Going Back to Work

I have managed to survive my first two months back at work after being away on maternity leave for 15 months. After I remembered what exactly it is that I did at work I realized that there are  many advantages to being back:

• I get to use grown up words! 10 dollar words like timeline, strategy, performance, indicators and deployment! It's all coming back to me...a little slowly, but it is coming back.
• I get 8 hours of 'me time'. Oh yes, I consider work 'me time'. Any time where I am alone, in a quiet place, is considered 'me time'. I don't care if I'm required to work, it is still solitary quiet. Aaaaaahhhhh.
• My level of productivity has increased considerably! I can get more accomplished in 2 hours of work than in an entire day at home with two kids. My first day back I got so much done, I looked at the clock thinking surely it was the end of the day and it was only 10:30am. At home with two little peanuts running around, if I can get food in their bellies and they survive until Andrew gets home at 5, I'm successful. If I get a shower that is a total bonus. It is very hard to get anything done. I try not to have high expectations for what I can accomplish at home during the day. But at work - that's a different story. I can do 15 different things before lunch. Ha!
• I get to eat lunch when it is hot! And I can eat it s.l.o.w.l.y. Mmmmmm...food appreciation.
• I only have to change two or three diapers a day now - the daycare does the rest!
• Having a paycheck relieves the stress of having no income coming in from me. It was starting to get a little tight there being off for so long! It is really nice to have a paycheck coming in again. 

Things I miss about being at home with my munchkins:

• Waking up without an alarm. I miss Adeleine waking me up by climbing on me . I miss Liam wandering into our bedroom wearing only his night time diaper and yelling "Mommy! Its morning time! Can I watch Lightning Nequeen?" This stuff only happens on the weekends now. (Lightning Nequeen is  really Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars)
• Being able to do the laundry during the day.
• Relaxing in the basement with the kids playing
• Our adventure days at the museum, the park, outside, going for walks
• Driving Liam around at 130 every day just so he would nap "I don't want to go for a drive! I don't want to drive around! I hate going for a dr... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz".
• Knowing every thing my kids did throughout the day, every smile, every cute word.

Things I have learned in my first few months back: 

• Check that your shirt is on frontwards before you leave the house and get to work and start meeting with coworkers. Yes, this happened.
• Check that you have finished doing your makeup and have not left some stuck to your lip, creating a gross grey film, before you get to work and start meeting with your coworkers. Yes, this happened.
• Check that you do not have baby boogers/goo on your shoulder before you get to....well, you know. 
• Other kids in the daycare love nylons and will come up to you and rub your legs. Every. Time. I find it hilarious. 
• Bribing your kids with food to get them to put their boots on faster works (sometimes). 
• Do as much as you possibly can the night before. Before you fall asleep at 8:30.
• Two kids going to daycare/school and you going to work creates a LOT of baggage (see photo below). I had no idea that I would be packing from 5 to 9 different bags and loading them in the car (and unloading them) every morning.
• Don't forget the diapers, the wipes, your purse, your kid's shoes, their mittens, their snow pants, your lunch. All of these items have been left at home at least once. I can never remember absolutely everything each week, but I try.

The best part:
I get a little bit of me back. The me that put on makeup, dressed in nice clothes and went to work and had a career. The kids love their daycare/school and they are learning new things everyday and gaining a bit of independence. They are happy, I'm happy. It works for us.

9 bags on Monday mornings