Transitions

It's been over a month since I've returned to work, so I thought I'd update on the progress. In the beginning, I have to admit, it was awful. It was definitely much more difficult than I expected, but in ways that I wasn't necessarily expecting.

On one hand, a perk to my job is the fact that I don't stop moving or thinking from the time I set foot into my classroom. Therefore, I never had time to sit down and dwell over the fact that I was no longer spending my days watching my little one grow. I'm thankful for that.

On the other hand, my job (like most jobs) is mentally draining and exhausting. So my transition back to work as a mom has been harder in ways that I wasn't expecting. Yes, I miss Adly constantly while I'm at work. But she's in great hands at home with her daddy. The hardest part of the transition for me has actually been figuring out how to balance work and home life.

Prior to having Adly, I had no problem staying for hours after work to toil away organizing and planning on a regular basis. I also used to get to work a mere 30 minutes before they day began. These days, I find myself waking up at 5:30am to begin my day and get ready before 6. Around that time, Adly tends to wake up and then she nurses and I pump at the same time. Multi-tasking at it's finest. 

We usually have time for about 10 minutes of mommy and Adly play time before we wake Adam up so I can finish with running around packing up for the day. Then I'm out the door to get to work by 7 and I don't stop going until the bell rings at 3:15pm. Soon after school is over, I head home with any paperwork, grading, or planning items I may need to work on that night. When I get home, Adam and Adly are usually awaiting my return. I'm so lucky Adly loves giving big, slobbery kisses because that is by far my favorite part of every day.

We usually get a little more play time in before she's down for a one-hour power nap, then it's up to eat, play, and then bath time. Once Adly is down at 7, it's time to cook, eat, and then relax/work/talk to my husband before I pass out usually around 9:30.

Sure, my schedule is just like so many working mommy's schedules out there. My hat is off to all of them. I will say that I'm slowly but surely getting into the swing of things, but it is not easy by any means. I'm mentally and physically zapped at the end of the day. But, I know it gets easier. It has to. I have so many friends with two and three kids...and they do it! So as I'm entering into the middle of February and six weeks into being a working mommy, I'm trying to remember that it will only continue to get better. That I'll one day begin to feel a normal balance again....even if that day seems light years away at this point.

But at the very least, this little sock eating monkey certainly makes it all worthwhile.