Confession Session vol 4

11.28.2016


1. I got our Christmas cards in the mail a few weeks ago, and they've been sitting on our table addressed, stamped, and ready to send out since before Thanksgiving. But I wait (very impatiently) for December 1, which is what I consider to be the earliest possible time to send out Christmas cards without looking crazy. This happens every year because I love sending out Christmas cards so much.

2. Speaking of Christmas, I don't get why pictures of babies sitting on Santa's lap screaming their heads off are funny. The kid is clearly terrified! Why are we taking pictures and sharing them all over the internet? This seems like cruel and unusual punishment, but maybe that's just me. I probably made some people mad just now.

3. I bought a half gallon of ice cream two days ago and it's half gone, and Jordan's only eaten one bowl, so I can't even blame him for most of it but I'm going to anyway.

4. I've watched two episodes of the Gilmore Girls Revival so far, and it is completely and totally fulfilling all my TV hopes and dreams. It's clear that I have a mildly embarrassingly strong emotional attachment to these characters, because every time a new cast member appears in the scene, I shout, "It's ____!" like I'm meeting an old friend I haven't seen in a while. Oh, and Jordan claims he doesn't care, but he sat down of his own choice and watched the whole second episode with me and told me very specifically to not watch the third episode without him, so that's all I'll say about that.

5. R has regressed somewhat and is back to her old biting habits at daycare. It's actually really stressful because I'm not there to see it and so I really can't do anything about it. I picked her up the other day and they said, "She had a few attempted bitings but not as many as usual." Of course I was horrified and said, "HOW MANY IS USUAL?" And they said it depended on the day and her mood, so apparently she's 15 months old and moody. Yay. Jordan says she got that from me, and I can't even disagree. I'm moody.

6. I really really really want to find more blogs written by full-time working moms. And by more, I mean any. I do follow a few bloggers who work full time (to name a couple off the top of my head: Katie, Leslie, Christina, Rachel, Steph), but for the most part bloggers either don't have kids or stay at home. And a lot of the bloggers who do work don't blog very often, which I understand because hello, who has the time? (Me, apparently. I must be doing something wrong.) And when I do actually find a new blogger who works full time, she doesn't reply to any comments I leave! Apparently replying to blog comments is not what the cool kids are doing these days. I was really excited because a couple of bloggers I read consistently and were pregnant were going to work full time, but then they quit their jobs and now stay at home so that ruined that. I'm so very happy for them, of course, but I just sometimes don't feel like people get me anymore and are tired of me writing about motherhood and working, etc. And I start to get a complex about it and question the point of everything. ANYWAY. I could go on but I'm already tired of myself.

7. I've been taking R to the park with me right after work. We don't even go home; we just drive straight to the park and play for a half hour or so, and we both love it. She is so funny! Last time, we sat on the ground while she sat and poked sticks through a hole in the bench for a full fifteen minutes. I'm not even kidding, and if you know toddlers, you know that fifteen minutes is a long time to focus on one specific activity. I tried to get her to go down the slide or climb the ramp, but she just screamed and ran back toward the sticks. She also dives headfirst down all the slides, or at least she tries to and sometimes I let her because why not. I was talking to a mom I ran into one day who said her two-yr-old daughter just got over her fear of the slide, and I was like, "Yeah, we don't have that problem." Fearless, that one. Hold me.

8. Every night I go to bed wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants, and every night I wake up a few hours later covered in sweat and rip off my pants and sweatshirt and swear I will never fall asleep with them on again. But I'm cold when I first get in bed, so what's the solution? Maybe I need to buy an electric blanket or something. Or tell Jordan to get over himself and come to bed when I do so I can snuggle up. That guy is a furnace.

9. When you have a husband who plays video games, you sometimes hear some ridiculous things coming from his room. (For example: this) A few weeks ago I was passing by and heard, "Well dang it. There goes 20k and all of our cocaine." I immediately popped my head in and was like, "Um, excuse me?" And he says, "We're drug dealers, okay? We just got robbed!" So I looked at the screen and his character was literally a skinny dude in a polo shirt and frat boy shorts and loafers hiding in a warehouse. Who is this person I married? I told him I was going to tweet about it, but I never did because without context I didn't want people to get the wrong idea about us. I also told him that once R starts talking and not just babbling, he won't be able to play those types of games because what are we supposed to do if she repeats that kind of thing to the daycare teachers???? They'll send DHS over with sniffer dogs or something. Gracious.

