It's been one year

If you know me, you know what song is going through my head right now by the title.  Just sayin'.

It's been one full year of stay at home mom goodness for me.  Well, technically one year ago today was a Saturday, and Mark was home with me, so I guess my new "job" hadn't started yet, so it hasn't been a full year, but whatever.  I'll take my milestone now anyway, k, thanks.

When we shared our Candace is going to stay at home plans with our family a couple years ago, we got a mix of opinions.  Most were pretty positive, well, actually everybody thought it was a good idea, so I guess it wasn't really a mix.  Thing is, most people didn't think I could do it.  Particularly my family.  I think the most optimistic time frame given amongst my family was 6 months (if they'd asked, I would've put myself down for at least 8).  They figured I'd be bored and sick of kids pretty quickly.  I guess I don't give off super fuzzy stay at home mommy vibes.  Granted, I don't, but they severely underestimated my ability to entertain myself and three small children.

All that aside, I was actually pretty terrified this time last year.  I really wasn't sure if I could be sole entertainment, source of snacks and nutritious lunches 9 hours a day, 5 days a week without going nuts.  I was definitely worried about having a lack of adult interaction, all of the typical things people bring up when I said I was going to stay home.  Not to mention the fact that I was newly pregnant and suffering from pretty nasty morning sickness (and only able to eat fast food chicken sandwiches without vomiting--so add in a dash of malnourishment).  So yeah, I was nervous, and I honestly have no recollection of what we did that first week at home.  I do remember that it went well, and that we had fun, though.

Overall this whole year has gone so much better than I thought it would.  We've done so many things, and gone so many places that we would have never gotten the chance to had I still been working.  I've had so much fun, and I think the kids have, too.  We've met so many new people and have made so many new friends (random plug - if you stay at home and are in Iowa City you should so be joining our play group), it's just been incredible.

One year down, and several more to go before my baby* is in school.  I hope that all of them go as well as this past year.

*In case you were wondering, Maggie is definitely the last.  Tubes tied.  Hopefully she tied those fertile little bitches with a double-knot and an extra dose of cauterization.