Sadness for Mommy!
Today is my last day of maternity leave with just Everleigh and me at home. It's crazy how fast five months have passed, and even more amazing how much Everleigh has changed in that time. She was such a little peanut when we first brought her home, then we had the few very difficult weeks of colicky behavior in the evenings. Now she's our happy, rolly little baby doll, with full head control, a full range of sounds, and happy smiles and giggles.
I know I'm so lucky to have had an incredibly generous leave. Most moms only get 12 weeks, and because of my time off, I've gotten to see milestones I would have otherwise missed. This time around, we know what to expect with daycare, and in a way, that makes it easier. I know the women in the infant room are the absolute best at what they do, and I know Everleigh will be stimulated and learn so much from her new friends. Of course, I also know that she's going to get sick and stay sick for most of the winter, and because she hasn't learned to take a bottle yet, I'm anxious about that. What make this change harder than it was the first time with Jakob is that I know she's our last baby, and I know what I'm going to miss when we drop her off. That makes this unspeakably difficult for me.
I'm lucky to know a handful of full time stay at home mommies, and I have all the respect in the world for them. Staying home with kids is tough work! I'm not cut of the same cloth, and I need some level of work outside the home. Some people might think that makes me selfish, but I like to think it makes me a better mom for recognizing this about myself and acting on it. Plus it'll make me appreciate my part time schedule and time with the kids at home even more. Still...this is hard.
We've got a beautiful weekend on tap, and I'm going to make the most of my dwindling maternity leave. There will be extra kisses for both my kids, and lots and lots of tears on Monday morning (all mine, I'm sure.)
I know I'm so lucky to have had an incredibly generous leave. Most moms only get 12 weeks, and because of my time off, I've gotten to see milestones I would have otherwise missed. This time around, we know what to expect with daycare, and in a way, that makes it easier. I know the women in the infant room are the absolute best at what they do, and I know Everleigh will be stimulated and learn so much from her new friends. Of course, I also know that she's going to get sick and stay sick for most of the winter, and because she hasn't learned to take a bottle yet, I'm anxious about that. What make this change harder than it was the first time with Jakob is that I know she's our last baby, and I know what I'm going to miss when we drop her off. That makes this unspeakably difficult for me.
I'm lucky to know a handful of full time stay at home mommies, and I have all the respect in the world for them. Staying home with kids is tough work! I'm not cut of the same cloth, and I need some level of work outside the home. Some people might think that makes me selfish, but I like to think it makes me a better mom for recognizing this about myself and acting on it. Plus it'll make me appreciate my part time schedule and time with the kids at home even more. Still...this is hard.
We've got a beautiful weekend on tap, and I'm going to make the most of my dwindling maternity leave. There will be extra kisses for both my kids, and lots and lots of tears on Monday morning (all mine, I'm sure.)
Comments
Post a Comment