10. Thanksgiving potlucks completely ruined our November food budget, and I don't even care. I refuse to stop the bleeding and went to the new Trader Joe's last week and spent a rather absurd amount of money on an individual serving of microwavable organic frozen mac and cheese. And let me tell you: it was delicious.

Want to confess something? Go right ahead. This is a safe space, friends.

See also: Confession Session vol 1. / vol 2. / vol 3.
Maria said...

I feel the same way about Santa lap photos, but what really drives me batty are the photos of kids with spaghetti or chocolate smeared all over their faces which you KNOW is mixed with snot and boogers. I gag every time. I feel like we've talked about this before. I cannot get over it. I'm dry heaving thinking about it. Not cute people. Not cute.

I was trying to think of other bloggers who are moms that work full time and I've got nothing. Okay, so there's one, but her grammar would drive you up the wall.

Katie @ Live Half Full said...

#1 Lucky!! My cards came but I'm still waiting on my Christmas stamps from USPS- ironic!

#4 I'm doing the EXACT same thing and we've been finding lots of other celebs, so fun.

Thanks for sharing my blog in #6- I feel the same way so I'm excited to find more! I'll be back to check the comments for more.

Unknown said...

Here's a confession. I made your moms homemade chocolate cake and frosting for Macs bday. It turned out amazing and I did the happy dance because I may have equaled your moms baking ability just this once. But I digress. The real confession...I keep a fork in the pan that's covered with tinfoil so I can just lift the foil and take a bite and move on. I've found myself walking by the cake a lot today. Between your ice cream and my cake we are the perfect dessert party.

erinhzauner said...

So much of this made me laugh! You know where I'm at with the santa photos...total agreement. And I know I'm not the best working mom to follow...I'm one of those who gets busy and doesn't post haha. If I find any good ones I'll pass them on.

The Lady Okie said...

Yes! I didn't forget about you. I know you work :) I only linked to moms who work full time, because I feel like there just aren't very many and I feel out of place sometimes in the blog world now.

The Lady Okie said...

I do that too with the fork. That makes me feel better :)

Audrey Louise said...

I LOVE Jordan's response to GG! That's too funny! Also, apparently Jordan doesn't scoop ice cream bowls like K because he could easily clean out half a gallon of ice cream with "one bowl." His bowl sizes are like a pasta serving dish....
I work full time! I don't talk about it on my blog, but I work 8am to 5pm every weekday. No kids, though...

jaime said...

I love Trader Joe's. Ours opened in Asheville 3 years ago and it's so amazing. One of my first visits with my son, he was going crazy so I gave him a bag of Inner Peas. When we got to the register, I handed the guy an empty bag and he looked at it and I said my boy really needed Inner Peas and the guy replied, "in order to have outer peace. I get it." (Also, Trader Joes in Asheville NC is an experience in itself.)

I've stopped following some mom blogs when jobs are left or homeschooling begins. I can't do either, and I feel so jealous and angry.

Oh and when our son was born, my husband was just beginning grad school. He would read his school assignments to L, because the content didn't matter - just that the baby was being read to. (I think it worked, because our 5-year-old can READ and it blows my mind.) We have to watch what we're listening to or reading these days, but those early days were kind of cool. :)

AnneMarie said...

Whoa there, Trader Joe's is now open?!?!? I must check it out, because I've never been to TJ (that I can remember) but I always hear great things about it, so I'm desperately curious. Haha I'm so with you on the ice cream thing. A handful of weeks ago, we bought a big tub to make mochi ice cream, and there was lots leftover. As of last night, the tub is almost completely gone, and since my husband's dessert of preference is cereal, I may have been the one eating most (all) of the ice cream.

