I Quit My Job...

...for 2 weeks. My helper is back home, enjoying her break with her family. It's sad to think that she (and all the helpers in this region) only gets to be with her family once a year, in fact it's once in two years by contract, but I'm nice like that.

Last year, I remember being a little apprehensive about taking over the household chores for 2 weeks. There was this fear of trying to survive without her. But 2 weeks was a very short time, I did minimal cleaning, minimal cooking and spent most of my time with the boys which was nice.

This time, I was actually looking forward to my short stint as a stay-home mom. NOT tai-tai. A full-time housewife! It has been a week and I must say, it's fulfilling! I know you SAHM/housewives out there are rolling your eyes and thinking what a stupid thing to say but really, not every woman gets this luxury to look after her family and her home. OK, roll your eyes summore...

Think about it. Don't you feel that people are buying homes to have others to clean and maintain it? People are having kids to have others look after and raise them? WTF right? That is why I feel fulfilled having to do all these FOR myself, my home, my loved ones. I am watering my garden and plants everyday, I am feeding my family everyday with home-cooked meals, I am making sure they have clean clothes to wear everyday, I am playing with my little one more. And preparing breakfast for my husband and boys has been my dream. Why? Because I'm out of the house for work, even before sunrise. So you see madams, it IS a luxury to me. To be able to fulfill that nagging inner desire to do all those.. for years. I don't even want to travel for a family holiday! My home feels like a resort already!

So anyhoos, if you are desperately wondering why I'm loving this housewife shitty job, this is why. My helper seemed to have a system, so I mimicked a similar system and routine. It really helped a lot.

I wake up slightly earlier to boil water. I make sure there's enough water in our dispenser. I sweep the floors downstairs and then start preparing breakfast. Half-boiled eggs, toasts, milo. On two occasions, I cycled to a nearby jalan to buy kuih or nasi lemak from a roadside stall. It's great living in a Malay-dominated area, coz the nasi lemak rocks. It's very homemade.

Then the boys wake up and starts harassing me. Or sometimes they harass each other, while I make breakfast peacefully. Then the husband comes down all ready to go to work, and I serve him breakfast on our patio. We eat together, it feels like we're on a resort, munching toasts and sipping milo by the garden. Hee hee.

Then he leaves for work. I wash up. I go upstairs and make the beds, sweep the floor, and bring the dirty laundry down to start a wash cycle. Laundry IS A DAILY thing. (you housewives going DUH!)
Thank God for washing machines! And boy do boys generate A LOT of dirty clothes!

Then I sweep the patio and the porch a bit because we are always barefooted there. I water the plants.
I hang out with the boys awhile until 10.30am. I start preparing lunch for Daniel. OK, I have meals planned for the week.

While I prepare lunch, the boys either watch the morning cartoons, or play at the backyard sandpit where I can watch them from the kitchen. The husband is a genius.

I serve Daniel his lunch after he showers and changes into his uniform. I feed Darren as well. The schoolbus arrives and Daniel is off to school. I wash up and hangs out with Darren. Then we take a quick fresh shower together and get ready for nap.

He naps for 2 hours, while I get a quick 30 min rest/sleep. I collect the dried laundry, and hang the freshly washed one. I fold the clothes, do a bit of ironing.

I thaw the meat for dinner. Then I relax or craft a bit.

Darren wakes up and I tend to him. Usually he likes some TLC and milk after he wakes up. Aren't babies adorable. So we cuddle a bit.

Then he plays on his own while I start preparing dinner. Dinner is a major meal thing. I have my Chinese soup boiled 2-3 hours prior to dinner time. For the rest of the evening, I'm in the kitchen. Darren plays on the sandpit.

Dinner and beyond is pretty standard again. Dinner, wash up, hang out a bit, shower, bedtime stories, and DONE!! PHEW!!

That's my day for the past week. And I'm happy :)