Daily Ramblings - The Return

My maternity leave from work ended up being somewhat of a maternity leave from blogging too. All the things I would normally have to share - food, crafting, etc. went out of the window and were replaced with trying to figure out what day of the week it was and how many times Owen had pooped/napped. I had many hours some time between 1 and 4 am to peruse Pinterest for all the fabulous things to cook and pretty things to make...when I could finally muster up the energy and/or time of course!

When I was originally figuring out my maternity leave, I was thrilled to be able to take 4 months off (although granted nothing like the year that other countries automatically grant - I mean how cool is that?) It really sounded like a long time but, as I now spend part of my evenings running around putting together daycare bags with clothing and bottles for my little guy, I realize that it still went too fast. I feel for those mothers who can't take much time due to financial restraints or issues with job security. I'm super grateful to California for being a maternity leave friendly state. I had grand aspirations for all the stuff that I wanted to do with the little one and, even though I hardly did any of it, I have no regrets. Some days we never made it much farther than the couch, but I will look back fondly at the time when he was just small and needed nothing more than snuggles from his mama.

I am truly amazed every day as I see my baby boy learn and discover something new. He has learned how to pick things up with his tiny little hands. Invariably, he puts said items straight in his mouth, which is just a momentary replacement for drooling all over his fingers. (People say that *insert fluid here* isn't gross when it's your child. Having been covered in it, I can say that it's still gross, you're just more accepting when it's your kid that's wiping it on you.) He is figuring out his toys - like the one that plays classical tunes and lights up when you push the button, or the lizard that lights up and says colors when you touch it (which is truly not a euphemism for anything). The problem is, of course, when he's been pushing the button non-stop for 20 minutes and you know you're going to wake up in the middle of the night singing the "red, yellow and blue" song in your head. He reminds me that sometimes the simplest things are beautiful. I catch him staring at something I haven't truly looked at and it helps me to rediscover. I also can't help but love that he puts a smile on the face of strangers when we're out and about. I'm a proud baby wearer and people really get a kick from seeing his little face peeking at them in line at Target/the library/restaurants. He loves to look around at everything, quietly alert and taking it all in. He's currently working on sitting up, rolling over, and is generally so strong that I suspect we'll be doing a lot of chasing him when he becomes properly mobile! He loves to chatter with us and imitates husband's facial expressions really well. (They do have the same eyebrows after all). The best though is his goofy toothless grin and his attempts to giggle - which sounds like a gurgling hiccup and is usually accompanied by a string of drool. He's going to be quite a ladies man and, while I may be a little bias because I'm his mother, he's a handsome little devil.

Fortunately, his good nature has held steady at daycare and he meets his caregiver in the morning with a smile on his face. He's learning from the other babies there and is a tired little boy when he returns at night. The transition back to work has certainly been easier knowing that he seems to be having a good time, and I am enjoying being back in the world of adult conversation. While I miss my baby during the day, it makes me treasure the short time we have to spend together each evening. 

Getting back into the swing of things will include blogging and adding my exploits into motherhood into the mix. I am finally back and have so much to share!