Working Mom in Progress

I have now been a working mom longer than I was on maternity leave.  It has not been easy these past couple of months, but we have managed to get through it.  Leaving my baby in the morning is still hard, and I still rush to get home to her in the evenings.  Even though I am exhausted, I don’t complain about the late night feedings, because it means I get to spend time with her.  There are just some days, in the wee hours of the morning, when we are too tired to talk.  On those days, we just smile at each other.

I love being a mom, but being a working mom still needs to grow on me.  I am pretty confident it will, because I can’t imagine not working.  I just wish I had more time to spend with my baby.  I’m afraid there is so much I’m missing.  But here is where I remind myself that part of my job as a mom is leading by example. I want her to know she can be superwoman if she wants to be, but no one expects her to be anything other than human. I want her to know if she wants a career and a family she can have both, but it might take me some time to learn for myself before I can teach her how to have both. Here is what I have learned in two months:

·      Many women do this day in and day out.  They are called sheroes.

·      My baby gets mad when I leave her all day, but when she wakes up at 3am and sees me ready to care for her, she ALWAYS forgets she was ever mad at me and gives me her biggest smile.

·      Now that I am a mom to a girl there are things that are more important to me, like how people talk or treat me.  I don’t want her to think it is ever ok for anyone to disrespect her so I demand respect always, because I want her to do the same.

·      That being said some little things that would bother me in the past don’t now, because in the grand scheme of things, they don’t matter.

·      Time management is key.  If I don’t manage my time well, everything will be thrown off. 

·      Sometimes, MANY TIMES, I won’t get everything done that I need to. That’s ok.

·      We can fit a lot of playtime, story time, and tummytime in between the time I get home from work and bedtime.

·      My body and mind will tell me when it’s just too much.  That’s when I need to make sure I ask for help and rest. 

·      My baby is never far from my thoughts. 

·      No matter what happens during the day, I get to go home to love.  I’m so grateful for this.  This is something I will never take for granted.

I’m sure as soon as I think I have being a working mom all figured out, something will change.  But this is a challenge I look forward to.  I already know it is a challenge I will never regret.