On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess

Dr. Isis blogs often about managing a family while having a career.  Frankly, I consider the dual spheres of my life to both be essential to my long-term happiness, but family is really the major source of joy in my life and the greatest part of the beginning and end of my day. I love to wear an apron, cook dinner, give baths, read stories, and rock the Isis kids to sleep.  Except tonight I have something to confess...

 I am a little tired of being with the immediate Isis family and am ready to go back to work.

I feel like a horrible mother, but I am ready to end my vacation and go back to work and reestablish the regular routine of my life. I appreciate the need to go away and spend time with my husband and wee ones..  I really do.  We have been at Grandmom Isis's house for the last four days and, I must be frank, four days of full-time, unabated mommyhood (especially to a two year old) is about my limit.  I really need the duality of work and family in my life in order to function.

I have had an amazing time with the Isis women.  We sat and had coffee and laughed.  We went out today and did some Isis women-stuff.  And, this visit, we stayed largely sober.  Brother Isis was here for a day and it was great to see him. Still, packing up the family and traveling to a new home (no matter how wonderful your family is and I have the best one on Earth) is really, really stressful.  As much as Mr. Isis and I may love our family, their home is still strange to the rugrats.  Strange smells, strange beds, and people they have to refamiliarize themselves with.  Their house may be comfortable, warm, and loving, but there is still an array of things to touch and climb on and break. 

The Isis clan has slept no more than 3 hours per night for the last four nights.  And then, there's Little Isis.  Little Isis is a good boy (he really is), but there is something about being at a strange house that makes him completely and utterly wackaloon^TM.  He has embraced his role as the modern Houdini with vigor.  Earlier today Mr. Isis put Little Isis down for a nap and Dr. Isis ran out with the Isis women.  When we got back I found a frazzled looking Mr. Isis and a small, naked Little Isis, screaming and flailing like I have never seen a small child scream and flail.

Apparently while Dr. Isis was away, Little Isis snuck out of the bedroom he was sleeping in and disassembled a small electric candle in a neighboring room.  Little Isis then touched the exposed copper wires and became intimately acquainted with Ohm's law .  As I comforted him we discussed the principles of current, resistance, and voltage.  I think he totally gets it now because he keeps pointing to his hand and saying "Mommy.  Current.  Owwie."

Figure 1: The meeting of one small electric candle and one small child  can only end in disaster.

 Dr. Isis loves the extended Isis family and has had a wonderful visit, but she is ready to return to her routine -- the routine that makes the Isis family work and keeps Dr. Isis from losing her freakin' mind.  Full-time parenting is tough work and, I won't lie, I don't have the temperament or the patience to do it full-time.  It's fascinating to me to interact with friends I grew up with -- some are full time, stay at home mothers.  Some have chosen to not have children, and some (like Dr. Isis) cling tightly to the delusion dream that they can be successful mothers and careerwomen.  I am convinced that we all have to choose the balance that best supports our family and leaves us fulfilled at the end of the day.  Personally, I need my career and I need my grown-up time.

 As an aside, should your child ever get electrocuted by a welcome candle at your family's house, nothing will cheer him up like watching the Macy's Parade get Rickrolled on YouTube:

Also, Little Isis digs UglyChristmasLights.com.