Being a SAHM is all fun and games, until somebody spills the beans.

“I apologize, but this just has to be said. “you suck!” can you tell I’m super jealous?!”

This was the comment from a dear friend on a Facebook status I posted this morning. Granted, my original status was a little Pollyannish, “Brr! Cuddling under a blanket and movies are on our agenda. Really loving my job today! ;-)”

You see, I feel like I’ve been complaining quite a bit lately about this SAHM gig. A preschooler who escapes from her carseat and sinks her teeth into your forearm while you’re driving down the road will do that to you. (This was after her cowgirl boots were chucked at my head.) It was a bad day. But they’re not all bad days. Like today, for example. I felt like I needed to share some of the good moments as well, because there are many.

But I, too, have been like my dear friend. Staring at the walls of my office, longing to be staring into the eyes of my child. And while I realize how incredibly blessed I am, I must tell you, that even the good days can be downright crazy. For example, I decided that instead of reading time or a puppet show (some of our usual activities around here), I would try a sensory play activity. Sounds fancy, right? Well, it was just beans in a bowl, and some other random items. And by beans, I mean lots of bean. Probably around six cups of the Pinto variety. I placed them in a large bowl in the middle of the kitchen floor, and gave each girl a scooper, instructing her to fill her individual small container.

“This is SO fun!,” my preschooler squealed. I should have caught the look of destruction in my toddler’s eyes, but I missed it. Then my dog whined to be let out. So I got up. Biggest mistake ever. A small puddle of dog pee would have been easier to clean up than what happened in the kitchen. Do you know what six cups of teeny beans do when the hit a linoleum floor? They roll. And bounce. And scatter. Everywhere. And then, when your 17-month-old picks up two handfuls and runs through your house, spreading them like Johnny Appleseed, it’s all over. I stopped to take a picture before cleaning up. This was just too good not to capture.

And speaking of capturing, trying to contain all of those rolly beans was a nightmare. Why not just grab the broom? Well, it has chicken poop on it. But that’s another story. So we tried picking up by hand at first, which wasn’t too bad when we swept them into piles with our hands. Only once they were back in a container, the toddler took it as an open invitation to start the whole process over again. So I grabbed the vacuum. Only, it’s on the fritz, and started making strange noises and getting really hot trying to suck up hundreds of tiny beans. We eventually got it under control, but not before both girls slipped while trying to walk across this bean-tastrophe. First, there were tears, then, there was laughter. And once there was laughter, it was game on. Who can run and slip on the beans first before mom stops us?

So, my friends, if you’re jealous of my SAHM life, I understand. But please also understand that it’s not all fun and games. Sometimes, it’s an out-of-control, hilarious disaster, that leaves you longing for the workplace, but knowing that deep down, you’d gladly be on your hands and knees chasing tiny beans across your kitchen floor. Then again, maybe not. 🙂