Somebody help me

Help me figure out this stay-at-home-mom gig. I cannot do it. I cannot make it work like it's supposed to.

I think I've concluded that moms in the 50's and 60's must have ignored their children in order to be the perfect wives. Having a hot meal on the table when hubby gets home from work? Um, not in this house. Nevermind the fact that hubby doesn't get home from work until after 7pm every night.

Yes, I'm married to a workaholic.

So, when do I scrub toilets? Do I clean while my toddler watches television? How am I supposed to provide educational stimulation throughout the day AND do all of those other things I'm 'supposed' to do?

How do I balance it all?

To me, it's more important to work with my toddler and sing to her, paint with her, read her books, than it is to mop the floor and take chicken out of the freezer.

DUH -- you don't have to be a good mother, or even a mother at all, to know that.

But seriously, my house is a mess ALL of the time. I just can't do it all. Most days I don't even take a shower until noon, or if I have taken one, it's because I have plopped the toddler in front of the television and put the infant in the swing or bouncy seat.

And don't get me started on the infant. I feel so bad for her -- like I'm not paying enough attention to her and not holding her and interacting with her enough. I want to, I do. It seems like when the baby is awake, my 2 year old decides to throw the tantrum to end all tantrums and I simply cannot do anything but deal with her.

Ahhhhhhhh!

Deep. Breaths. Inhale. Exhale.

Now, I'm off to have a glass of wine. Perhaps the whole bottle!