Here I am, a week away from returning to work, where has all that time gone? The last week of the last time I will be a stay at home mammy (even writing that fills me with dread) has arrived.
I have loved being at home these last few months getting to know my beautiful baby girl and having some much needed time with my older kids. Don't get me wrong, there have been several moments of exhaustion and longing to get back to normal life but I am so glad I have had this time at home, I just wish it didn't have to end so soon.
This week alone she has learned to clap hands and has gotten her first two teeth (maybe she is trying to make sure I don't miss it) and it has just made me think about what I will miss; I will probably miss her first crawl, stand and walk. The thing I dread most is the fact that I know within days she will have adjusted to her new routine and will be completely fine. Me? I'm not so sure.
Oh, I know I'm being a bit melodramatic here and that I'm not the first or last woman in the world to do this, I've done it twice before, but this time feels so much harder because I know that once I'm back, time will slip away from me and they will all start growing in the blink of an eye again without me even noticing. Being at home means you see it more gradually I think.
So to snap myself out of this dread, I have decided instead to focus on the good things about going back to work. Here are my top 5:
1. A hot cup of tea
I think this is top of everyone’s lists for what they love about being in work. To actually finish a cup while it's still hot! This is especially important to those with toddlers at home.....it can seem like forever since you had a hot cup of tea or enjoyed a nice coffee without having someone trying to grab it or putting it down halfway through to deal with a fall or toilet emergency! The same can be said for lunch, you can eat the entire thing without someone looking longingly at it (unless you have a strange colleague) and you don't have to think about whether somewhere is child-friendly in terms of high chairs and buggy access if you go out for lunch!
2. Adult Conversation
This is another big one for most parents. While time at home with little ones is precious, the conversation can be a little one-sided or can consist entirely of baby talk/nursery rhymes and describing what you are doing. These are all great for your little one's development but it can feel like you have completely lost the plot when that is your only conversation in an entire day. You end up vomiting all adult conversation at your partner within 5 minutes of their return from work just to feel normal!
3. No drool covered shoulders
You can finally walk around in clean clothes without discovering random stains on shoulders, knees and cuffs throughout the day. You can do your hair and not worry about it being pulled. You can wear your good clothes, even a pair of heels if you are feeling adventurous without wondering if you can run around after a toddler in what you have on. You will finally spend more than half of every day looking, feeling and sounding like a fully-fledged grown up.
4. The big welcome home
The hugs and smiles you get after a day at work, especially in those first few days, make it so worth it. It is like your children's way of saying you are doing the right thing, you have earned this. Those gorgeous little people genuinely can't wait to see you in the evenings and tell you their news or just have a cuddle and my god they are the best cuddles you will ever get.
5. Normal bras
Any of the breastfeeding mommas will be with me on this one....nursing bras are a great invention, a functional necessity when you are feeding your little one but they are not exactly pretty. They are as basic as basic comes and generally not underwired so not really supportive either. I actually can't wait until I can choose any bra I like instead of wondering if it will work for feeding. The same can be said for clothing. The range of nursing clothing is so limited, expensive and generally, is meant for pregnant and nursing women so just looks baggy once your tummy goes down after those first few weeks. I do look forward to wearing whatever I like without examining it for ease of feeding! I think a shopping trip is justified to make sure I look the part for work, don't you!
So that's what I am looking forward to, let me know if there is something I haven't thought of....i'd love your thoughts!
