Another pretend-SAHM week (i.e. vacation week) comes to an end

This past week I've been on vacation because my parents, i.e. the babysitters, again, are away. Not that I mind. I have to admit to myself that I am quite grateful for having a job with so much leave time, a really non-essential work position which allows me to take time off, and most importantly a boss who's fine with it (or so it appears to me).

Since returning to work a bit more over a year ago, it's worked out that I've taken a week off every quarter or so; actually, this year, I took time off in April (two weeks), June (one week) and now (one week). Yes, quite cushy, I admit.

Considering that I always joke that our rather worn, 60 plus year-old house, which could definitely be completely renovated, feels much more like our second summer country home, especially during the summer months when there is a lot of indoor/outdoor porch living, these times off have really felt like a vacation, although I really didn't set a foot outside my house. (This house illusion works well and allows me not to dwell on the fact that it would be much nicer to live a new house where everything works perfectly, where appliances and plumbing and electricity are state of the art, where there isn't 60 years worth of other people's dust and countless layers of paint on the walls, where the floorboards don't creak, and where there isn't dampness and mold in our basement.)

These weeks off have been my pretend SAHM times, which I've greatly enjoyed. Spending time with Ivan on my own during the week has a different pace and feel to it than our weekend family time. It's really helped me connect to him and see his grow and developed and be the one who's introduced him to new foods, practiced eating with him (using utensils), teach him other new stuff, etc.....otherwise, most of these things would've happened without me.

On many occasions I've even considered the fact that I think I may enjoy becoming a stay-at-home-mom, or maybe this is just my itching to do something else in life (the something else still being rather undefined after a decade long search for it), which is probably my longing for not having to need to work but be free of the 9-5 grind. (although I do like my job, my communications profession and my work environment, both the issues and the people).

Also much to my surprise, I'm really have a great time during the day with Ivan--I actually know what to do with Ivan. (This was the concern that I had, and other countless child-less women do, before I had him--what does one do with a baby all day long? doesn't it get boring?) I must say that overall I've had a blast.

Now could I really do this full time? Probably not. Ideally I'd like to be able to work 3-4 days a week. But since that's not an option, it's not even worth dwelling on it.