Last week of maternity leave

These 12 weeks have flown by. That phrase the days are long but the years are fast is so true. My baby girl is 11.5 weeks, and on Monday I go back to work. I am 'ready' for some adult interaction and being challenged at work, but I know I will miss my babies. I find myself often wishing I could work just 1 day a week, but in all, I feel pretty blessed that I can work 2 (long 13 hr days) but be home 5 out of 7 days a week, that is a blessing.

I was reading this on facebook and it stuck out to me:

A lot of times that's 'all' I feel I do. But it makes me tear up just reading this. (Not that I'm searching for worth), but I matter to my children. So many times a day I hear "mama come play with August", "mama kiss it", "mama help you", "mama read it", and I'm so happy that I am here to do those things. Even thought a lot of our days seem like diapers, making food and cleaning up, household chores, and naps, it feels good to do life with my family. And I'm sad for the end of our 'carefree days' I've had during this maternity leave.

Last night I was sitting in the rocking chair with August during our bedtime routine, already he won't sit on my lap, "I sit next to mama", and I just looked down and see his little legs sticking straight out next to mine, and he hummed along while I sang our bedtime songs. He's growing so fast. It seems like just yesterday he was a little baby. And now my real little baby is already growing so fast too.

She learned how to rollover already

Doug put up another wall on the co-sleeper to keep her safely on her side.

This past week was fun with a playdate at Liz's new house build:

And we will have some family time together and see friends over the 4th, and then back to work.

We try to keep our expenses low so that I possibly can go down to contingent (only work 3 days a month), but I'd lose the health ins. for me and the kids (Doug's is terrible), and that would pretty much eliminate any extra padding in the budget for vacations or extras. Our house is starting to feel a bit tight with 4, but same issue, do I want to make-do with less and be home? Or 'have more' material things and have to work more. Anyway, this is a current conversation that Doug and I have quite often. For the time being, I am trying to be content with what we have, and to be thankful, and make these days matter with my children.