Socks in the sofa!

Cooper is napping and I just sat down after cleaning, or should I say tidying up the whole house. Cleaning is another job all together that I decided I didn't have time for today. As I picked couch pillows up off the floor I found socks, small cars, chalk, and a teddy bear in the couch cushions. I found airplanes under the table. Under a pile of clean laundry, I found 5 books (hey, at least the pile was clean laundry). Now as I sit on the less occupied couch, I am noticing PJ's in the corner and a pile of photos that needs to be placed in a photo album on our hutch. Wait, didn't I just say that I just tidied up the whole house?
How does one keep a house clean when they have a child? To complicate things, how does one keep the house clean when they have a child, a job, a husband, a life outside the home at all?! As women and mothers of modern times we are expected to get out there and make a name for ourselves. Get fantastic jobs and save the world! Oh but while we are accomplishing all of those things, we must also feed our families, keep the house clean, raise smart and happy children and stay fit! It's a lot, what is expected from us ladies of the house. I can't complain too much, I don't do it alone. I have a wonderful husband who participates in most household chores and in equal parts of the child raising. Still, I am feeling whiny today. I just want to come home to a home that is clean and organized and not have to a thing myself. I want to read books to Cooper and play trucks and cars with him without thinking about the mess it will make. I want to cook a fantastic dinner every night and go to bed without cleaning up the dishes and for them to be done in the morning (I do enjoy cooking for my family)! I love my job and am proud of my line of work, but I want to work much less and be home much more with my boys. I don't want to have to say "sorry baby, mommy is grumpy because she is running on 3 hours of sleep" to a happy toddler who just wants mommy to be silly and not task oriented. We are expected to do so much!
Sigh, I feel much better now that I got that off my chest. I just want to give a few shouts of encouragement out to all you mothers out there who are doing it all! We deserve a lot of respect and praise!! Especially you single mamas who are working even harder (Shannon, you come to mind)!
So with that I say: Go out there ladies, save the world but don't be shocked if you find socks in your sofa when you get home.