The video game thing is pretty funny! My husband is a competitive gamer, so we quite frequently have video games going at our place, and our baby enjoys watching him play. Like you said, though, when he gets older and starts understanding language better, we'll probably have to turn the volume down, because unfortunately, many gamers who we'll see online use words that we do not want our son to repeat.

a m b e r said...

i have a crazy confession that involves you! (that sounded so creepy.)

so, i left a comment on your blog back in september. (i believe it was your september coffee date post). you had mentioned how the struggles of getting pregnant just don't seem fair. well, i left a comment about how jared and i were just talking about that a few hours before + how we were going to start trying soon. GIRL. the day after i found out i was pregnant, i asked my doctor around when he thought we conceived (obviously not completely accurate though!) and he said around september 29th - THE DAY I LEFT THE COMMENT ON YOUR BLOG. what the what?!?!?! so yeah. that's really random. but crazy!

i will be a working mom after the baby is born, so i plan to write about it because i have all the same feelings as you!

Kayla MKOY said...

I love your husbands video game comments. I took a lot from this post, but that stuck out to me the most and I'm cracking up! I hear things like that from Caleb all the time, so I can totally relate ;)

Courtney said...

I know I'm a SAHM but I don't get tired of you writing about motherhood and working. I think it's excellent content and I really do always enjoy what you have to say. So, keep on keepin on!

Our budget is completely shot for the rest of the year too. Cest la vie.

Laura J said...

I'm trying to think back to make sure I've replied to your comments - I think you've left a few on my blog and I hope I have! I'm sorry if I didn't! I'm a full time working mama with my baby in daycare -- who is not a biter, but a hitter. So fun. :) Also, loving the new Gilmore girls - I'm halfway through episode 3 and can't wait to get the time to watch the rest!

Unknown said...

It is really funny because it never happened to him but Fredrik is really angry about the kid and santa thing! Whenever we see it on TV or online he goes on a huge rant about how weird it is and how sad for the kids.

Renee said...

I LOVE your blog and relate to pretty much every single post. Your blog is my favorite and I feel like we'd totally be besties in real life :) Since I'm a FT working mom I get you - I really do. So please don't stop. And I don't blog very often - but anytime you need to vent or talk you can email me :)C went through the biting phase - in fact he still does bite when he gets frustrated at daycare - totally normal :) hang in there! Oh and crying Santa pics - the worse! I don't find them funny either!!

Reagan Lynch said...

I'm also a FT working mom with a little girl right around R's age, with another baby on the way! I LOVE your blog because I can relate so much to you, especially in this post. I was born and raised around OKC, though now live in Texas. Husband plays video games (what in the world are they talking about in that game?) and my daughter is the resident toy thief in her classroom. We have an injury report every day because she stole a toy and the other child fought back.
Anyways, please never stop blogging, and please share more working mom blogs that you discover!

Unknown said...

I am a working mom of 2 (7 and 3). I don't blog because everything I would write would not be organized at all. It would just be a page of word vomit. I am a numbers person and being creative is just not in me. I can relate to your struggle 100% on the working mom thing. If it helps, each week I can email you all my ups and downs with being a working mom!

Jenny Evans said...

Between finding the time to work, mom, and order Christmas cards a month earlier than everyone else, I'm almost convinced now that you're an alien.

Rach said...

Flannel sheets are my fav for the winter! They help keep me nice and toasty! :)

I would totally be with you on having Christmas cards done early if it weren't for the fact that I always want to wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday to get our cards on the cheap. ;) And since I can't bring myself to pay for expedited shipping, I'll have to wait until the cards arrive next week before I can quickly address them and mail them out. I like the cards to go out as early as possible because most people don't keep them out past Christmas and I want to get my money's worth for sending out those cards. ;)

The Lady Okie said...

I just love Christmas cards soooooo much. And Minted addresses them for free if I type in the addresses, and I ordered from them last year so all the addresses saved so..... it took zero time at all. And I have a stamp for our address so that was easy too. But don't look behind the curtain!

Nadine said...

