Happy Tuesday! Today was my first FULL day at work and I guess I understand better what Moms mean when they say how hard it is to go back to work. For some people I think they mean leaving sweet baby in somebody else's hands. And though leaving my scrumptious little bear was not the easiest thing to do (even I had to grapple with it for a while), for me it boils down to two pains: energy (amount & lack-of) & waking hours (with respect to babies day). Let's start with energy. I am not one of the more fortunate Moms to have a baby that sleeps through the night (sometimes, but it's not predictable), so this gets at the obvious lack of energy. As for the amount of energy, this is speaking to the extra stuff required to get out of the house in the morning. I used to be able to wake-up at 7:15 and be out of the house (homemade Soy Mocha in hand) by 8. This morning I woke at 6:15 and only with dear husbands help was I able to be out of the house by 7:45 - I am so tired I can't even do the math - but that is A LOT longer. After I feed my sweet boy, I put him in bed with Dad while I get ready (aren't they cute?!). Once I am ready, sweet little Elliot needs to have his "pants" changed (by "pants" I mean diaper), dressed into something cute, "eat" his cereal (i say "eat" because we don't think he has actually swallowed any yet). While Dad does the dressing and feeding (the cereal), I need to pack the breast-pump, milk storage bottles, pumping accessories, cool packs for transport, my own lunch, make my coffee, "eat" my cereal (I say "eat" because it is really more like inhale), load the new family car (check out E in the driver's seat!), and pray I didn't forget something. I have made a morning checklist because it would be REALLY bad if I forgot Elliot's food OR a particular pump accessory that would result in an inability to pump (boobs could explode). Once we are on the road things are pretty good, unless of course the sun is out at which point I spend most of the drive trying to creatively shade my son without suffocating him! Unfortunately my work day does not wrap-up until 5:30 (at the earliest) and Elliot has chosen his bedtime in the 7 o'clock hour which means by the time we drive home, I give him some food, we have a total of 15 minutes of play time before he starts rubbing his eyes. And so while he sleeps I eat a little dinner, wash the bottles, storage containers, & pump parts, prepare the bottles for tomorrow and prepare to do it all again tomorrow (sort-of, tomorrow will be a 1/2 day). I know we will all get used to it, adjust, learn short-cuts, etc....but whew, I am wiped! Tomorrow I will tell you about the surprise that arrived on my doorstep tonight!

Labels: Thinking