Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | By: Slacker Mom

It's Definitely Never Dull

Had an interesting conversation with Howdy the other day. We have a dog who is not fixed and has been trying to take advantage of our other male dog. My son knows this as "trying to make babies". We've had this discussion already and I thought I had explained all the mechanics clearly. (It's amazing how much you can learn from having pets!) Apparently he either tuned me out or just didn't get it because he was asking questions again. Let me take a moment to share my philosophy on this subject. I've always felt the best thing to do was to be completely honest with my kids when they ask me something (well, age-appropriate honesty). I would much rather they get their answers from me than from the kids at school who probably have no idea what they are talking about. Plus, I figure if I'm open and honest now and don't freak out when I get those oh-so-embarrassing questions then maybe, when they're older, they'll feel like they can come to me with stuff. We'll see how that turns out.
Due to comments that my son was making about our 2 dogs attempting to make babies, I realized that my son needed to hear the facts of life again. With my wide-eyed husband tucked into the far corner of the couch I explained to my son the mechanics of sex and hard-ons and even wet dreams. I figure, he's 9. He will need to know about all this before it happens so he doesn't freak out and think something's wrong with him. It was not the conversation that had played out in my head. It's difficult to act nonchalant when discussing ejaculation with your first-born baby. Sometimes I wonder why in the world I wanted a house full of boys.
Thursday, June 12, 2008 | By: Slacker Mom

When I grow up...

At the moment, I'm sitting at my computer with 3 children playing on the bed behind me. I know that I really don't have the time to be writing this, but I'm making an attempt to "tune out". I know...very responsible.
I'm not actually expecting anyone to read this, other than a handful of family or friends. But I feel like I need an outlet and this happens to be it. I've decided that if no one is really going to read this, than I can be absolutely honest, right?
I imagine I'm not alone in this, but I'm constantly struggling with finding my purpose. I believe in God and I pray that I will do what it is that He wants me to do. But I don't find myself to be someone of much insight and so I struggle daily with questions like, "Am I doing the right thing?"..."Am I making the most out of what's been given to me?"..."If I died today, have I lived a full life?" In trying to answer these questions, it only brings about more questions. I often wonder if I should have finished college, should I be working outside the home, should I be homeschooling the kids, should I be trying harder to be like Martha Stewart(without the jail time)?
As mothers, I don't think we ever feel like we could do enough for our kids. I sometimes think all I can see is where I'm "failing". I love my kids, I play with them, read to them, take care of them, encourage them. But there's always more I could do. Having an Autistic child doesn't help. Because the answer to that is yes, there is always more I could do. I don't respond well when someone tries to make me feel guilty about something. I know that I can guilt myself enough without having anyone else's help, thank you very much. In an attempt to ease all my guilt I find that I spread myself too thin. I figure if I'm not a very good housewife then there'd better be a good reason for it. So I have a small craft business, and I work on a lot of projects and events at church, and I babysit 2 kids(down to just 1 now). I couldn't possibly be great at housekeeping because I'm too involved with "important" stuff.
Why can't it just be enough to be taking care of my family?

Yet Another Project

I've just decided to start a blog because with 3 of my own children plus 1 that I babysit everyday, a part-time business, church involvements, the running of a household, as well as my husband and 2 dogs, I apparently didn't have enough to do. I'm always on the lookout for something to fill in the few free minutes I may find every day. This just happens to be my lastest great idea.
I should probably start by telling you a little about me. Then you can decide if you really want to spend your precious few minutes reading whatever ramblings I may have come up with this day. I have been very happily married for almost 13 years. I have 3 children. Howdy is 9 and he's my creative, sensitive first-born who always makes me think of Howdy Doody with his cute little freckles. Next is Bubba, he's 7 and has a diagnosis of high-functioning autism. He's the most affectionate of my 3-actually he goes a little overboard at times. Then comes my princess, Sassy. She's 5 going on 13. I always call her my "sassy chick". My dear, darling husband, is in construction and works to support all of us so that I can stay home and "take care" of everything at home. I use the quotations because I'm not exactly a candidate for Mom of the Year.
I LOVE being able to stay home with my kids. However, I do NOT love the mundane things that come along with that(does anyone? Don't answer that, I don't need the guilt). I hate to cook. No, let me rephrase that...I HATE to cook dinner. I love to bake cookies and desserts but can't stand cooking dinner. Lots of reasons...number one(and this applies to almost everything about me) I'm lazy! Plus, I'm a VERY picky eater but my children are even worse. So, I'm a short-order cook. I don't enjoy cooking and I really don't enjoy cleaning up.
I find that there are some chores that I don't mind doing but I never enjoy doing all of it. Like, I don't mind loading the dishwasher but hate to unload it. I like doing the laundry and folding it but hate to put any of it away or hang it up. Even if I could afford a housekeeper I don't think I would do it because I know she wouldn't do it right!
Oh yeah...something else about me. I'm a little anal retentive and highly neurotic. I'm also a perfectionist and with that comes being a procrastinator. (Because if you can't do something perfect, then why start it?) And a pack rat. So I have a house that is filled to the seams with stuff that I've collected but have put off doing anything with and haven't got around to putting away. Such is the life of a housewife! Isn't it grand?