Going Back To Work...

I went back to work shortly after Brody turned 3 months old. The adjustment was a lot easier than I thought it would be, but that's because I think I expected the worst. I wasnt excited about going back to work and leaving my little man, so I didn't think about it a lot. I had child care in place, but other than that I didn't really focus on maternity leave coming to an end.

I really couldnt be happier with how thigs have worked out. Our child care set up is great. He's with Joe on Mondays (we call them Daddy Mondays), my mother in law on Tuesdays and with Miss Pat (in-home day care) on Wednesdays through Fridays. It's a really nice balance actually. He gets to be at our house on Mondays and Tuesdays, which is great for me because I get to just leave the house and go straight to work. It's also nice for him to be in his own environment. He's a baby that likes to sleep in, so that's a bonus for him too. I have left many mornings where he hasn't woken up yet. It's sad that I don't get to love all over him, but I love peeking in over the crib at him sleeping peacefully.

I love Miss Pat. She came highly recommended by my Mom's neighbor, who's little girl (E is 2 1/2) has been going to Miss pat since she was a few months old. They have the cutest relationship. I was worried that I was going to intrude on this and forever scar E for taking away her Pat, but it seems to be going well. I think E is coming around to liking Brody. Yesterday, she kissed Brody on the head and said "bye sweetheart" as we were leaving.

Pat is wonderful. You can just tell that she loves Brody already. She has so much experience with kids and always has the most helpful tips to share with us. She can make Brody smile just by looking at him. I love that he loves her. I hope we can continue taking Brody to Miss Pat for a long time.

Of course Brody loves being with his Daddy and his Nana too. Those are great times that they both get to have with Brody. I love coming home at the end of the day to hear how much fun they've each had with him and just how cute and wonderful he was all day.

There have definitely been some adjustments with going back to work. I get up almost an hour earlier in the morning, but I arrive to work at least a half an hour later than I used to. It's not just get up, get ready and go anymore. It's actually kind of nice to have so much interaction with Brody, Joe, and/or Peg and Pat in the mornings, but they can be hectic. Time flies with a baby. The evenings are the same way. When I pick B up from Miss Pat's, we don't get home until 6pm at the earliest. He often gets tired and hungry shortly thereafter, so we quickly try to eat and clean up before giving him a bath and a bottle. I love evening with my husband and baby, but I wish I had more time to play with Brody and relax with Joe. I'm still trying to figure out the best schedule for all of us to make the most of our evenings together. It actually looks like the time change may help us a little bit with keeping him awake an hour longer. Hopefully it stays that way!
I treasure my weekends more than ever. Saturdays are family day. Joe doesn't work, so it's our one day a week to spend together, just the three of us. I love doing nothing, or doing everything. We usually don't make any plans and just let the day unfold. Sunday's are equally as fun, since I get Brody all to myself. I usually make a lunch date with a friend or spend the afternoon with my mom. Weekends are just like maternity leave except more friends/family aren't working! Hooray!

Overall, I feel very lucky to have the set up that I do for our family. As much as I didn't want to return to work, it's something I had to do for our family. I am thankful that I enjoy my job and the people that I work with. I'm also beyond happy with our child care situation. A happy mama equals a happy baby and vice versa. I can honestly say that although it's been an adjustment, everyone is very happy.