Well, since beginning my leave last week, I have started contemplating what this year may hold. The obvious of course, the transition from being a DINK family (Double Income No Kids) to having a new arrival. I guess the other thing I am struggling with is the whole change of role. Having been the main breadwinner (with a complementing main spender title), I am worried about the expectations of my new role as SAHM (Stay at Home Mum).
So what does a SAHM really do??
I am a huge fan of reading other people's experiences via blogs etc, but I am yet to find a blog that can tell me what a SAHM actually does. I mean plenty of SAHM's blogs laugh at people like me who struggle to imagine how a little person can take up such a huge chunk of day...Don't get me wrong...I believe them! I am not trying to say that my job will be easier, being a lady of leisure, reading books and watching movies all day while baby is blissfully asleep, or easily breast feeding....I mean come on, I didn't come down in the last shower...but really...what happens in a typical day...aside from regular nappy changes, crying and sleeping?
How can I translate this to Mr Mercenary so he realises that his idea that I will become a housewife (like Grandma Mercenary when he was growing up), doing all of the cooking, cleaning and child rearing is probably not going to be an easy transition? I have pretty big shoes to fill...Grandma Mercenary was essentially a 50's house wife who raised 5 boys, cooked all the meals (and separate ones for the fussy children to boot), whilst living on a shoestring budget and maintaining very few relationships outside of the family...
Quite honestly I am SCARED! What if I am a crap housewife?! Or worse, what if I am really good at it and don't want to go back to work!? There goes the plan of Mr Mercenary taking over the home role when my maternity leave ends...
So I have a cunning plan...(hence the blog title!)
I have a cleaning schedule (because cleaning is NOT my forte, nor do I find it particularly motivating...)
Here is my slippery slope to hell:
Daily Tasks:
First thing in the morning - unload dishwasher and put clean dishes away
AM - put on a load of washing
Noon(ish) - put washing in dryer
PM - Fold load of washing
Make Dinner & lunches for following day
Post Dinner - stack dishwasher and put on to wash overnight
Weekly Tasks:
MONDAY - Change bed linen, towels and tea towels
TUESDAY - Clean out fridge, empty bins
WEDNESDAY - Plan meals, shop online (delivery Friday AM)
THURSDAY - Clean bathrooms, clean back glass door (dog slobber is a b*tch!)
FRIDAY - Floors, (vacuum (or sweep), then mop)
SATURDAY - Kitty litter, empty bins
SUNDAY - It really needs to be the day of rest!
Monthly Tasks:
1st Week - Air con filters
2nd Week - Fans and light fittings
3rd Week - pay bills
4th Week - dishwasher and sink disinfect
Seasonal Tasks:
January - March: Change batteries in all remotes, clean oven
April - June: Clean out all kitchen cupboards, jewellery needs to be cleaned in May for warranty purposes
July - September: Clean all windows
October - December: Sort and donate clothes
So there you have it...all my best intentions in one spot....out there for the world to see. Hopefully this will encourage me to actually change the intentions into actions, which will save me from housewife hell!
Jan 18, 2011
Last day of work - First day of leave - What the heck do I do now?
Well, it has been a while since I decided to blog...and I have to say, I am having trouble figuring out exactly what is blog worthy, and what is that stuff that no one really wants to read about, or that I will want to read back over!
I guess the biggest thing has been that I have 4 1/2 weeks to go until I am due. Whilst I was originally planning to get to 1 Feb before I finished work, catching a cold (probably partially due to monsoonal rain and airconditioning at work) put a pretty quick stop to that. The doctor agrees that I need to stop work now, so I am officially finished work for just over 12 months! I thought I would have been fabulously happy having the next 4 or so weeks to myself, but in fact I am incredibly daunted by the idea that I have such limited time to get ALL my life in order in anticipation of it all being turned upside down!
I have achieved some small things in the past couple of weeks. My hospital bag is now all but packed. My final list of things to pack was an effort to complete in itself! Eventually I came up with the following:
Maternity bras - I got a whole range from KMart the other day - most were $10 or under. Bargain!
Comfy full brief undies - Bonds - who else?!
Sleepwear - I have opted for long PJ pants, and I am planning to wear the Bonds Maternity Singlets. This way I am decent if we get unexpected visitors, but I have easy access to breast feed. Those Bonds Maternity Singlets are freaking awesome! I would definitely recommend them!
Reading material - I picked up about 8 Real Living magazines that I haven't read (yes, some are quite old!) at the Op Shop for $1 per mag! Pretty sweet deal considering most magazines retail between $8 - $15!
Journal and Diary plus pretty pens (I have a serious stationary fetish...I really do need help!)
Camera - For obvious reasons!
Pregnancy / Birth folder including all documents collected over the period of my pregnancy
General toiletries - we bought new toothbrushes (we were just about due anyway), and new toothpaste, so we could pack in advance. Also I am taking some of the stuff that just makes you feel a little more at home when you are away from home (ie. familiar liquid soap, skin care routine stuff...I may not use it, but if I do have time, or need some Mercenary Mum time - I've got it covered!)
Don't forget the toiletries which may be new products - ie. Maternity pads, breast pads - we are planning a 5/6 day stay at hospital, so I would expect my milk will have come in before I go home...
Thongs for the shower (NB. The footwear variety of thongs for those of you who aren't Aussie!)
