That time I started a business

Remember last time I posted how I talked about being a mom

and it was light and playful and funny?

This time I want to mention the flip-side... the one where I get down on myself because I still have all my baby fat. And the one where I spend way more money than I should and feel guilty because I'm monetarily contributing nothing (I know. I shouldn't feel guilty. I've heard the lecture 1,000 times.) Or the one where I feel like a slob, because it's 3 in the afternoon and oh, I just showered, because my child hasn't stopped whining all day long and when I put her down, her whining turns into flat-out wailing. (Teething? I don't know.) Or the time when the phone rings and What? Did I do my visiting teaching? Umm.. no, because, holy crap! How has a whole month already gone by again??!! Or... to trump it all, the times when I run into people who I haven't talked to in a while and they ask the ever-dreaded question... "so... are you just a stay-at-home mom?"

Yeah.

I'm just a stay-at-home mom.

*Self-esteem plummeting to the ground at full speed.*

 

Don't get me wrong... I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I don't have to report to a boss in the morning and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I can snuggle with my baby girl any time of the day that I want and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I can set my schedule to fit in play dates and lunch-time get-togethers. I really love all of those things and I am so incredibly grateful to be blessed enough to do them. And for some people those things are enough. But for me, when I have to tell someone that I stay at home, for some reason, it just gets to me. At the core.

 

Thus, I decided I needed an intervention.

Enter, Usborne Books & More.

 

If any of you are friends with me on fb, you will see that I have bombarded my page with posts and messages to some of you about my new business. Please forgive the overload. It is with the best intentions. It's because I want to share with you the thing that has changed my life! I know, I know... that's a bold statement. But I mean it. Before I started this business a few weeks ago, I was on a steep downhill slope to losing myself and it wasn't fun to be inside my head. I felt worthless. And I've heard it all, "you're doing the best job in the world" "You're so lucky, though" "That's a hard thing being a stay-at-home mom, you shouldn't get down on yourself" all of which are true, but none of which mattered when I felt that I wasn't contributing to our family in any other way than keeping on top of piles of laundry (which I fail at... miserably. I'm 100% telling the truth when I tell you all of our clean laundry is currently in a giant pile at the foot of our bed. And it's okay.) or scrubbing scum off of dirty dishes while attending to the constant needs of my little human. I just really like the satisfaction of working. In the workplace. This is something I've learned about myself since becoming a stay-at-home mom.

 

So. When I ask you if you want to host a book party, if you're interested.. GREAT! You're going to receive tons of free books (especially if you host before Christmas, because I can offer you double the amount of free books since I'm a new hostess. For example, I earned $180 in free, HIGH-QUALITY children's books when I hosted my party... and all I did was invite friends to my house) and it will be a fun night in with your friends.

 

If you're not interested... please just tell me. I promise it won't hurt my feelings. You have to realize that if I am putting myself out there like this, I am expecting to receive some no's... and it really doesn't bother me at all, because one no means another yes somewhere else. And if you're not interested, you're not interested. I get it. I couldn't care less about buying Tupperware.

(So if you sell it, there's your answer.)

 

Usborne is unlike other companies where you have to meet monthly minimums or pester people into buying things they are super skeptical about. It's books. Plain and simple. I just throw parties to find people who want to buy them, because it's the easiest way to spread the word.

 

That being said, if you or someone you know would be interested in hosting a party, let me know. If you would like to throw a party but don't want to clean your house or try your hand at baking, let's throw a fb party! And if you would rather not even see my face in any way shape or form, but you're still interested in maybe purchasing a book or two for some of the people on your Christmas list, check out my website. There is an online catalog and you can order directly and have the books shipped straight to your door.

 

And in addition to all that, for those of you who are actually still reading this (almost off my soap box here), if you, like me, would like to have your cake and to eat it, too, (stay home AND make money) then hit me up! I'd love for you to join my team! I drive to Lehi for trainings and sit at booths selling books at family events and boutiques and all of that would be much more fun with friends.

 

In parting, simply because I hate reading blog posts without pictures, here is one of my favorites as of late:

Even EAR MUFFS are made cute when you stick a baby in them!

Mom-isms

"MIA" would pretty-well sum up my blogging existence over the past couple years. And CLEARLY this place needs a serious makeover. Hang in there.

It will happen eventually.

 

Motherhood has come knocking at my door with full force and has completely taken over my life.

Completely. In every way. 

 

Let me give you a few examples using these mom-isms... to which I, for some reason, have corresponding pictures:

 

You know you're a new mom when you find it perfectly acceptable to rock the top knot every day of your life.

Even while shopping.

 

 

 You know you're a new mom when you venture out to find some small tents, excuse me--shirts, to fit over your breastfeeding beauties only to discover that you are loudly wearing "I'm a mom" on your sleeve. Err... crotch.

 

 

You know you're a new mom when you have to empty your sim card (twice) because it is filled with hundreds of snap shots of your new obsession that is your child. And it's totally okay.

 

 

 

 

 You know you're a new mom when this...

 

 

 doesn't even phase you.

 

You know you're a new mom when reaching a "milestone" no longer means knocking out another "long run" in your training for a half-marathon. But it feels like that and so much more.

 

 

You know you're a new mom when "an outing" equates to a 5-hour-long production of gathering every last supply you just might need for the baby (plus a feeding. And diaper change. And clothing change.) only to find that once you finally make it to said location, with your cart packed and ready to go, you've forgotten your wallet. Or phone. Or mind.

Okay, all three.

 

 

You know you're a new mom when your boob is nothing more to you than the lifeline to your baby's existence. But you're constantly having to remind yourself that to everyone else... it's still a sexualized boob.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bunmi-laditan/how-to-breastfeed-appropriately_b_5530806.html

 

You know you're a new mom when this...

 

 

 is your greatest accomplishment of the day.

 

You know you're a new mom when this guy

 

 

is no longer referred to as "husband," but "dad." You may even try calling him on the phone by asking Siri to call "Dad" instead of "[husband's actual name]"

 

You know you're a new mom when you consider "tummy time" an acceptable topic of conversation with your girlfriends.

 

 

You know you're a new mom when you take pictures like this

 

 

IN PUBLIC!

(Maisey didn't like this. But I obviously did. Look at that smile!!)

 

Best of all, you know you're a new mom when even after all the crying, and sleepless nights, and pooped on clothes, and spit-up spills, and never-ending piles of laundry, and feelings of loneliness, worthlessness, and loss-of-self...  you still can't get enough of this little lump of love that completely relies on you to live.

 

 

And that's exactly how it's supposed to be.

 

Being a mom ain't half bad.

In fact, I think it's my new favorite thing.