Tuesday, April 5, 2011

A Rant to Begin

Well, I read a couple blogs and decided to have one of my own. I went back and read some of my old Xanga posts and they were quite entertaining so I figured the world deserves my mad writing skillz once again.

And now for the rant. Somebody really annoyed me on Facebook yesterday and it inspired me to write down my thoughts.

Here's what annoyed me:
A friend posted this as her status.
What's this I'm hearing about leave in shampoo? What ever happened to lather, rinse, repeat? Now its lather, leave in, go out some more...people are lazy
Sunday at 11:59pm via Android · ·

    • David Not sure... I guess its for people that are aquaphobic.
      Yesterday at 12:05am ·

    • David And when they do finally take a shower... They dry off with toilet paper... WTF!
      Yesterday at 8:17am ·

    • Kate for a mom of 2 kids under 2 this stuff is a miracle. i'm lucky if i get two showers a week...i'm severely tempted to buy some.
      Yesterday at 8:21am ·

    • David You can always take a shower... I just take a shower with her or wait till she was sleeping... Twice a week?.. Thats kinda gross... Lol.
      Yesterday at 8:39am ·

    • Kate i know i feel so gross, but when my almost 2 year old is sleeping, my 3 month old is eating or crying and i don't like showering with him cuz i have nowhere to put him while i wash myself and i always feel like i'm gonna drop him
      Yesterday at 8:44am ·

    • David Put him in the carseat or on a blanket next to to shower... Ya gotta learn the tricks or you won't survive... Or be really stinky... Lol.
      23 hours ago ·

    • David And they always cry... You just have to get use to that... As long as they arent choking or playin with something dangerous they're fine... Let them scream... As long as you get a shower... The baby will get over it... You're gonna have a nervous breakdown.
      23 hours ago ·

    • Kate i've got two kids. i know they cry. its not that i don't want him to just cry...the bathroom is right next to my daughter's room and she's a light sleeper. if she hears him crying she wakes right up and without her nap she's a monster! that'll give me a nervous breakdown more than greasy hair and a crying baby lol
      23 hours ago ·

    • Mandy McDonald I'd rather skip the shower than let the baby scream. Shower can wait until daddy comes home or grandma/auntie can come over, my cleanliness is not worth baby stressing herself out.
      18 hours ago ·

    • David Some people dont have daddy or grandma... Plus there's a difference between screaming and crying... It's not hard to figure out what the baby wants to make it stop crying... I never had one problem taking a shower.
      12 hours ago ·

    • Mandy McDonald If you're done trying to tell my sister and I we don't know how to raise our kids I think the point is that some people don't shower by choice because they're gross and others make sacrifices.
      11 hours ago ·

    • Kate you've obviously never had a colicky baby either. it can be REALLY hard to figure out what the baby wants to make it stop crying and even then, sometimes they just don't stop crying no matter what you do.
      10 hours ago ·

    • David What you guys aren't getting is babies cry... Babies scream... Thats what babies do... Crying doesn't stress a baby out... In fact it strengthens there muscles and lungs... But when your stressed out the baby senses it and get stressed out... When I had my baby I went into parenting classes... Before the classes I didn't know anything and I wasn't gonna pretend like I did... Taking a shower twice a week isnt normal... Get you freedom back.
      8 hours ago ·
Who does this guy think he is? I may be overreacting a little, but for some reason this really, really made me mad. I understand the things he is saying, but when a baby is screaming and crying they do need something, so I'm not going to go take a shower!

It may seem "gross" that I get in two showers a week, but as long as Pey is happy and her needs are being met why should I disrupt the balance because my last shower was 3 days ago?

PS- Crying does stress a baby out. Especially when they don't get responded to. When a baby is left alone to "cry it out" their bodies release the same hormones that tell them they are in pain. Their heart rates skyrocket and they can't calm down. It can cause SIDS. Shower still sounding good?

I'm pretty sure I can speak for my sister (Kate) in saying that if we were working and leaving the house more often than the rare trip to the store and pediatrician we would shower. But being a stay at home mom is a pretty clean job with not many people with whom we interact. It is an absolute blessing to be able to stay at home all day with Pey, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am infinitely grateful to Steven for working so hard and allowing me to be with her. That being said, I'm busy all day! We wake up anywhere between 8:30 and 10 and it's go go go from there. Especially now that she's mobile. Free time for mommy is not shower time. It is time to vacuum or do the dishes. Time to do the laundry or put away the mountain of clean laundry stacked in the Pack 'n' Play. Time to make baby food or daddy food! When does mommy eat? Snacking while doing this much more important stuff and after daddy eats dinner so he can distract the baby while mommy shovels cold dinner down her throat.

To this stay at home mom, a shower is a luxury that isn't as important as the baby's saftey, sanity and happiness. I'm lucky enough to be able to shower when she's in a good mood. I can put her in her exersaucer at the bathroom door and take the fastest shower of my life simply because if something happens I don't want to be covered in soap and dripping wet when I come to her aid.
Now, I know everyone will raise their kids how they want. I'm not saying what I'm doing works for everyone, but don't assume I'm some disgusting person who doesn't shower or understand my child's needs because you took a parenting class. And it's not about getting my freedom back. My life is so much better now that I have my baby girl and I would not change anything about it! She is everything to me and I will make sacrifices for her all day, every day. This guy is obviously missing his "life of freedom" before he had a kid. I don't miss it. Going out with people and drinking is not worth trying to pump enough milk to make sure Peyton doesn't go hungry while I'm out.

I know I need me time. But the need for that all goes away when I get her laughing at me for saying "mama." Or when she starts singing along to whatever is on Toddler Tunes.

Phew. I think that gets it all off my chest.

2 comments:

  1. AMEN! Yes, personal hygiene is important, but baby's emotional and physical well-being are MORE important. And really, are you going to take parenting advice from some guy who probably works all day, then comes home and plays video games while his wife cooks dinner with one hand, while holding the baby with the other? Maybe he had to babysit for a few hours one day, and decided to take a shower while the baby was sleeping. I guess that makes him an expert.

    My word is shnesses.

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  2. i can't believe how ridiculous he got afterward! nothing like calling someone a slut and then blocking them so they can't retaliate...soooo mature. i really wanted to ask him how old his baby was and how often he was left alone with the baby. i agree with mom...probably never.

    mine is sliteri...mmmmmkay

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