When we got the call about Sara I had only been at my new job for two months, it was a term position and I was just beginning to establish myself in my career. So Chad and I decided that he would take the parental leave - the WHOLE parental leave. I would wake up every morning, pick my sleeping baby up from her crib and bring her (with a bottle) to our bed next to half-asleep Chad. I would kiss them both goodbye and would think about them ALL day. We would talk on the phone several times a day and if I was lucky, Chad and Sara would meet me for lunch on occasion. I would literally speed home and RUN into the house and spend every second I could holding and kissing my baby.
Chad would send me pictures of Sara doing "firsts" during the day, like standing at the baby gate, drinking from a sippy cup and blowing a kiss. Chad even went to a few "Mom and me" groups - Chad and all the ladies - they loved it -he loved it - everyone was happy. Chad was not the typical stay-at-home parent, I did not come home to a dinner or laundry done, BUT I would come home to renovations central, our whole basement was renovated by Chad between diapering, feedings and napping.
He made me laugh so many times with all his parenting ideas/inventions - my favourite was that with each diaper change he would write (with a big black felt marker) across the top of Sara's diaper, in BIG bold letters, the time when he changed her diaper, so he would remember when she needed to be changed again - every two hours, whether she needed it or not, because that is what "the books" said. He is still convinced that he invented the baby wipe warmer.
To this day, to be funny, when Sara does something well he will say "Well Laura, I DID raise her, it is no wonder she is so good."
The ONLY thing that got me through the 9 months of leaving Sara everyday was knowing that, NO MATTER WHAT, I would be taking the leave with our second, and then I would have my time with Sara too. Now that I am in a permanent position and have been at the same job for a few years now, I am so anxious for it to be my time with my babies.
That is what I am looking forward to the most...being "just" a mom.
8 comments:
Yes, I am greatly looking forward to those nine months too. It will be WONDERFUL! I see you're past the six month wait. Hopefully only two or three to go! How exciting! I loved the part about Chad writing the time on the diapers! Very creative! ha.
Alysia
I'm looking forward to the time off as well. When I had my first two children I lived in the states and only got SIX WEEKS off!! Needless to say I missed out on a lot of firsts as well. I have a feeling I won't want to go back to work, although I must. I had a hard time after having an 11 day holiday!
You and me both girl! I was actually lucky enough to be well established in my career when our first one was born, so I took a break from my career and took two years off to be home with him. I can not imagine how I am only going to do 9 months this time.
Great post!! I thought the stories you told about your husband were so cute. My husband would have loved to be off with our kids but I was the lucky one. He's going to take some time off with our next though and we will be home together with her for a while.
Being home with your new baby is definitely something to look forward to in 2009.
I can't imagine how hard that would have been to miss out on those firsts, but how wonderful to know your little girl was with her daddy- and that you won't miss out this time! Since I don't get any leave (not working outside of the home), my hubby took 6 months parental leave with our second and plans to take the whole time he's allowed this time. So we'll both be off...
Ramona
It will be wonderful for you and the kids to have that time together. That diaper thing sounds just like something my husband would do!!!
I am so happy that you get to have the time off to spend with your new little one.
I think you are going to love it!!!
Laura, this is an absolutley beautiful post. Print it off for your babies to read when they are older.
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