Really clever stuff I would never have thought of without other peoples recommendations:
Bendy Straws - I was really on the fence about this...I mean I NEVER use straws....but I read somewhere that whilst in labour drinking using bendy straws will allow you to keep your fluids up with minimum effort.
Toilet paper - now I know the hospital will supply TP, but honestly, the last thing I'd like would be to use cheap bulksandpaper toilet paper after having a baby....I can always bring it home if the hospital exceeds the expectations!
Stuff for your birth partner - I am bringing stuff I want Mr Mercenary to have during my labour - stuff that guys may not think of...ie. something to wear in the shower / birth pool....
Also, whilst you are in hospital, the medication etc. for you and the baby is pretty much covered, but your partner may find a long labour or different bed (if they are able to stay with you over night) may bring on a headache etc. I found a suggestion that we take some nurofen or panadol for your other/better half is probably a good idea - and then they have NO excuses!
List of people we need to call - no not the list of rellies we have to tell, but the official kind of ones that I will probably forget about the minute administration of my life is replaced by a (hopefully) healthy and beautiful baby girl (eg. Private Health Fund - cover her immediately!).
Of course I have to take some stuff for bubba (ie. clothing, nappies etc.) but I'll tackle that when my cold clears so I don't contaminate her stuff before she is even born! That is actually an interesting idea...she is essentially sharing a vessel with me at the moment, but I am concerned with making her sick after she is born...Well...that kind of bakes my noodle...I might leave it at that for tonight...I'll come back to my hospital bag list after the big event and my hospital holiday to give you the low down on what was space filler, what was essential and what was missing!
I guess the biggest thing has been that I have 4 1/2 weeks to go until I am due. Whilst I was originally planning to get to 1 Feb before I finished work, catching a cold (probably partially due to monsoonal rain and airconditioning at work) put a pretty quick stop to that. The doctor agrees that I need to stop work now, so I am officially finished work for just over 12 months! I thought I would have been fabulously happy having the next 4 or so weeks to myself, but in fact I am incredibly daunted by the idea that I have such limited time to get ALL my life in order in anticipation of it all being turned upside down!
I have achieved some small things in the past couple of weeks. My hospital bag is now all but packed. My final list of things to pack was an effort to complete in itself! Eventually I came up with the following:
Maternity bras - I got a whole range from KMart the other day - most were $10 or under. Bargain!
Comfy full brief undies - Bonds - who else?!
Sleepwear - I have opted for long PJ pants, and I am planning to wear the Bonds Maternity Singlets. This way I am decent if we get unexpected visitors, but I have easy access to breast feed. Those Bonds Maternity Singlets are freaking awesome! I would definitely recommend them!
Reading material - I picked up about 8 Real Living magazines that I haven't read (yes, some are quite old!) at the Op Shop for $1 per mag! Pretty sweet deal considering most magazines retail between $8 - $15!
Journal and Diary plus pretty pens (I have a serious stationary fetish...I really do need help!)
Camera - For obvious reasons!
IPod
Wheat (heat) bag
Return to home outfit - I know, it will still be maternity wear, but I want to wear something nice to return home with bubba!Pregnancy / Birth folder including all documents collected over the period of my pregnancy
General toiletries - we bought new toothbrushes (we were just about due anyway), and new toothpaste, so we could pack in advance. Also I am taking some of the stuff that just makes you feel a little more at home when you are away from home (ie. familiar liquid soap, skin care routine stuff...I may not use it, but if I do have time, or need some Mercenary Mum time - I've got it covered!)
Don't forget the toiletries which may be new products - ie. Maternity pads, breast pads - we are planning a 5/6 day stay at hospital, so I would expect my milk will have come in before I go home...
Thongs for the shower (NB. The footwear variety of thongs for those of you who aren't Aussie!)
Really clever stuff I would never have thought of without other peoples recommendations:
Bendy Straws - I was really on the fence about this...I mean I NEVER use straws....but I read somewhere that whilst in labour drinking using bendy straws will allow you to keep your fluids up with minimum effort.
Toilet paper - now I know the hospital will supply TP, but honestly, the last thing I'd like would be to use cheap bulk
Stuff for your birth partner - I am bringing stuff I want Mr Mercenary to have during my labour - stuff that guys may not think of...ie. something to wear in the shower / birth pool....
Also, whilst you are in hospital, the medication etc. for you and the baby is pretty much covered, but your partner may find a long labour or different bed (if they are able to stay with you over night) may bring on a headache etc. I found a suggestion that we take some nurofen or panadol for your other/better half is probably a good idea - and then they have NO excuses!
List of people we need to call - no not the list of rellies we have to tell, but the official kind of ones that I will probably forget about the minute administration of my life is replaced by a (hopefully) healthy and beautiful baby girl (eg. Private Health Fund - cover her immediately!).
Of course I have to take some stuff for bubba (ie. clothing, nappies etc.) but I'll tackle that when my cold clears so I don't contaminate her stuff before she is even born! That is actually an interesting idea...she is essentially sharing a vessel with me at the moment, but I am concerned with making her sick after she is born...Well...that kind of bakes my noodle...I might leave it at that for tonight...I'll come back to my hospital bag list after the big event and my hospital holiday to give you the low down on what was space filler, what was essential and what was missing!
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