You Mean this WASN'T a Mommy Blog Before?!

Not gonna lie - this blog is about to take a dangerous turn into mommy blog territory because I'M ON MAT LEAVE, MOFOS!!

I know Morag and Me has always been a mommy blog, but it's going seem like a million moms threw up in here now. My life is basically all children, all the time and I am as excited for it as I am terrified.

I have one main focus this year while I'm on maternity leave, and it is to enjoy the eff out of it. It's a magical time to spend with my children, creating special memories and blah blah blah - more importantly, it's the only time I will be able to take a whole year off work until I retire at the age of 95.

I am laying some ground rules so I don't fall into the same miserable, stressed-out hole I did on my last maternity leave. For one, I'm going to (as much as possible), try to be as laid back as possible. I am not going to focus on the negative stuff (like how much making lunch and doing the clean up afterward day in and day out makes me want to die), and just concentrate on how lucky I am to be at home (and how adorable my kids look covered in spaghetti sauce... all day long... because I'm too lazy busy to wash them).

I also want to be a little more proactive and organized this time so I'm not running around in a dirty house, scrambling to find/remember a baby bottle on my way out to the million social engagements I have going on. In fact, I am limiting my outings to 1 major outing a day (or less - maybe 3 or 4 major outings a week). If we have too much going on, my toddler acts like a wild animal and I miss out on downtime. And I NEED my downtime or I start crying for no reason, snapping at my family, and laying in bed for days at a time hating myself and the world in general. Wooo!

I'm confident that this maternity leave is going to be pretty awesome - even with two kids at home. I just have to stay flexible at all times. I am sure my ground rules will morph and change each day as I identify new stressors and find ways to minimize them. Today, for example, I added a new rule (and it's only my first day of maternity leave) -Whitney and I left a park picnic playdate just after nap time, and the trip home was a disaster. She cried. I cried (not really, but I kind of wanted to die from sheer frustration and embarrassment). So, my new rule is absolutely no play dates, outings, or any other public event at nap time. If I can't be home for bedtime, we are not leaving the house.  Ta da! Problem solved.

This stay-at-home mommy thing is going to be a piece of cake*.

*Ummm... yeah.