Sunday, January 18, 2009

Sun sets on a great chapter and other mixed metaphors


T-minus 13 hours, 15 minutes of maternity leave left. Jim asked today if I was all right with going back. Sure, I said. 'Cause, really? Not being all right isn't going to change much.

I'm thinking back over the last three months with a sense of accomplishment, tenderness, and empowerment.


In the past 3 months I've:
- had a baby come out of my body
- fed, bathed, diapered, and clothed said baby
- fed a healthy child entirely from my body

- fallen completely in love with our son
- started and completed Christmas shopping
- spent a lot of quality time with extended family through visits to Jim's parent's, my parents, visits from mom to GR, many phone calls with siblings...
- spent not enough time with friends via email, phone calls and personal visits
- made dozens and dozens of fantastic Christmas cookies
- made pies, breads, caramel corn, and great dinners (and a few not so great)
- spent more time with Willa, after my body and mind were ready for her to spend only 2 days at school.
- done numerous projects with said Willa including melted crayon "stained glass", ice bird feeders/luminaries, foam Christmas decorations
- developed and recovered from a tv crush on the Bonnie Hunt show
- scoffed at Kathie Lee and Hoda's 4th hour of the Today show
- learned to function on 4 hours of broken sleep and 2 cups of coffee for weeks
- developed gratitude for sleeping a solid 4 hours

- grown closer to my partner, friend and true love. I'm feeling more interwoven and in love with Jim than ever before. Friends, my husband is da bomb.

- cut about 10 inches off of my hair to donate to women with cancer

- lost pounds that were there even before pregnancy

- followed the election and resulting transition. George W., the Obamas, America, and I are both going through big changes this week.

- assisted with our kitchen remodel (photos to come soon!) by painting or wrangling kids while Jim laid tile in relative peace

- learned that Greta and Arlo want nothing more than a kind word, a few minutes of scratching and maybe a piece of cheese every so often.

- affirmed that being a mom is a tough, tough gig. And I'm pretty darn good at it.


Back to the grindstone tomorrow. My home office isn't fully ready yet (the phone and computer lines aren't ready), so I'm back in an office that is fully packed. We'll see how this week goes there.

4 comments:

--Lindsay-- said...

Amy-

1. The Bonnie Hunt show is pretty good.
2. Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee should be put in a locked room and never allowed on television again.
3. You have a beautiful family.
4. Your Nesties miss you terribly!

:o)

NotAppealing said...

You look so beautiful in that photo. Here's to a good first week back!

Keri said...

You rock, Amy! Great reflections from the last few months. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments.

And ditto Lindsay's #4.

Kerri said...

It sounds like a good three months to me!