How do you do it?

I've been getting this question a lot lately..."How do you do it - stay at home all day?" or variations including "Oh my god, I need to go to work, I couldn't stay home and do what you do," and "It must be so hard, staying home"

Well I have some responses to these questions...

I do not in any way shape or form, stay home all day! J and I do tons of stuff, music classes, tumbling classes, classes for me, museums, play spaces, friend's houses...the list goes on. In fact on days where we stay at home it's either because the weather forces us to or I just need some down time.
I chose to put my career on hold to stay with my daughter and raise her. This was my choice, and I have not regretted it for one minute. This is the hardest job I have ever had, but it is also the most fulfilling and rewarding experience of my life. When I was pregnant someone told me "they're only young once, if you can push pause on your career and experience your child's childhood then do it" and I chose to do that. My feeling was that I spent nine months with J 24/7 inside me, there was no way I was going to leave her with someone else after 6 weeks, or even 6 months. This decision did not come without some sacrifices, both financial and personal, but we felt (and still feel) that they were worth it.

I was never more sure of this decision than this past Wednesday. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and we were at my friend's house with some other mommies and babies. I was showing J their music table and she WALKED over to it...took a full 4 or 5 steps! And you know who was there to see it? ME! Her mommy...I didn't hear about it from her nanny, or her grandma, or her daycare teacher...I was there at 2:30 in the afternoon on a random Wednesday when my daughter decided to take her first few steps. After I practically scared her with my enthusiasm, I thought about how if I were at work, I would've missed this moment...and that's all it is, just a fleeting moment in time when she took steps for the FIRST time. (I know there will be many more, but there's only one first!)

Now, I'm not saying being home with her doesn't have it's moments. I'd be lying if I said everyday was like this past Wednesday, but I think in every job, you have good days and bad days, long days and great days. But for me, great days means I get to see my daughter hit a milestone in her life...not sure that any job has great days like that.

So in answer to the question, "How do you do it?"
My response is since I had the choice, "How can I not do it?"