Writer's Workshop: Working in a Barrel of Monkeys

I know lots of people are braving cold temps and trudging through the snow and ice to get to work these days. Many of them are probably wishing they could just work from home.

Let me just say, some days I'd rather brave the weather than weather the storm here at home -- let alone try to get any work done in the midst of it!

It's not unusual for me to have to break up a fist fight, fish a child off a the top of a table or out of a cabine, take someone to the potty, or serve a meal all while I'm working from home.

I'm very efficient, and I can get a LOT done during naptime and after the kids go to bed, but sometimes I have to take a business call while the kids are up and active. I always explain the situation, and people are very understanding and accommodating, but still, it's mildly insane to juggle things on my end.
Thank heavens for the mute button on my cell phone. It saves those I'm talking to from the insane noise levels we can reach around here.

Despite the mute button, I'm almost certain that yesterday a client heard me ask "Where is your diaper?" before my call was completely disconnected.

Thankfully he wasn't still on the line for the "I was poopy," response that followed. That sent me on a four-room hunt for the phantom poopies. I didn't find anything, and I think that the perpetrator only tried to poop, but failed.

Oh well, if I'm wrong about that I'll find out sooner rather than later.

Today I had the misfortune of being on a dying cell phone. In order to finish my business I had to plug it into the wall. About that time the triplets pushed down the baby gate keeping them out of the kitchen and the bedrooms.

Note to self: Pressure gates were not made to contain triplets.

This is exactly the situation for which the phrase "run amok" was created. Exactly.

Those boys ran screaming through the house as fast as they could go. Almost everything was closed up, so I knew they couldn't harm themselves, but I shuddered at the thought of the damage they could do.

It took me seven minutes to finish my call. It took me an hour to clean up after the boys. F3 tornado, anyone?

To make matters worse, the boys knew they had me over a barrel. They would come running into the kitchen shouting and grinning at me and then turn and run away with a you-can't-catch-me look on their faces. That spells trouble, doesn't it? Whatever did moms do before cordless phones and cell phones? 

So to all you rush hour warriors out there, know that your commute may be bad, especially in this winter weather, but working from home ain't always what it's cracked up to be.

At least not when all three of your colleagues are two years old.

My little helpers: Isaac, Sam and Alex

Play along with Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

© Trippin' Mama 2010

Got a New Job

Today I started my new job as stay-at-home-mom. Well, technically, my last day of work was Dec. 29, but with Jeff here all last week it didn't really feel official until today.

When I got up this morning and looked at those three sweet little faces in their crib, I remembered returning to work after Amelia was born. I cried the night before because I didn't want to leave her. We dropped her off at daycare the next morning and I started panicking. I remember telling Jeff I thought I had miscounted and I actually had one more week before I had to return to work. Of course I hadn't miscounted, and Amelia was properly doted on at daycare. So this morning I was grateful to be here with my guys instead of leaving them with someone else. Besides, they are the cutest workmates I've ever had!

So happy together: Alex, Sam, Isaac

Oh, I'm sure there will be days when I will want to eat my children whole or leave them at the curb for someone to pick up, but then over the years there have been days when I've felt that way about some of the people I've worked with, too! Frustrations aside, I know that I will still be glad to be here raising these boys. It won't last forever, and already they are growing so fast. Too soon they'll be waving goodbye as they head off to school.

In the meantime, I'll try to treasure all the fun things, like being here for all the firsts (Isaac was the first to really laugh out loud on Saturday!) and watching my guys interact with each other. It really won't be that different from my career in PR anyway. I'll still do a lot of communicating (in short declarative sentences: "NO!") and still be cleaning up other people's messes. :-)

And I'll take payment in million dollar smiles like this any day.

Isaac

Off to "Rest and Grow Babies"

Today was my last day in the office before I officially, at 32 weeks, start leave from my job. My doctor says that my job now is to "just rest and grow babies." So that's what I'll do.

Of course, it was tough to leave the office. I'm lucky enough to love my job and to have colleagues who are fun to work with, so leaving is hard. Fortunately, my mom arrived this evening to wait it out with me, so I'll have some company.

While I'll miss my colleagues and my work, I am looking forward to the fact that I don't have to get up in the morning, shower and find something that fits. Frankly, that's getting to be a lot of work! And, as I'm not sleeping all that well at night, it will be nice to be able to take a nap now and then.

I should be able to sleep better tonight since the chiropractor returned my dislocated rib to its proper place. It's a little tender from the adjustment, but at least I can breathe without pain today!