My short stint as a SAHM...

Today's my last official day of maternity leave before returning to work Monday. Breaks my heart. In my perfect world, I would be a stay at home mom until we were done having kids and they were both/all in school. But alas, my cubicle awaits me. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and where I work... but there's no place like home. And sweatpants.

...and not spending every day snuggling with Brody and Zora.... ugh, Monday is going to suck. Big time.

So in an attempt to mentally prepare myself, here's my list of, for lack of a better word, "pros" and cons of being done with maternity leave:

Tolerable, yet insignificant pros:

• During the day, I get to interact with other living creatures that actually talk instead of whimper, cry, coo and bark at me.
• I get to leave the house more than once a week. Somedays I feel like I'm under house arrest. Sure I could leave the house with Brody whenever I want, but let's face it... it's cold and snowy and why risk bringing a baby out during an agressive cold and flu season? 
• I will have a legit reason to shower, brush my teeth and apply deodorant consistently every day (you're welcome co-workers.) In the beginning, there were days I was getting ready to crawl back into bed at night before I realized I never got around to the necessary hygiene regiment I was used to. I know, what a dirty bird.
• Like I mentioned earlier, I love what I do and the people I work with. I kinda miss them. 
• My fat ass has half my baby weight to lose yet... the work wellness center is calling my name. I don't have any cardio equipment at home and the hell with running outside in the cold... so I'm looking forward to going to have to force myself to workout at the end of the day before picking Brody up at the daycare.
• Being home for 9 weeks has been a mixture of not enough hours in the day and too much time on my hands. For example, I've rearranged my kitchen cupboards and pantry five times in the past month alone. Sign of losing my mind?
• I've watched waaaaay too many TV shows. I've watched about 5 or 6 new series in their entirety on Netflix during my leave alone. It was just too convenient to have Netflix on my phone during feedings or when he was sick and I was up all night with him, etc. I need human interaction obviously.  

Very, very sad cons:

• I have this super adorable, smiley, cuddly, chunk of happiness that I am going to miss dearly every day. No mom likes the thought of a stranger raising their child(ren) during the week, but alas, such is life. Thank God my mom is going to come over every Monday, so I only have to be super sad four days out of the week. 





• My fur child is going to be devastated when she has to be crated again all day after 2+ months of freedom. To go from lounging on the couch all day to stuffed back in her crate is not going to make the furball very happy. 





•  I've spent a day or two at my mom's house every week with Brody over the course of my leave. It was a nice break to get out of the house and I love spending time with mom. Now I get an hour or so every Monday. Much sadness. 
• I absolutely loved my mornings at home. Some days I'd sleep in until 8 or 9 when Brody got up and others I'd stay up after his 4 or 5:00 feeding. To have the kids go back to sleep and I'd curl up with my computer and a cup pot of coffe and watch the sun come up... such a pleasant way to start the day.





• Unless I went out into public, and I don't count my mom's or Walmart, I didn't change out of sweatpants/pajamas AT ALL. My daily attire consisted of pants with an elastic waistband, Clay's tshirt and a robe. Go ahead, judge. I frankly don't care. 





• It's Michigan in the wintertime. I got to bypass December and January of going out/driving in the super crappy, super cold weather. Boom.
• Did I mention I'm going to miss Brody and Zora dearly all day? I don't see why a baby gate across my cubicle entrance wouldn't be sufficient for them both. They just sleep all day anyways. I'd be productive... I promise.