Monday, February 6, 2012

The Farewell to Maternity Leave

It was a tough three months. The first time, maternity leave was great since it was just Jack and myself. Two beings trying to get to know each other and who were always snowed in together. In the end of the leave, spring was beginning to come around and I was taking Jack out every day, and loving every moment of being a new mama and walking around Oak Park.

Now we were still somewhat snowed in together, but we were not in Oak Park anymore. This time, we didn't have the convenience of the CTA to get around town so we were really in the house most of the time. It was hard to adjust to the new life that was given to us,to try to get to know the newest member of the family, yet your four year old wanted all your time to play Thomas, put together a puzzle and play Thumper and Bambi. How do you split time evenly with the two? Easy, you play with one, you hold the other the whole time. It wasn't that hard. All in all, it was a wonderful three months, and it showed me that being the sole mom of two boys is not as hard and life threatening as I thought it would be.
Now for some highlights;
- baking to my heart's content. I ended up becoming a semi pro as I baked from scratch. I made a mean chocolate cupcake for Jack's 4th, that was my proudest moment as a mom yet.
- relaxing at 9 am, Charlie in the bouncy chair, and Jack and I would play by the train table. Lots of stories were created, but Diesel 10 would always somehow fall off the bridge at the end of our stories.
- Jack discovered youtube and the wonders of the endless videos of Thomas and friends. Currently, he can go to any computer and pull up the site and pull up the videos. Watch your computers people next time he is at your house.
- Charlie's little " ah ah aaaahhh", his cue to tell me that he was tired. I learned that cue around 1 1/2 months and as soon as I heard that, I swayed him to bed. It saved me about 15 minutes of trying to guess what he wanted.
- Charlie sleeping from 12 - 3:30, giving me an extra Jack time.
- Jack napping!! In the past three months, Jack has napped three times. The last time being on my very last day of leave. Thank you for that gift Jack.
- The mini huffs that Jack would give me when I told him to stop doing something, then immediately telling me that he loves me, which made me calm down instantly.
-the days that Jack went to his sitter, to give me a good Charlie and me day.
- watching horrible TV ( Gordon Ramsey and America's Next Top Model) and not feeling bad about watching it, since I will never have a three month leave/vacation like this ever again.

 I learned to have patience throughout these past three months. Patience that I knew I had, but it has become greater and more appreciated now.
To anyone reading this that is about to embark on your second child, don't be nervous. Go with it, learn to laugh with your first child as you embrace and nurse your second child. Pretty soon, you will be leaving for your job and wonder, why did I stress for three months?

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