SAHM Summer

I wrote this a few weeks ago.  My sentiments haven't changed as our lazy days of summer continue to fly by. 

My family is at the park and I am home with a feverish Noah.  He was up all night and restless all day and now another night is beginning.  He is tired.  I am tired.    The other kids are surely tired of my being tired.  We are recovering from our trip and returning to 'normal' much more slowly than I would like, but it's the best I can do with a sick baby and the lazy days of summer all around us.  I feel sad because, while our neighborhood is filled with young kids, most of them spend their summer days in daycare.  We cherish the few daytime friends that we do have on our street and we are always out late playing with everyone else once they get home from daycare.  It's not what I recall my childhood summers being like, but people have to work to pay the bills.  I am reminded that, culturally, it is less and less common for women to stay home.  I wonder if more women would like to stay home, because I know it's all I've ever really wanted to do, more than the lure of any career.   I'm also reminded how blessed we are to have one good income that supports our family and allows me to stay where I want to be most of all.

And summer is being so good to us- the weather is pleasant, although there are days with too much rain or too much humidity.  Some days we have adventures, other days we are lazy and stay in our pajamas until lunch time and make forts out of couch cushions and paint on the deck and have picnics in the front yard and watch the cement mixers rumble down the street.

Last week I took the kids to the Des Moines Arts Festival.  I don't venture out to unfamiliar venues with all of the kids by myself too often, for multiple reasons- mainly my two year old and my baby.  It's always naptime for someone.  But I wanted to check out the festival, and the kids were super excited about it, too.  So we packed up our lunch and stroller and lots of water and made our way downtown.  In the parking garage we shared an elevator with a mom and dad and their one child. 

'Four kids and mom's alone?  You sure are brave!' was her greeting to me.  She gestured meaningfully at her husband and three-year-old daughter, who was lounging on a bed of pillows in a classic Radio Flyer.  

Fully aware of my kids ability to hear my response, I grinned and said, "Yep!  We like to have fun together."  And we did!  After the initial rainstorm passed we had a fantastic time exploring the craft booths and art displays.  We selected treats and danced and splashed in the water.  It was just fun- a perfect summer day.  And it made me so grateful, so, so grateful, that I get the chance to be a stay-at-home mom who gets to enjoy this stay-at-home summer with the funnest little people on the planet.