A Great Time

Libby went back to work this week, ending her 8 week maternity leave. With me being a stay at home dad and her on leave, it was a unique opportunity for all four of us to be together for two months. To go a little further on how unique this time was, I am guessing the next time Lib and I have two months home together it will be called retirement.

The first month was a fatigue fog as we got to know Paige and tried to continue to keep up with the energetic and ever developing Lucy. Over the second month, we started to get our feet on the ground...enough so that we made it out to a Twins game and the Minnesota Zoo.

While both of these outings were enjoyable my best memories were the mid day walks and the other routine things the four of us did. The majority of the walks included Paige fighting falling to sleep or Lucy fighting to get out of the stroller and walk, but that isn’t what we will remember. I am much more likely to remember the beautiful. unseasonable warm March and April we had. It won’t be every March and April walk that Lucy will be able to track the blooming flowers and yelling out their colors to us.

Now that Libby is back at work, “work” has picked up for me too. A common joke that I liked to discuss when Paige was born was that I was about to get dumped on a work. I would say my work load was going to double with no change in my pay. While telling this story once, whomever I was talking to, simply replied, “You know the increased workload (second kid) is partially your own fault.” I don’t remember who said it, but thank you for putting me in my place.

Other then Paige, who seems to remain very consistent with her demands for food, sleep and clean diapers, the rest of us will need a couple more weeks to get fully adjusted to Lib being back at work. For Lib it is balancing the demands of work and home. For me it is getting familiar with how to entertain Lucy and keep Paige content. Getting a routine established (or at least as much as you can with an 8 week old) will be beneficial for Lucy, Paige and I. Lucy will have to get use to leaving mom alone when she is working. Currently she bolts down to mommy’s office every time I try to get Paige to sleep or wants candy and dad just said no.

I am confident we will all get adjusted. As we close in on the completion of week one with Lib back to work I continue to remind myself that it will get easier each week. Of course there will be days that we are wishing retirement was some many decades way!?!?! When retirement does arrive, I know that we will look back on our two months on the spring of 2010 with fond memories.