Stay At Home Mom

Although at times I am envious of my husband for having the ability to physically GO to work everyday, I can't help but feel fortunate for the opportunity to have been a stay at home mom for nearly 3 years. Now that Lyla is nearing preschool, I feel a sense of accomplishment that I was able to stay home with her, day after day, teaching her and playing with her. I feel proud every time someone tells me how smart she is or how well mannered she can be. I like knowing that she learned so much from staying home with me, and not from a teacher or babysitter. Now, with that said, I understand that some (if not most) moms don't have the opportunity I have to stay home with their children, and need to be the bread winner of the family, leaving no choice but for daycare, early preschool, or babysitters, and by no means do I think this is wrong or lazy. It was just never my preference, and I was lucky enough to have had two men in my life who could support Lyla and myself financially, allowing me to stay home and raise my daughter.

"One down, one to go" I often think, with Lyla entering school and Hannah entering the world. Lyla and I have been brushing up on our baby sign language to teach our new baby girl; something I did with Lyla very early on and found it extremely helpful in order to communicate with my baby before she could say most things. I look forward to giving Hannah the same stay-at-home experience I did with my big girl, and feel even more confident now having gone through it.

It's definitely not always easy; it can get lonely only talking to a baby or toddler all day while everyone around you is hard at work or school with other adults. It's exhausting to have to go from activity to activity to keep Lyla entertained, burning energy, or learning new things. But I wouldn't have it any other way; when I look back at these stay-at-home years, I want to know that I worked my hardest and raised my children properly and with their best interests in mind at all times.

I am so proud of the smart, happy, enthusiastic, loving, polite girl my Lyla has grown to be, and I love every day I get to spend with her. I do, however, look forward to her going to school in the fall so that she can learn to be away from mommy, make friends, and learn things beyond what I can teach her at home. I also look forward to having those school days as alone time with our new baby girl, teaching, playing and reading, just as I've done with Lyla her whole life.

I am a very lucky mother, with a wonderful, hard working husband, and a growing family who I cannot wait to continue to watch grow and learn.