Ode to You, Working Mom

So I haven't been posting lately because I've been CRAY busy.  Early May through the Fall is a busy time for makeup people; wedding parties, brides, mother of the brides/grooms, trials, proms, formals, parties, etc. Not to mention I have been studying for my AFAA test, my CPR recert., plus teaching 4 fitness classes a week.  Busy, as compared to late. 

If you aren't familiar with my past (Pre-Baby J), I was a busy girl: Working as a teacher,  coaching a full season sport, teaching Zumba, taking grad classes,  running my school's yearbook club, as well as keeping an active social and fitness life.  Then BEBE! Immediately I had to stop teaching fitness classes, and my social and fitness life slowly dwindled.  Coaching stopped because, let's be honest, teaching a physical sport (cheerleading) pregnant is not attractive.  After Jackson arrived, I had the amazing opportunity to extend my maternity leave and stay home with him.  I completed my master's classes and was slowly becoming more comfortable and creating a routine for my little guy.  I taught one (maybe two) fitness classes a week, and I was okay with that because I wanted to focus on my little guy and loved spending time as a family in the evenings...

... Cut to a year and a half later...

I am still home with my little guy (I am so lucky to have the opportunity), and being able to do so has given me the opportunity to focus on a few -wishes- I have had for a long time.  One was boosting my Makeup Artist Business (TPD Makeup Artistry) and lately it's been booming!  Each weekend I have had brides or formals to do beginning on Fridays and extending into Sunday! I LOVE IT!  It's a lot of work, especially weddings, which can take HOURSSS to do (and people don't realize it).  For example, I recently did a wedding where I began setting up at 8:30 and packed away my last brush at 2:30!  Those were like my old teaching hours!  It made me realize how lucky I am... and how amazing "working moms" are.

When I got home from the above mentioned job, it was just about time for my little guy to get up from nap therefore, I didn't get to lounge on the couch because I had a long day.

I didn't get to just crash and take a nap because he was so excited to see his mama and tell everything he did that day -- and I put on my best surprised face at his indiscernible jibberish.

He didn't care that mommy's back hurt from standing and hunching over for 6 hours -- he still wanted a pony ride.

As he woke up, he wanted to cuddle on the couch and although I wanted to eat a big steak and cheese grinder, the phone was too far away to reach from our cuddle sess, so eating had to wait until a little one and a half year old wasn't squatting on my lap.

"Outsigh mama??", "Pees?" -- Really?? I longed for a chance to veg out on my couch and watch mindless tv... but it would have to wait.  It would have to wait until Jackson was in bed and I would have to wait to get the spaced out seconds before I  fell asleep half listening because that's how I sleep now.


I notice, mamas (and dadas).  I notice all the effort and time you have to spend away from your little ones to support your family and little ones.  I notice that it kills you to leave them, and how much it may "kill" you to not be able to crash on that comfy couch because coming home, you have a job to do too.  I notice no matter how crappy a day you had at your 9-5, you may have an even crappier diaper at home that will make you forget about your crappy day.  I notice mamas that you may have to act like everything is perfect and happy to your work people and when you come home you have to act like jibberish is the most exciting news you have ever heard. I notice your only "me time" is right before you crash at 9:30 pm after putting little ones to bed. 


 I notice... and I bow down to you, working mamas.