Double Standard BULLSHIT

I've encountered this too much to keep quiet about it!

The first is/was my decision to have no pain meds in childbirth. Oh my hell. I never thought I'd get so much shit for it like I did. Even today, over 2 'effin years after I've given birth, people still talk shit. Now I guess I don't really know what it's like on the other side, but from what I've heard from various friends, it's so much more acceptable to have had pain meds. First of all, I have no problem if you don't believe in this decision because it's a personal one, one that has to be made (in most cases) with lots of consideration. You'd think I'd get crap from women who had NO choice (ie, danger to mom or baby) but Nooooooooooooooooo, I get it from women who decided even before they got pregnant that they wanted meds. Now, I don't judge anyone for wanting pain meds so why do I get judged? I also make it clear that if there was a problem or I felt as though I just couldn't deal, then you bet your ass I'd have asked for some pain relief. I don't think or act like I'm better than anyone for doing it, so why is it fair that I take it but I'll be damned if I want to dish it out? One girl actually said to me once, "Well I wasn't trying to be some hero like you were." Are you kidding me? Honey, as far as I'm concerned YOU'RE the hero for taking a needle in your spine. I also once got, "Good luck with that." when I told a "friend" of my plans just after she had given birth but before I had. Now, if I would have said to her, "You are such a baby," or "You could have hurt your baby or you," I would have been ripped a new one. I guess it's only okay if the masses agree with you. Anyhow, there is a new movie coming out about the amount of medical intervention done in birth in America: The Business of Being Born

Okay, second rant.
I'm a stay at home mom. I don't care if you are not. I don't judge you if you are not. I have my reasons, you have yours. I can talk about it without getting judgmental or mad so why can't you? Don't tell me you wish you could afford it. I know plenty of families who struggle to make ends meet every month but do it because they made the choice and the sacrifices that come with it. This job is HARD. I don't need to feel judged. I think us women need to support each other in our decisions even if they differ. We all have our own issues and struggles and the last thing anyone wants or needs is to feel stupid or judged by theirs. There is enough women on women hating going around.

Being Poor

Read THIS. It will break your heart.

Productive morning

Before daughter's nap I managed to:
Unload dishwasher, clean my room, clean daughter's room, vacuum family room (while holding daughter - she freaks), make breakfast, eat breakfast, make lunch, eat lunch, clean up kitchen, re-load dishwasher, do 2 loads of laundry, fold 2 loads of laundry, start a 3rd load of laundry, deposit a check at the bank, mail a package to my brother in Japan, collect trash, help daughter learn her letters and numbers (she can now count to 12 and can identify almost the whole alphabet!)

After I put daughter down for nap:
Scheduled carpet, stairs and couch to be professionally cleaned, found new dentist and made apt, found new primary care doc.

Now I'm going to eat a mini 100 Grand candy bar and settle into my book. I"m feeling pretty accomplished so far today. Daughter's nap schedule has been screwy once again but she is sleeping now so I can't complain. I even see the sun trying to break through the cloudy sky for the first time since Friday. It's not a bad Monday.