My First Day of Mat Leave*

Today was my first official day of maternity leave.

I wish I could tell you that I went out and did something terribly exciting, but I stayed home and did something terribly exciting instead.

I snugged my bean. Pretty much all day.

We normally have a good snuggle in the morning before work, but I always have to cut it short and close my eyes (and heart) to her sad face as I put her down and bundle her into her coat and boots. Her eyes were only sad for a minute as she loved daycare once she got there, but seeing that “Mummy, why?” in her eyes when I put her down each day was a little heartbreaking.

So, today I didn’t. We snugged, we played, we had lunch together and I was able to put her down for her nap–all the little things I’ve missed while I’ve been at work.

And then I did some other really exciting things too.

I cleaned my kitchen floor. I made rice krispie squares. I cleared off the staircase landing (aka: our junk pile) and I did the dishes.

It was so nice to be able to be home and start ticking off a few things from my to-do list that has been growing and growing over the last several weeks. I’m feeling a little more pressure to get it all done as quickly as I can as I’m beginning to feel like each day I don’t go into labor early is a small blessing.

Not that I’m not looking forward to meeting our small boy, I just really, really want Olivia to be there to deliver him… and she isn’t back from her leave for another sixteen days.

I started feeling a little off yesterday, so I’m not sure if I’ll even make it that long. I’m either experiencing the very beginning stages of labor, or I’m coming down with a little flu bug. For the first time ever, I seriously hope it’s the flu. I don’t feel prepared for this peanut just yet. I’m getting closer–today we got his car seat out, washed and adjusted the straps so it’s ready to go–but I still feel like we have a million things to do.

The Hubster is downstairs working as I type, hurrying to finish our new room so we can move his desk and spare bed out of the new nursery upstairs. I just feel like everything up there is in chaos, and I desperately need some order to feel prepared.

*sigh*

I know we’ll get it all done. One day at a time, right?

(Stay in there, little man!)