Back to the real world
I went for dinner with friends last night and left my baby girl at home with her daddy and her brother. On my way home 3.5 hours later, I realised that it was the longest I have ever been apart from her since she was born. Three and a half hours. And yet tomorrow, I’ll be saying goodbye to her in the morning and not seeing her again for eleven hours.
I can hardly get my head around it.
Back to work. I don’t know about you, but I thought that was a fast eight months!
I thought it would be easier to go back to work second time around. I guess I was wrong. I’m queasy at the thought of leaving her in the morning.
I’m looking back on the past eight months tonight and I’m glad to say I made the most of it. There’s a security and a confidence that comes with being a second-time parent and it allowed me to enjoy my time with my baby much more.
I cuddled her and responded immediately to her cries without ever worrying about spoiling her, I took her into our bed when she was hard to settle at night without giving a thought to making a rod for my own back, and I spent hours giggling with her and her brother without fretting over when the floors were last washed.
Remember the last verse of that poem?
The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.~ Ruth Hulbert Hamilton
That has pretty much summed up my maternity leave this time around. And it has been wonderful. But all good things must come to an end. Time to pack my lunch and set my alarm clock. Back to the real world tomorrow.
Good Luck! Try and enjoy it! And a coffee and catch up with your work colleagues and then enjoy the big smiles and cuddles when you return home!
Thanks Lucy. I’ll do my best to make the most of it.
Oh Lisa good luck tomorrow! There’s no getting around the fact that it’ll be a tough day but hopefully by day two it will feel less hard… thinking of you tomorrow
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Thanks Office Mum.
Thinking about both of you tomorrow. It was a fast but wonderful 8 months 🙂 xxx
Thanks Julie.
Hope it goes well Lisa. I’m so glad you feel you made the most of it, that’s fantastic. Will be thinking of you x
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Thanks Deb.
You are right Lisa it has been a very fast eight months. It will be so hard to leave such a happy smiling face. Hope all goes well for you all.
Best of luck tomorrow Lisa! Hope you all settle into your new routine quickly and easily. xxx
Sadhbh@WhereWishesComeFrom recently posted..Words and Pictures
That verse makes me tear up.
You gave her your all for eight wonderful months, and that time will stand to her tomorrow, because she knows she has a secure and loving foundation, and that you’ll always come back.
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My heart goes out to you Lisa. I’ll be thinking of you all day, xxxxx
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Best of luck tomorrow! It will be so hard to leave your gorgeous little girl. You’ll both have lots of cuddles waiting for eachother tomorrow evening. Good luck! xx
Thinking of you and hoping both of your first days go smoothly and that the reunion at the end of the day helps make it all a little bit better. 🙂
Best of luck Lisa, thinking of you! Great that you enjoyed maternity leave like that 🙂
What a great poem! Do you mind if I use it on Babytalk’s Facebook page? Hope your return to work goes well 🙂
It’s not my poem Rachel 🙂