Back at work

hey ladies;  have been so busy; so hope all is well.  Wanted to see how everyone gets going in the morning. I'm back at work and I have to tell you the process of getting out the door is really hard!

i have to get up at 5am to be ready by 5:55am and start feeding her at 6am to drop her off by 6:30am so I can get my 7am train to be at work by 8:15am and then catch the 4:40pm train to get her home by 6pm so I can have LOTS and LOTS of hugs and kisses for an entire hour!!! it takes forever the night before to get her and I ready for the next day, and on sunday I batch cook all my lunches so I don't have to buy them bc her sitter is 60/day. 

how's everyone doing?  anyone working moms have good advice on getting out the door on time?  so far this week it's been good.  check lists and more lists and triple checking at night as well as packing the car with all her things and my things seem to be working. 

but, would like to know other "tricks' to stay sane!

right now i'm working M and T but off W then working Th. and Friday.

Your schedule is pretty close to mine, so here is a little sneaky thing I do. Once a week I let Ethan go to day care in his...jammies! That's right. I just change his diaper in the morning, give him a grahmn cracker to munch on , and away we go!!  Usually monday, but sometimes I'll do it if I have to get to work early.

My son had the habit of waking up about 20 minuets before he was suppose to, so I'd put him in his bouncy seat/swing/jumper and tote him around the apartment with me as I got ready. I'd take a shower while he was in his swing/bouncy in the room and the nice steam would loosen up those dry night boogies from his nose.

Do you express or does she use formula? If its express, just leave some bags of milk at the babysitters, or a can of formula and some bottles. I leave about 6 bottles at the daycare so that I'm not washing bottles everyday. Just every other day ;)

Gosh, I dont want to go back to those times... now... the kid takes a shower at night, gets herself mostly up in the morning (I sing her awake, I'm terrible but funny) and mostly gets her own breakfast, gets herself dressed... its sort of wonderful :)

Back in the day as a baby...  I used frozen milk, fresh milk and stored a can of formula just in case.  But I was only in school not working, so... I was very much never on time and constantly skipping to just hang with the baby.  So my advice is probably worth just about.. um.. nothing. 

How are you feeling about working?

well drea, there's a small side of me that missed getting dressed up and wearing chic-y shoes and overpaying for coffee and listening to office banter.

and then there's the HUGE part of me that pulls away from the curb in tears missing her the minute I leave her with the nice woman I found to watch her.

since I have Wed. off; I shut my phone off (but still monitor my work e-mail) and try to just hold her all day long (or as much as she'll let me, since she's little miss independant already......) Tomorrow I'm working from home; but can't tell anyone in my department b/c that will stir all sorts of long faces and back talk that I just don't feel like dealing with.

The first day back was fun, nerve racking, and just generally good to see everyone.  Tuesday I was plain busy and the day flew.  but today I was on the verge of tears all day just missing her and staring at my facebook pictures with a huge lump in my throat.  I just hope she isn't mad at me for leaving her with someone else.  She seems very happy there-  and content; no more no less fussy-  she's still her very predictable funny self that needs that little binky and her vibrating chair.

I'm going to get a bouncie and put it under my desk in the office and start bringing her in with me every other friday.  I just need to be with her.  Its so hard not knowing what her day is like-  she's just so little.

then there is this new schedule of getting up at 5am-  not even to go to the gym; just to get my early train so I get leave early to get her from the sitter.  People are already making cracks about people leaving at 4:30 and I'm out the door by 4:20 to catch my 4:40 train home!

I make the bottles at night and put them in the fridge and that morning put them in the car.  I used up my PTO time to spend with her after my maternity leave ended; i just couldn't bear it!

I am now working not just for me but for her; to provide her with all the things she needs (not necessarily all the things she WANTS), but in my fantasy world, I'd take her to work with me once a week, stay home once a week and if I had to have her apart from me it would only be 2 days.  But some weeks it will be three and some it will be four.  ce la vie.

i just hate the drop off and fine myself getting anxiety on the train b/c I must must must get to her just to cover her in kisses and hugs by 6PM!

Only you can know what is right for you.  It might turn out that this job isnt what you want or need right now, and that maybe you need or want another job or to stay home period.  If you can telecommute....maybe it will turn out you can work more days from home.

Dont feel too stuck.  Somehow things have a way of working out for the best if we let them.

And I remember that anxiety, it goes away ;)  I guess for some women it doesnt but I always thought they were strange when they said they cant leave their 8 yr old overnight.  Being a new mom is just a crazy time, you still have crazy hormones and... working?  Bah.  I love how we are supposed to do it all...

working from home today-  we had some serious play time this morning and now she's off to sleep and i can get some work done.  just feel really good about being home-  but also like the fact that I'm working.....drea you are right about balance.  I'm bringing her with me the Wed before Thanksgiving since we get off at 1pm-  it will be a nice activity for her and I to do for a trip in the city!

i want to work.  its just I think w/ the long commute and being dependant on trains just piles on extra anxiety on top of the new momma hormones.

but you are right, things have a way of working themselves out.  i am grateful for actually having a job b/c I know there are a lot of people who are out of work.  I need to work, financially; so that is something i have accepted.

you are so right we need to do it all.  raise a family, clean the house, make money, be sexually desirable, have minimal freakouts, and not get drunk at holiday parties.  I'm nixing the last one and have alreayd made arrangements for my mother in law to watch my little one over night that day.....  :)