Adjustment

I return to full time work August 25th. That day is looming before me. I can't believe this time has gone so fast! There is a part of me (a really big part) that is so sad. I feel like we survived the first 6 weeks, and now I am just starting to get to know my little girl. We can play and smile and coo, and I know when she is tired or hungry and how to soothe her, and what she likes and doesn't like. We can get out of the house and see friends and cook dinner, and be asleep in bed by 8:15! These are all major, major accomplishments. I don't want this summer to end, because it keeps getting better each week! But another part of me knows that my return to work is inevitable. It is the price we pay to be able to pay our mortgage, keep Joe in school, and afford the few small luxuries we enjoy. So I figure we might as well get into the routine. It won't be all bad. It will be nice to have adult conversation on a daily basis. It will be nice to get back into a routine that includes going to the gym (so I don't get winded taking Sage on a walk!). It will be nice to have Lila at an excellent daycare onsite at my workplace so I can nurse her at lunch time, and know she is close by. And I know it will be nice to really cherish my time with her once I am not with her all day every day. Joe and I have been on two date nights since she has been born. I went to the doctor twice and on errands once without Lila. Probably a total of 10 hours that I have not been with Lila since she has been born. To call this an adjustment will be an understatement. But it is also a necessity, and I am trying to stay positive about it. I enjoy my work, I enjoy my co-workers, and I enjoy earning a paycheck. So back to work I go. The next two weeks will be very special. I had this long list of things I wanted to get done before I go back to work (one of which is actually send out thank you notes to all the generous friends and family we have...see my homemade notes below which I made before Lila was born, but never got written). However, that list is looking less important. What is important now is snuggling in bed in the mornings until well past 8:00. Meeting friends for walks and lunches. Looking at new toys and exploring new views of the world together. There is time for lists later...