One More Week

Exactly one week from today I will be sitting in my office. And there is a good chance that what I will be doing in my office is pumping with a sign on my door that reads, "Please do not disturb" (I have no lock). I suppose it will only take once for someone to walk in anyway and be so embarrased that they never do it again.

My goal is to pump three times a day at the office. It usually only takes about 10 minutes (15 at most), so I think that should be doable. Of course I also realize it may take longer as I transition to being at work. I have done a LOT of reading over the past three months on breastfeeding and continue to be amazed at our bodies. I have also been surprised to learn how "sophisticated" our babies are at such a young age. The book, "Nursing Mother, Working Mother," stated that some babies sleep more and eat less at daycare because they are essentially waiting for their mothers for both food and interaction. It said that sometimes babies appear to be more alert and/or fussy than usual in the evenings because they supress their emotions all day to save them for the person with whom they share the closest bond (typically their mother if they are breastfeeding).

I have written before about my anxiety regarding our routine once I return to work, particularly how I will fit in my workouts. I recently decided that instead of stressing about it at this point I need to focus on getting into the routine of daycare and work, and then see where working out will fit in. There are a few things that I think will really help my adjustment. First, I have arranged with my manager to work from home one day a week. Norah will still go to daycare, but I can at least alter the times I take her and pick her up to avoid rush hour. This day at home will also allow me to do small things here and there to keep the household going (throw in a load of laundry, put a meal in the crockpot, etc.). Second, we are thrilled that my sister (who is at home 2 days a week) has offered to keep Norah on Tuesdays! They live less than 5 minutes from Seth's office, so he will drop her off and pick her up on those days. It feels so good knowing that she will be with family one more day each week, and it is important to us that she has a bond with our families. And of course all of this means I will really only have to do the lengthy daycare/office routine 3 days a week.

This picture has nothing to do with the entry, but I had to share it. TJ and Luka continue to do so well with Norah. Yesterday at the lake while Norah was on the floor I saw Luka (2 years old) get up from what he was doing, walk over to her, kiss her on the top of her head, and then go back to what he was doing. Precious...