So... What do you do all day?

My brother was visiting us recently, and he asked me, "So...What do you do all day?" I didn't give him a very good answer. I internalized the skepticism and scorn in his tone. I bought into it -- into the thinking that if you don't have a job, you have it easy, you're lazy, you just lounge around all day. That's wrong.

I was reminded of this reading this blog post by a new friend of mine. I've been where she is (remember this?), and in some sense, even with a baby, I'm still there.

I haven't had a regular paying gig for... a while. I can't remember when I quit my part-time job. I'd check my Facebook profile, but I'm off Facebook for Lent. Anyway, it's been several years, perhaps as many as three.

I really like it that way. I've never liked having to have a job. I have plenty of things to fill up my time without that. (Ha! Doesn't that sound so silly? As if people with jobs don't...) My last job got so unbearable that I quit without having another one lined up. Then I spent a couple months without bringing in income, and we realized we were just fine! Voila! No more jobs.

So here I'd like to give a better answer to the question, "What do you do all day?" I believe that I am called to be with my daughter full-time, and also that my work as a cook/cleaner/all-around home manager helps my husband accomplish his calling more effectively. Unfortunately, I don't always act like it.

Lucy and I usually wake up between 7 and 8 am.

[Usually.]

I eat breakfast and start the laundry (diaper laundry) while she plays in the living room and/or kitchen. Sometimes I have some food to prepare (bread, chickens, nuts, rice, beans, broth, etc). There's also plenty of internet-ing (love my laptop!).


Sometimes Lucy takes a nap around 10. Sometimes she just needs to sit with me for a couple minutes and rest.

Round about noon I eat lunch (leftovers, if I'm lucky!). Also, still working on laundry (flipping it or hanging it).


After lunch Lucy will take a nap if she didn't already.


Sometimes we'll go explore in another room in the house. Sometimes we'll sit outside and try to eat leaves. Sometimes we'll go on a bike ride (Craigslist bike trailer -- hollah!). Sometimes we'll turn off all the noise, and I'll sit on the floor and read to myself. Lucy really likes when I do that. She'll climb all over me for a while, but then she'll find stuff to play with and ignore me.


Norman comes home at 5 (ish), and he keeps an eye on Lucy while I make dinner.

The three of us eat dinner together.


After dinner, it's time for a baby bath (twice a week), and then Norman rocks Lucy to sleep and sets her in her pack n play. While he does that, I clean up the mess Lucy made all day, do the dishes, and fold laundry.

Some nights I craft, some nights we watch TV or a movie, some nights we just collapse.

Around 10 or 10:30pm, Lucy wakes up, and the two of us go to bed. Norman the Night Owl follows later.

(I left out the 8-12 diaper changes and the countless nursing sessions for your sake.)

Now, there are days where things are different. There's a grocery store day, an Afternoon of Fun once a week... We like to mix it up.

But for the most part, I spend my days feeding, changing, and entertaining a baby. And that's OK. That's my job right now. I don't always give it my best, but I'm working on it. Aren't we all?