Life as a Working Mom

Some of the popular blogs that I read daily have been featuring different moms this week writing about their life as a working mom and I thought it would be something fun to document so I can remember these crazy times later.  This is going to be kind of long so if you don’t care what a typical day is like for me just skip this post.

First off being a working mom is probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  It is extremely hard to manage the little time I do have at home, spend time with my little family and keep the house in order.  This is a little glimpse into what a normal work day looks like for me and how I manage to squeeze it all in.

I wake up about 6 unless I decide to workout before work and on those days I get up at 4:50 and throw on clothes and head to the gym.  Lately I have been so sleepy I haven’t gone in the mornings too often.  I am super fast at getting ready in the morning which helps.  I usually pick out my clothes the night before which saves me a lot of time but lately it has been more challenging finding clothes that will work since I’m in the awkward “fat” stage of pregnancy.  I shower, put on my makeup, dry my hair and run a flat iron through it.  I have to be out of the house between 6:30 and 6:45 so I’m usually frantically running around the kitchen trying to make my lunch, grab some breakfast to eat on the way or at the office and feeding the dogs before I hit the road.  Clifton and Layton are sound asleep when I leave which makes it hard to get out of my warm bed in the mornings knowing they are still asleep but it is a lot faster in the mornings because I don’t have any distractions getting ready.  I drive 50 miles to the North side of San Antonio so it takes me 50 minutes to an hour depending on traffic which right now is awesome because it is summer which means less traffic.  I don’t mind the drive in the mornings because it gives me a chance to wake up, catch up with my sister or Jackie on the phone who is usually at work already, listen to music or the news and pray.  I have to be at work by 7:30 because I’m a “part time” employee so I work 35 hours in 4 days (Monday through Thursday).  I get to work and eat my breakfast while reading fox news and checking my email.  Then I start testing internal controls.  Most of you probably don’t care about what I do but I will try to explain it because from time to time some of my friends ask me “What do you actually do all day?”  I am a SOX internal auditor which stands for Sarbanes Oxley.  All the accounting laws that were passed after the big Enron scandal went down a few years ago created new jobs in the accounting world.  I work in our SOX department at Energy Transfer.  I spend all day testing our internal controls making sure every department is signing off properly, following proper approval limits, tying out the necessary reports etc.  I have to know a little bit about every department in the company and understand which systems they use so I can test to make sure they are doing it correctly.  Our deadlines are quarterly but my job doesn’t require over time and my work load is pretty consistent throughout the year so I’m very thankful for that.  At lunch I either run errands and eat at my desk when I get back, or have lunch with coworkers.  The afternoons are the hardest part of the day for me because I’m so sleepy at my desk.  I work until 5 and head straight home so I can be home by 6 most days.  Clifton handles dropping off and picking up Layton so they are usually home when I get there.  

Here is where I spend my days my little cubicle.

When I get home, I usually sit and talk to Clifton and Layton and he is usually having a snack because he comes home so hungry and thirsty from school every day.  We play a little bit and then I start dinner.  On some days I go to the gym after work which makes the evenings harder because all the classes at the gym are 6:15-7:15 so then we end up eating dinner really late.  Some days I take Layton on a run/walk in the jogging stroller when I get home but lately it has been way too hot.  I try to work out four days a week but it doesn’t always happen.  If we are home I try to go on Saturday mornings because Clifton can spend time with Layton and I don’t feel bad for going early.  Clifton is usually outside working on something in the evenings or sometimes he will take Layton for a ride in the ranger while I cook dinner otherwise Layton wants to help me in the kitchen which is always interesting.  Crockpot a lot because there is nothing better than coming home to dinner that is already made. I try to plan ahead on the weekends and have at least 3 meals in my head for the week so I can get everything I need for them at the store.  We eat leftovers a lot which I’m so thankful Clifton and Layton are willing to eat just about anything because it makes my life so much easier.   Tonight I made this and it was really good.  I found it at Wal-Mart the other day and decided to give it a try tonight.

 

This is when it was cooking.

 

Layton at dinner tonight.

  We eat around 7:30 or 8:00 and then I give Layton a bath while Clifton cleans up the kitchen.  I always unload the dishwasher while I cook dinner so it is ready for Clifton to load after we eat.  I get Layton’s clothes ready for the next day and pack his backpack for school and have it by the door so Clifton won’t forget it.  I play a little bit with Layton depending on how his mood is if we have time and then we read books, tell daddy goodnight and Layton goes to sleep.  Ideally I would love to have Layton in bed by 8:30 but most nights it is just impossible to get everything done by then and still spend time playing with him so it is usually 9 or sometimes 9:30 by the time he is actually asleep.  He does sleep until 7:30 or 8:00 in the morning and takes great long naps so it works for us and our schedule. 

By this time of night I’m exhausted especially if I got up to work out so I usually head straight to take a bath and I usually read and relax awhile in the bath tub.  This is my time to myself everyday and I can’t go without my bath at night.  I then try to straighten up the house and pick out my clothes for the next day.  I usually watch TV, blog, sew, play on the internet, talk to Clifton, do my devotional, or read at night until I fall asleep.  Lately Clifton has been so busy he stays up and works on his computer at night or even goes back to the office some nights after we eat dinner.  I try to get in bed by 11 but most nights it is midnight because I feel like I need down time at night after the long work day.

During the week I really don’t have time for laundry or actual cleaning because I’m so tired at night.  I do laundry on Friday and Saturday and clean the house either Friday or Saturday depending on what Layton and I have planned on Fridays. Our house isn’t super clean all the time but we do the best we can.  It is always straight and we try to keep the clutter to a minimum by putting everything in its place every night.  Clifton pays the bills as needed and I balance the check book every month because then we can double check each other to make sure there aren’t any mistakes or things missed.  I use the weekends to download pictures, work on sewing projects, grocery shop, spend time with family and friends and spend lots of time playing with Layton. Mondays are always hard because I have spent 3 days with Layton it makes it hard to go back to work.   

The first few months I went back to work were the hardest for sure because Layton was so little and trying to pump at work to keep up with nursing was challenging and emotional but we made it.  Now that he is older it has gotten a little easier but harder because he is aware that mommy has to go to work.  Layton goes to daycare Monday through Wednesday now and then alternates between my mom and mother-n-law on Thursdays.  I’m so thankful he isn’t in daycare full time and still spends time with his grandparents.  

Being a working mom isn’t ideal for me but I know it is necessary for our family and I'm helping make a better life for us.  There are many days at the office I would give anything to be at home with Layton.  I have a lot of friends that are full time stay at home moms so I know just how hard that can be too because you never get a break from everything.  I think being a mom in general is challenging whether you work or stay at home.  This is the season of life we are in right now so we make it work and I couldn’t do it without all the help from Clifton.  He helps me so much with Layton and has a flexible schedule which allows him time with Layton during the week in the mornings while I’m at work.  I'm so thankful that I only have to work 4 days a week for now and I do get an extra day every week with Layton.  We usually try to do something fun together on Fridays.  This little guy makes it all worth it when I come home from work and we get to hang out.