How do people do it?

How do mothers who work outside the home do it? I have given myself self-imposed work lately, with the support of my darling husband, and I feel like I haven't sat still. I did that gift show a few weeks ago and it was great. There is a satisfaction in creating something I like or something I find useful and then finding that others like it too. So, I decided to do one more gift show that is today and tomorrow. I didn't do my nursing aprons. I need to get some more finished and my mom, who sews most of them for me (because she doesn't want me to be away from my kids), well, I haven't wanted to ask for more and more. I did just plaques. I had ordered more of them from the company and wouldn't you know, they didn't come, didn't come and then were delivered on the day I had to set up. So in the meantime, I used what I already had. So, although there is a satisfaction and a need for me to be creative (without little creators beside me), I have missed a few things that surprise me.

I missed doing the laundry more regularly, just holding J, tickling C, doing homework with E, just over-all interaction that is day to day and somewhat redundant. I missed relaxing with D, watching Heroes or Friday Night Lights. I missed sweeping and cleaning the kitchen floor. I am going to have to remind myself of this in the next few days when I will be cursing housework and diapers and tantrums and "Mo-ooo-m!" over and over again.

So on top of the fun me time, C had her first ballet performance. Yes, she was perfect. I can't believe she did it. I wasn't sure if she would get on stage but she did and she followed her teacher beautifully.

Here she is with her darling friend Rosie. The take their class together and love each other. And here she is warming up before the big debut - her legwarmers have a skull and cross bone design, to off-set the sweet ballet gracefulness.

E is with his friend Soli, who is Rosie's brother. The whole performance they wrestled or fidgeted together. You know those National Geographic films of the young rams playfully ramming into each other, locking horns... well, this is what these two reminded me of. They couldn't stop wrestling, grasping each others hands, twisting each other to the ground, laughing. And I think E has forgotten how to just smile. I don't know what this new look is.

So thank you D, for supporting my need to create somehow and miss my real life. I hope you read this, who knows when I might get finished cleaning and putting up Christmas and have time to tell you personally.

And E, thanks for taking this great picture of J and Oma.

Now I am off to finish some Christmas shopping and start some other Christmas shopping. Any good ideas for neighborhood gifts?