It begins anew

Today is my first day home alone with two-week old Avery. Sadly, pressing filescalled Hubby back to work a week early, so he started back today. He wasn't happy about it. The sun is shining and he thought he still had a week left to get all he wanted to do accomplished. And, secretly, although he may not admit to it, I think he misses his girls. He had been looking forward to his paternity leave for some time. For him, it was a much-needed vacation. Now, a vacation interrupted. He'll take the remainder of his paternity leave some time down the line, but it's not the same.

As for Brooke--she is in her last week of daycare. She wasn't too happy about it either. She has always loved daycare, but since Avery was born, she hasn't been thrilled about going there. I think she's caught on to the fact that Mommy, Daddy and Baby Sister were all at home, and felt that she was missing out on whatever fun we were having while she was gone. We kept her out of daycare last Friday for that reason. Hubby knew it would be his last day of vacay for awhile, and we wanted to make it a special day for her. (So, we took her to the mall. I know, I know! A two-year-old at the mall? Well, we got her her first haircut, she visited the fountain and wishing well, rode a mechanical horse, ate french fries at the food court, enjoyed a lollipop, rode the elevators and escalators and--in short--had a ball!)

As of Monday, she will be home with me, too. Originally, I wanted to keep B in daycare a few days a week, as it would give me some more time to focus solely on Avery, as well as the freedom to get some non-toddler-friendly activities (like grocery shopping!) done. I even thought about how nice it would be to take a mom-and-baby swim class. But, part-time daycare does not appear to be an option available to us at this time, so Brooke will be home with me for the next year.

I worry that she will be bored with me. She loves daycare--the social interactions with the other kids, the trips to the park, the songs, the crafts, the games in the driveway, the mini-parties for every holiday and every child's birthday. I wonder if she will miss the other kids and the constant fun that comes with daycare. I'm not certain if Avery and I can hold a candle to all of that, but we'll try!

As for today, I return to the life of a stay-at-home Mommy. I forgot what it was like to grab a quick shower while the little one is napping, to make medical appointments and fill out newborn paperwork, to hang up countless tiny sleepers on the clothesline, to pick up strewn toys, souces and receiving blankets, to pause only long enough to make a sandwich, so that I can enjoy it while watching her sweet sleeping face. I gotta tell you, it might not sound like it, but frankly, I look forward to a year of this.

Awww...Avie is waking up. Duty calls.

P.S. I am now back to my pre-pregnancy weight (no, I'm not gonna reveal what that is!)--which means that I have dropped the 28 pounds I put on for Avery. Hopefully, I can keep this up! ;)