Well, I can join your full time working mommy group come mid-late January when I have to go back to work! Love Steph, I don't think I follow the others I will have to check them out. My IRL friend Laura is a full time working mom and her blog is alabamagraffiti.com if you want to check her out. She responds to comments. I hate when bloggers don't reply to their comments. It hurts my feelings. One of my nephews was a biter at daycare once, it happens. Maybe the other kids shouldn't push R's mood, ya know?

Chris has this VR thing that he does with video games now and he wears headphones and so sometimes I walk downstairs because he doesn't answer when I call for him and he is down there talking and he doesnt even notice I walked in the room and I touch him on the arm and scare the crap out of him. It is pretty funny. He says some ridiculous things like that as well.

Carolann Chambers said...

Confession: I have a very close friend who is a full time working mom and also a Christian. She experiences a lot of the same feelings that you do, so I sent her your blog. She loves it. Even if you have a hard time connecting with other working moms out there in the blogging world, know that you are helping so many of them. Even though I don't have children I really enjoy your posts about working and motherhood. I think that your attitude about gratefulness can apply to many situations.

Confession 2: It bothers me to no end when people interrupt each other. Sometimes I'm in a group conversation and it feels like other people are just waiting for their chance to talk and I want to scream. Now I notice myself doing it too. I'm working on it so hard.

Erin LFF said...

As one of the mom bloggers who was going to work but now stays at home, I'd like to confess that I still feel left out many times. I have no idea where I fit in anymore... be it in real life or the blog world. Six months ago this was not the plan and even though it's a blessing to be able to be at home right now, it's still an adjustment. I very much miss having a job but I also know keeping that role would have been a huge burden for us. It's a weird mix of feelings and I don't know anyone who can relate either... but I keep reading along with SAHMs of 5 kids and working moms and non-moms and anyone else I enjoy knowing through the blog world. I always enjoy your blog and your writing no matter the topic!

Leslie @ A Side of Chocolate said...

I am obviously not a mom, but I like reading your posts about balancing the two because as of now, we plan on me going back to work full time when we have kids. I like my job and for now, it doesn't seem financially feasible to do otherwise. I'm sure I'll hate leaving my future little ones, but I like hearing your perspective. It prepares me for down the road!

Betsy said...

re: #8 - use a hot water bottle! an old fashioned water-filled one, not an electric one. my feel are usually cold so I'll put one at the bottom of the bed, but sometime I'll steal Jon's, too, and fall asleep hugging it. The heat goes out of them in a few hours, so you won't wake up sweaty and gross!

Kelly @ Leafy Not Beefy said...

I am not a mom, nor am I married, so while I can't relate to your desire to connect with full-time working mom bloggers, I do also feel like I don't always fit in with my peers, as most of my friends are married and have kids.

Oh, Gilmore Girls!! So I don't know what was wrong with me, but I never watched it when it actually aired, but binge watched it last summer. I totally loved it and felt such a connection because Rory was the same age/grade as I was at the time. So I totally get your enthusiasm! I've just started to watch the new ones, I'm just a little bit into the 1st one. I hope it doesn't disappoint!

Unknown said...

As a full time working mom, I appreciate your blog immensely. I always find the thoughts of a kindred spirit when I read your posts. I am also a blogger, but not with any regularity, and that's primarily because I'm in a rut. I'm not confident in my content and I'm insecure about how much to share/who is going to read it. I've actually been mulling over a post about the struggle of being a working mom in the church - but I always hesitate to write such posts out of concern for the inevitable pity-party tone it might take. Anyway, I say all of that to say, I'm thankful for your contribution to the blog world, and for the interaction I've had with you on the Twitters. Please keep it up! :)

Leslie Lukens Martin said...

Please please please do NOT stop writing about being a working momma! (Also, please do not check my blog today, as it is truly a photo dump...and an outdated photo dump at that!). I love everything you write and feel like I can relate (except when it comes to the running posts...I'm not quite with ya on that front!)...but your posts about being a mom (whether it discusses being a working mom or not) are some of my favorites!

Rachel said...

