Dear First Time Moms

I think I have been in denial about how hard it is to be a mom.

Let me explain.

I always wanted to work outside of the home. Since I am now on a temporary hiatus from full-time work and am at home a majority of the time, I assume that I need to constantly be moving from the moment I get up until the moment that my head hits the pillow. When I don't accomplish that, I feel defeated and useless. After all, my husband has a full time job and is getting his masters degree. What could I possibly be doing that is harder than that?

I don't think that people truly understand what stay-at-home moms do. I don't think that it really sinks into their mind that when you pay someone to watch your child, that's all that person does all day. They don't clean your house or cook your meals. They only watch your child.

I know that this has been said and will be said a thousand times more eloquently than I could ever say it, but here is the bare minimum of what I do every day with a six-month-old:

• Feed him a bottle 4-5 times a day (takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour)
• Change his diaper at least 10 times
• Spoon feed him twice daily
• Give him a bath (sometimes, kind of daily... maybe)
• Do laundry
• Do dishes (although I have recently recruited my husband to help me with this)
• In general, make sure that the baby is not screaming.

That might now seem like a lot. Especially if you've never taken care of a little human being before. But let me tell you, I've been busy in my life. I mean, 20 hours of sleep in the week of finals busy. And yet I have still never been so tired in my life.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you are not weak for not vacuuming your floors every day. Or if your dishes haven't been done in three days. Or if the only underwear you have left is the fake jeans underwear that you bought as a joke.