Day in the Life Of...

I know people think things about me being a work at home mom. Things like "Wow, she has it so easy." and "I wish I could work in my pajamas!." Quick newsflash... I am one of the busiest people I know. Is that conceited to say? It's not like saying I am the coolest person I know (although, that too) but I am still saying I am the best at something. I just wish it wasn't "being busy." Oh well. For evidential purposes, here's a quick run-down of what my day consists of. (it has to be quick, I am perpetually doing things when I should be doing something else).

7am - Wake up to Justin as he putters around getting ready for work. I hobble downstairs to make him a sandwich and kiss him goodbye, so he thinks that I am a good wife. When he leaves, I go back to bed and watch the Today Show.
8am - Addison wakes up. She'll play in her bed before shouting "MAAAAAMAAAAA!" when she gets bored.
8:30am- We go eat breakfast, which is literally an hour long affair. Addison does everything BUT eat, and I end up distracting her with a book while I spoon it in.
9am- I start work. I check in via email and msn, take care of any emergencies that have arisen on the east coast, the good people of which have already been up for 2 hours. I go over my day and make a huge to-do list that I delight to check off as the day goes on.
10am- I am in full swing, usually my busiest time of day. I take care of some tech support claim while simultaneously checking the availability of something else for someone grumpy.
11am- I take a break for constructive play with Addison, which means anything that doesn't involve me dumping out her toybox and telling her to go at it. We usually work on colours, paint, play with playdough, bake cookies etc, etc.
12pm - Addison goes down for a marathon three hour nap, which gives me three hours to fix a site that has completely self-destructed somehow, keeping a client happy for the time being. I also have training sessions in the afternoons, to teach clients how to use their sites and other such nonsense. I forget not everyone is computer savvy and get frustrated beyond belief, and wonder how these people got through life thus far.
3pm - Addison wakes up. I take an Advil. We go to the park behind the house, and Addison goes down her favourite slide roughly 57 times.
4pm - Addison wants to talk on the phone with Justin, so I call him at his office, and his co-workers get to hear him say "HI Addison! I love you! Are you playing with Mommy? Did you have a snack?" Luckily he works at a very family friendly office, and I don't think they mind.
4:59pm - Naturally, while I am tying up my last work related ends, there is some emergency that I have to take care of RIGHT THEN, but can't, because it is already 6:59 on the east coast. I douse the fire and plan to put it out first thing in the morning.
5:30 - I make something crappy for dinner.

There you have it. As faaaantastic as working at home is, it's also super stressful. I have literally been on the phone with someone, and had to wander around the house two steps in front of Addison so that she can't pull the phone away from me to tell whoever is on the other line that she loves puppies. And there are also the days I do 90% of my work with Addison on my lap, typing away on her unplugged keyboard beside mine. And there are somedays I get nothing done because I want to do something fun with Adds and not feel guilty. Would it be easier to work in an office? Of course. I love working and keeping my foot in the corporate world. But I also love watching my daughter grow up. Its a delicate balance, and it doesn't always work very smoothly- in fact, I have about as many good days as days that I want to pull out my hair and hide under a rock until things calm down. But its what we do. "Its the beeeeeeest of both worlds." Stupid Hannah Montana.