Being a SAHM is hard. Really hard. I never expected it to be this hard. Apparently my mind lives in a place full of gum drops and unicorns, and when that reality is crushed I tend to cry. Not only is being someone’s sole source of entertainment for twelve plus hours a day completely and utterly exhausting, but it also leaves very little time for me to do anything for me. For instance, I’m not even a full paragraph into this post and have been called away by Little Bear three times. I had visions of fun outings, cuddles, and nap times that lasted two hours or so. 
We do have fun outings, every now and then, but there is only so much that you can do with a five and half month old and only for so long before he starts to freak out! There are lots of cuddles…and lots of crying too. Don’t even get me started on nap times.
Please, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else with my time. I have no desire to put Little Bear into daycare. Being with him is the most wonderful, joyous thing in the world to me. I can’t imagine someone I barely know being there to experience all of his “firsts” instead of me. But I must admit that this whole SAHM thing leaves me with a feeling of wanting more.
Where did I go? Before Little Bear there were so many things I was passionate about and loved to do. I was in the middle of starting my own business. I had a direction that I was headed in and my future was a little uncertain but I at least knew the general path it would take. Now I feel lost. I’m not used to not contributing financially to our family and that is something I find myself struggling with quite often.
I thought about opening an Etsy shop, but unfortunately my sewing skills are not quite good enough to sell anything that I’ve made (So 
now Little Bear has an overload of stroller toys to play with!). I’ve thought about writing a children’s book, and might still do, but I can’t draw more than a stick figure so that puts a bit of a damper on that possibility. I do love street photography and have quite the collection of shots from when we lived in Amsterdam, but at this point in time getting them all together is just a little too time consuming.
I guess I’m facing the conundrum every mother faces…can we have it all? At this moment my answer is no. Me time will just have to be put on the back burner. Because for now Little Bear time is just too important to miss out on. He needs me a lot more than I need to feel totally “fulfilled”. In the meantime I’ll try to suppress the guilt I feel for not wanting to spend every waking moment with him!
Polos & Pearls 
I feel that way a lot too! I think it’s easier to find time for myself now that my son can play by himself and take longer afternoon naps, but it’s still hard to fit in all the free time activities I used to do. I was telling my husband the other day that I feel like I can only do something for 15 minutes before I feel guilty and need to do something else, like chores. I’m just hoping that we will get more free time as they get older and can find ourselves again.
It is SUCH a change isn’t it…? I will say, that it DOES get easier. I think we as Moms put INSANE ideas into our heads . I mean we CONSTANTLY hear and see facebook updates and blog posts where friends are constantly baking, making insane crafts, five day olds sleeping through the night, losing ALL the baby weight in two days and… It is utterly ridiculous. Things will get better BUT after five hours of sleep and two cranky girls Chipotle and a half smile might be all that’s on the table, besides…the breakfast plates and splattered baby food… And then one day, you realize that you DO look hot and awesome with your baby! And that those sleepless nights…and days are SO behind you!