Last chance to be stay-at-home mom

I just made chocolate pudding from scratch and putting a meatloaf together, as both are our youngest daughter’s favorites.

While I write today, she is snoring a little on the sun porch loveseat, lying, as per doctor’s orders, on her left side. When she is sleeping, wearing her sparkly slippers and snuggling one of my little dogs, I don’t see this 29-year-old, third trimester pregnant version of her. I see the funny little girl who still called me Mommy.

These days, I have become a much older and I hope a little wiser stay-at-home mom for her while her husband works and we wait for little Jameson’s arrival.

Out of economic necessity, I didn’t get to spend a lot of time as a stay-at-home mom when my children were little. They spent a lot of time with their grandparents and I came to understand about needing a village to raise children. While I was grateful, I also felt guilty at the time and worried about what I was showing them about a work-life balance and whether they knew that they were always my first priority, even when I had to be away from them. I worked and saved and when the kids were old enough to have homework, I did my homework from nursing school at the same kitchen table with them.

I hoped I was showing them a solid work ethic and the values of family and friendships. I hoped I was showing them to live a grateful, happy, fun life at the same time. We made the most of our limited time together. We went on adventures to go find ducks to feed, to catch lightening bugs, to watch the stars, blow bubbles, go horseback riding, swimming and to ride our bikes.

Mostly as a single mom, somehow, with a lot of juggling, I managed dance lessons and school trips and later prom dresses and first cars. Looking back, I know that I didn’t get it right all the time. Because of that, this has been a sweet, redemptive time getting to be home with our soon-to-be mommy daughter.

This new baby won’t have a stay-at-home mom, either. Fewer children do these days. His mommy will go back to the job she loves teaching kindergarten and he will spend time with a carefully chosen sitter and doting grandparents. I imagine his mommy will shed some tears leaving him to go to work at first. I hope I’ve shown her enough that she’ll remember to find something fun about each day and to share in his wonder and excitement with each new experience.

I hope his mom and dad let him stay up late to watch a meteor shower, let him miss school to watch the circus set up, take him to feed the ducks, blow bubbles and jump in rain puddles right with him every chance they get. I hope they will take his Nonni and Pappa along, too. We’re already stocking up on bubbles.

Lori Law can be reached at lori@columbus.rr.com.