Sorry that you haven't been able to find much in the way of working mom blogs...although it does kind of make sense why blogging might not be the most natural hobby for that particular combo of 'activities'. I've found that finding people with a similar lifestyle or life stage is very rare indeed, I mean, say, for a totally random example, you're a 25 year old whose been in an interracial, bilingual marriage for six years, has been trying to get a baby for way too long, speaks Mandarin and Spanish, has lived in SE Asia nearly half her life, and whose life revolves around youth ministry and educating under-served kids from difficult situations...oh and also has purple hair. ;) There aren't too many of them, either.
So...the next best things is to just find people who are awesome out there and read their blogs and hopefully they read yours too and you all comment and encourage each other even when you can't relate to the particular challenges of their lifestyle, we can still relate because life in general involves challenges and we're all just trying to figure out the best way to face those challenges.

Angi said...

We can't keep sweet treats around because they disappear far too quickly...and only one of us is eating them. Yours truly.

I feel like finding relatable blogs these days is hard no matter who you are. Try finding GOOD lifestyle blogs by women in their 30s who are married without kids and aren't blogging JUST for the sponsorships.

Katie C said...

I'm not a blogger, but I am a full time working mom, and I read your blog because you are too! It's nice to be able to relate. Sorry I can't reciprocate with my own blog. My confession? Sometimes blog posts and Pinterest things by moms who stay at home/work from home/work part time enrage me... the "how to balance it all" posts. I don't even know why I read them. Come back when you have to wake up at 5 AM, sister!

Laura Darling said...

Have you ever gone to TheChicSite.com? It's a blog about all kinds of things, but the owner has really active on social media and talks A LOT about being a working mom, in a super positive, practical way.

I was watching my niece last week and I picked her up from daycare and she had a little report in her bag that she'd gotten bitten on the hand earlier that morning. When my SIL got home and saw the note she said, "Well, some days your kid is the biter, and some days your kid is the one bitten." I guess my niece has been the biter a time or two! I hope R goes back her non-biting ways, I'm sure that's so tough for you not being there to see it and the circumstances surrounding it!

The Lady Okie said...

Girl, I feel you on this. I've started not clicking on those because they make me feel ragey. Thanks for reading and the comment! :)

karachris1 said...

Have you ever read The Great Umbrella Heist? I really enjoy her blog, it is not your typical working mom blog. I will warn you that she is now a SAHM, but her kids are in grade school so old entries might have appeal.
Kara

Sarah @ Sweet Miles said...

**raises hand** full time working mom right here! And I'll also confess - I still haven't mailed my Christmas cards. I also JUST mailed my thank you notes from A's birthday...in October...a little late on that one but better late than never right??

StephTheBookworm said...

I'm always looking for other FT working mom bloggers too! I don't know if most moms are just able to stay home now, or if it's just that most working moms don't blog? I'm guessing it's the latter! I love reading all kinds of blogs but I definitely feel I can relate a lot more to the working moms... so many struggles we are all facing together! Also, I have to admit I'm pretty envious of SAHMs sometimes.

I'm so mad I can't usually reply to comments anymore and feel so bad. Wordpress only very rarely now emails me comments so I have to log into my blog to actually see my comments now. So frustrating. I cannot find a solution. I contacted Bluehost (my host) and they were less than helpful.

Oy, Jerry games and drives me nuts. Always yelling and swearing at the screen lol.

Torrie said...

I think I've only sent out Christmas cards once and swore afterwards that it wasn't worth all the trouble, ha ha! To each his own, I guess (although I do love getting Christmas cards in the mail, so basically I'm just a lazy hypocrite).

Sorry you can no longer count me among those working moms, but I hope you find some other women you can connect with soon! Being a working mom when you don't want to be one is really tough.

Unknown said...

I wish I could converse with you as I read your posts...

"You're so right! The baby Santa pictures are absurd! No baby wants to sit on the lap of some stranger!"

"Gilmore Girls! Man I missed Suki! And Logan? Seriously!? What about Jess?"

"How is it humanly possible that another human could posses so much more body heat? Tyler is the same way. If I go to bed before him I'm freezing."

Sarah said...

I have not gone back to work yet but I am already dreading it and trying to think through how all the things will get done each day. Im hoping I can continue to blog when I do so hopefully you will have one more working mom to converse with! Thanks for linking those other ladies, I will be sure to check them out!

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