In preparation for sending this year's holiday cards, I recently re-read the letter we sent out with last year's cards. I found myself rolling my eyes at the glowing paragraph in which I described how I was "relishing my new career as a stay-at-home mother." A year later I feel a little differently about it.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm still glad I'm doing it, but I wouldn't currently say that I relish it. That particular word is much too energetic and single-minded in its enthusiasm. Maybe this year's letter should say that I am "mostly cheerfully enduring my not-so-new career as a stay-at-home mother."
In last year's letter I went on to write that "developing my parenting values and skills provides an intellectual challenge." Sadly, it has been a while since I felt that way; I've been on parenting autopilot for at least the past six weeks. Maybe I would be enjoying my parenting experience more if I could remember to think about what I was doing.
Some days, however, intellectual curiosity is beyond me, and I feel like all I can manage to do is to minimize the inconveniences of parenting.
How will I describe my parenting experience in the holiday letter for 2009? I'm hoping my attitude will improve when I'm no longer tired from being pregnant or exhausted from having a new baby. Okay, for that maybe we'll have to wait until 2010's letter.
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