How?

Just how am I supposed to be a good and productive grown up when my new office setting looks like this?

Our mudroom, etc. is still under construction, so excuse the drywall, etc.

But seriously.

How?

I know that part of this whole stay at home mom deal is to be responsible and keep the house clean and try to cook dinner at a reasonable hour every night...blah blah blah.

But isn't part of the reason I am staying at home so that I can go hang and play outside with my daughter instead of a daycare provider getting those moments? So that we can stock those memories together, instead of someone else? (who is probably super loving and caring, but has those memories with dozens of kiddos by now...)

Isn't this the reward in the cost benefit analysis of me no longer bringing home the bacon?

I think so.

So, when there are days like this...my cleaning schedule may slip the tracks. But you know what? I don't think anyone in this family really minds that. 

And I really like that it leads to scenes like this, through that same door, when Daddy comes home.

Evelyn Rae is nine months old

...and I don't know what is going to happen to my house when summer actually arrives in its full-fledged glory. But I suspect we will have lots of fun regardless. After all, Babies Don't Keep.