SAHM

People often ask me how "all this" is going, meaning my continued unemployment leading to becoming a stay-at-home mom, and the short answer is, "OK. And I know that I will look back at this and be thankful that I had this time with my son."

(I tell myself this now as I look up, and he is dragging a ribbon of string cheese across the dashboard of the car*... Remember, you will LOOK BACK and be thankful. You don't have to be thankful every bloody minute of the day, and it was smart of me to put a package of baby wipes in the car.**)

The long answer is long and I rarely have time when I can sort out my thoughts. And it's long.*** 

But I think people only have to start worrying about me if I show up with those dreadful stick figure families stuck onto my car window. Then help is needed.

*what the hell are kids thinking? Oh, and we are parked. My brain has not disintegrated that much yet.

**you never outgrow your need for baby wipes. They are useful not only for humans but for the interiors of automobiles.

***did I mention the longness?

5

babywhumpus turned five years old today. It's the first year he has been majorly aware of the event beforehand and majorly excited about it. For an entire week.

It's an interesting day for us. We are so thankful for him; for his health and vitality and his continued interesting behavior. But we can't say it was a great day. Both May 28 and May 29 were fraught with fear and worry. Our son was born at 25 and one-half weeks gestation, and when we were on the way to the hospital, I really didn't think we would ever come home with a baby.

As we hit this milestone, I'm looking back to those two days.