End of maternity leave thoughts

Maternity leave only gets to be so long.  How unfortunate.  But while I was on vacation-that-never-ends-and-you-don't-go-anywhere, I was thinking about how fantastic it is that maternity leave is a year, but at the same time, how a year is almost too long and it is so hard to go back to work after a year away.



Gloria, being a giraffe at the zoo



I got to spend a year at home with my kids.  We played, we went camping, we went to the zoo, we went walking.  I took Gloria to her first day of preschool.  We went to the library.  We did pretty much what ever, when ever, and it was fun.  (Okay, it was fun most days.  Some days it drove me crazy.)  I got used to being at home with my kids.  That doesn't mean I was good at it.  We spent a lot of that time not in our house, because I need to be doing things.  Preferably things where I don't have to think of ways to entertain small children.  Things that are entertaining in themselves are the best.  Like the zoo, and parks, and the play place at the mall. 



Me and Colin out for a walk



And then maternity leave ends.  That means back to work.  Sigh.  It means no more walking Gloria to preschool.  It means getting out the door by 7:15 every weekday morning.  It means only spending a few hours a day with my kids before they have to go to bed.  And then I pack lunches/snacks/milk bottles and we get to do it all again the next day. 

I miss the part where we paint with coloured vinegar on a pan of baking soda just because we can.  I miss walking to the library and the little conversations Gloria and I have on the way.  I miss leisurely breakfasts.  I miss Gloria asking me, "what are we doing today?" because now the answer is, "you go to Brenda's house."  There's much less variety now in our days. 

So we will enjoy the time we have together.  After work yesterday I walked to the library with Gloria.  We talked.  It was nice.  Now we have small moments together.  And we will enjoy them.