work so I'm working, working, working up until the very end.

A good friend of mine gave me an AMAZING book. It's called "The Stay-At-Home Survival Guide" by Melissa Stanton. First of all, it's hilarious. I feel like she's talking directly to me (or I could have written the book myself). FINALLY a book that describes my perception of what "real" life is like for a stay-at-home mom......not all rainbows, horses and lollipops. It touches on the not so great side of staying home too---being bored, being tired, having kids with you 24/7, lack of sick/vacation days etc. The book doesn't degrade staying at home, just gives moms a better idea of the challenges (and lots of benefits) in a very real way. I've read 50 pages in the first two sittings (great during my pumping time!) and just love it. I would absolutely recommend this book to any mama....even if you don't stay at home.

I can't believe I'm not more prepared for this transition. My OCD personality would typically lead me to Barnes and Noble 2 seconds after I gave my notice to do as much research on staying home and child rearing as I could possibly handle. I would have spreadsheet after spreadsheet and planner after planner filled with all my good intended tasks and plans for each day.

But these are kids, Sarah! NOT PROJECTS!

I have to get my brain to find a nice balance between managing the household like a project at work but remind myself I'm dealing with children, not fellow Business Analysts and IT people. That is going to be a challenge.

I am excited to have about 1 1/2 weeks to myself before the kids are home full time. I plan to get the carpets cleaned (I know...that's probably kinda stupid), paint the bathrooms, get the toys and clothes cleaned out and get the unfinished side of the basement organized again after the crazy Christmas we had.

I also plan to get to the YMCA at least 3 times a week initially so I can start exercising and still give the kids some socialization time. I'm going back to plasma to make up some of the my lost income which also has a child care area for socializing. The afternoons will be busy with taking Olivia to school, naptime and then picking her up so those planned themselves.

I hope you are as excited as I am about this journey. I'm sure there will be lots of fun memories created and lots of rantings on here too.

Get buckled up. It's gonna be a bumpy ride!