Chicago Mama Spot

Lame Easter Mama

My slight Neighbor obsession has diminished now that Daddy-O is back from his golf trip.  It seems like he's been gone for so long, but I think that's just because I haven't really been sleeping much since he's been gone.  I did get so much accomplished.  There aren't too many boxes left.  Just one storage closet full and that has to stay that way until we get the basement finished.  I am so happy it's almost done! 

It's so nice to have Daddy-O back home.  We missed him.  Sweet Pea said "I love you" for the first time on the phone with him Thursday.  She kind of slurred the words together and she was just repeating me, but my heart melted. 

On to the important stuff . . . I don't want anyone to think that I've forgotten about Neighbor.  I'm still interested in becoming FF (Friends Forever if you didn't use this one in grade school).  But, I think I just stop worrying and try just be normal. 

However, there is the blind dilemma.  We have windows looking directly onto their deck.  Do we leave the blinds open in the evening?  We have up to this point, but if they're on the deck and someone is on our sectional, you're almost part of their conversation.  I  brought this question up to my mom and sister last night, and a few minutes later out Neighbor and her husband came with another couple.  Well, obviously I couldn't close the blinds after they came out.  That would have been rude.  Oh hi, I see you and now I'm shutting my blinds on you.  I think when it gets warm, maybe we'll just shut them at night.  I really am trying not to obsess about weird stuff, but sometimes the ADD kicks in pretty strong!

We're having Daddy-O's parents over for Easter brunch.  I could get enough blog content on them to last me a long time, but I'm staying quiet on the in-law front because it just best for all.  They love Sweet Pea beyond belief and that's all that matters to me.  They just got back from Paris.  I don't think either of them have ever been abroad or traveled too much, so it should be interesting (or maybe really, really boring) hearing how it went.  I'm crossing my fingers that the pictures have been somewhat edited down. 

Besides making a delicious Easter brunch, I am a lame mama.  Sweet Pea doesn't really get holidays yet and we're not too religious.  So, I'm really just dressing her up for the grandparents and because it's so fun to see her in a new spring dress.  I bought the whole Paaz egg thing.  We've just been too busy to do it.  I have a really cute felt Easter basket for her, but all I really have to go in it is paper Easter grass and some empty plastic Easter eggs.  I'm dreading Grandma asking me what we did for Easter for Sweet Pea. 

This mommy guilt thing is really all-consuming.  The weather is really working a thing on me.  It has been so nice.  I just feel like I should be outside all the time with her.  If I'm not, mommy guilt comes to get me.  I'm almost glad tomorrow is supposed to be rainy. 

How is it 1:30 in the morning already?  I've got to get to bed, so I can wake up early to get brunch ready.  Since Sweet Pea started sleeping in so late, I have no reason to get to bed early.  It's really hurting our productivity during the day.  I have so many errands backed up.  She is sleeping almost 16 hours a day.  It has to be a growth spurt or something.  The two of us are little sloths sleeping in until 9:30.  Not tomorrow, I'm going to have to be a tornado of activity to get things ready by 10:30. 

Au revoir.

Managing the Housework . . . A solution

The housework, it's just too much.  I finally had to give in and teach G to vaccuum.  I think it's helping her learn to negotiate the stairs.  I try to keep an eye on her while I blog, but sometimes my wireless connection doesn't work so well. 

Am I a Housewife? Not a very good one.

This is probably a regional, city thing, but only two women in my bookclub don't have regular cleaning ladies.  How did our moms do it?  Mine wasn't super great at it, but she never would have considered having someone come clean.  I've read that the size of the average house has grown by a lot and it has to be related.  We live in a pretty average sized house with a finished basement and our cleaning lady moved back to Poland right before Christmas.  She'd found us a replacement, but it just didn't work out.  I haven't had anyone "officially" clean my house since Christmas except for one deep clean before we put our house on the market.  It's so scary that poor G is walking around with as much dog hair on her as the dog.  I just can't get it all done.  By the time I clean one area, the rest is dirty.  I am telling you, it is really making me resent my dog.  I tend to project all my flaws on to her since G was born.  She still doesn't get how she went from being my baby to G getting all the attention.

Why is it that women who came before me felt like it was their job to keep the house clean and I kind of feel like it's not mine?  I mean, J would say that I'm so busy with G that I don't have time.  But that's really not the case.  I mean she takes a 3 hour nap every day.  I feel like I don't have a lot of time for myself, but I can't imagine what kind of time my mom had for herself.   Am I just a slacker? 

If I had to do this all the time, I would definitely want a smaller house!  Maybe just one room.

Edited:  I think J was reading over my shoulder and didn't appreciate the title.  He seems to have hit his breaking point and it makes him want to be married to someone else.  He's definitely got anal retentive qualities and hates a mess (why he married someone with ADD is beyond me, I mean he did know, I was diagnosed before I met him.  Plus, my stacks and piles are really not "hideable.").   I actually am pretty good at keeping things picked up, not so easy with an 18 month old, but the layer of dust and the general lack of deep cleaning is making him crazy.  I guess I'll have to get to work tomorrow.  When J gets this way, he always comes up with a big list of all the things I need to do.  I think it makes him feel better, but it is always inconvenient and usually on Sunday night.  His dad watches G from 11 - 3 on Mondays, so I can't get anything done - the time I'm home is pretty much crazy, the rest of the day I'm running errands.  Plus, my mom is visiting tomorrow which means a fun trip to Fields.  I guess I'll just have to live with the wrath of J for whatever I don't get done.  It sucks trying to be responsible!  Actually, the guilt of not being responsible is what really sucks.