The Birth of the Retro Mama

If you had asked me 10 years ago where I would be today, my answer would have involved a high-power job, weekend shopping trips and a ton of travel. I never thought I would be able to conceive a child, so I didn't plan for one in my future. I went to college, got married, and had a comfy corporate job that included a lot of travel. My life was JUST FINE! And then it hit...that nagging feeling that something is missing.

SO, after several years of fertility treatments we finally conceived. After the first ultra-sound I immediately started making daycare arrangements, designing a nursery, and stocking his closet with his first tiny wardrobe. (I swear I bought enough onesies to supply a small country!) It still had not occurred to me that I would have any interest in leaving my job. I wanted to be a Mom, but I loved my job as a Corporate Internal Auditor and everything that went with it: the title, the status, the travel, the money...the entire package. Then HE showed up and changed everything!

After my 12 week paid maternity leave, I knew it would be hard to leave my new son but I was committed to having the best of both worlds. I had an awesome dual-electric breast pump...perfect for the corporate Mom! (yea right) But I did my best. Each day away from my new son became increasingly more difficult. Finally, my husband and I sat down and crunched the numbers and realized with a few alterations, we could afford for me to be a full-time stay-at-home Mom.

The rest is just history. I truly identify with the 1950's housewife. I have come to realize that living simply, cooking from-scratch meals, repairing instead of replacing and providing a clean and comfortable environment for my family works for us. We're all happier with me as a Retro-Mama! In this blog I'll cover small lifestyle changes that really made a big difference in our life and made it possible for ME to raise our son instead of the daycare.