During this time we have been preparing Maya for day care. We have been doing short visits here and there so that she can get used to her teachers and the other kids. So far, it has been a positive experience. We have picked a day care we are confident will take good care of our little munchkin, but at the same time it is difficult to think of leaving her there by herself all day, on her own so to speak. As my one friend put it, they just don't love her at day care like her parents and family do. They are professionals who like children and do a great job at what they do, but they don't "love" her, know what I mean? At the same time I think socializing with other kids her age on a consistent basis will do her good, and so far she is adapting well. I am not looking forward to the morning when she realizes that I am leaving her there and she starts to cry, but I know that after I leave she will be fine.
Going back to work after having a year off has got me thinking about what our life is going to look like with Maya having two parents working full time. How the heck are we going to get supper cooked every night at a decent time? How am I going to get to kickboxing four times a week and still have some quality time with Maya after work? How are we going to keep this house in order? And most importantly, how am I going to keep getting all my servings of fruits and vegetables in and eat decent? You see, I have a job that is emotionally stressful and fast paced. It is so easy to resort to bad eating habits to cope with the stress. It is so easy to use the convenience of processed foods and take out when you are in a situation like that. On top of that, there are the pregnancy hormones that sometimes make me make rash decisions and give into cravings (I am wanting sweets like there is no tomorrow lately!).
But I have been thinking about what kind of life I want for my daughter. Do I want her to have a Mom who is always tired because she is not getting enough nutrients? Do I want her to have a Mom that is literally scraping herself out of bed in the morning because she has no energy? Do I want her to have a Mom that feels all gross and groggy because she isn't getting decent exercise? No I don't. You are what you eat right? I have to remind myself that what you eat has a lot of influence on your moods and how you manage stress in your life. If I am having a bad day, that is when I need to grab an apple instead of a cookie. That is when I need to go for a walk on my lunch instead of sit at my desk. That is when I will need to really use healthy food and exercise to stay afloat. And besides, I have a little bean inside kicking me who will remind me to stay on track.
So although I am a bit anxious about going back to work and it's impact on old habits, I know that there are lots of reasons for me to stay focused. Mainly my little girl and the newbie on the way. It's not about me anymore y'all!
On a side note, I was a bit stressed about getting Maya some new clothes for day care. They require an extra change of clothes every day and she is quickly growing out of the stuff she currently has. Now that she is almost a year old all of the nice hand-me-downs and gifted outfits are packed in a bin for the next one so I have to go out and actually buy some stuff for her. The thought of spending a lot of money on baby sized clothes just doesn't mesh well with me since they grow out of the stuff so stinkin' fast - so I went to a local thrift shop during a 50% off sale and I made out with all of this for only $40!
That includes two jackets, five shirts, six pairs of pants, three jackets, and a pair of rubber boots. I also threw baskets for Maya's birthday party in the cart. All for forty bones. Score! And some of this stuff was brand new with the tags still on! They were all in mint condition (because really, most baby clothes don't get worn out cause they only get worn a few times before they outgrow them). And most of the clothes were from the stores that I shop at anyway. When Maya is older we will shop at regular stores but till then I plan on saving some cash by hitting up second hand once in a while. This stash should last us until we get into the set of spring/summer clothes that we bought in Florida.
Stace, I'm so happy you guys got to spend some quality family time together. That must have been really great. I love thrift shopping for Maren. We have two really nice kids' stores around here that I've gotten a few things at. It just makes sense!
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