The semester is over! I turned in grades today and am unofficially on vacation (officially I'm doing tons and tons of original research). Just a few short months ago I didn't think I'd be back at work before January. Originally I had planned on teaching again in the spring semester, thinking I'd stay home with Conrad throughout the fall, thus taking 11 months of maternity leave. But then, one lovely day at the end of August, five days before the semester began, I was called to duty, so to speak, and asked to take over a language class. We hadn't lined up any childcare, and I agreed under the condition to teach early (early!!) in the morning. And so the past four months went like this:
I got up before the crack of dawn, ran to school, taught my class, ran back, grabbed the baby from DH. Then DH went to work, put in a full day, came back at night. Then I handed off the baby and prepared next day's class.
Meaning, I was a stay-at-home mom and worked part-time. Even after Conrad started sleeping through the night sometime in October (Hallelujah!) I still had to stay up late and write lesson plans, put together powerpoint presentations (one a day), and grade papers. It was kind of... stressful. (I should add: Conrad does. not. nap. ever., and I don't get things done during the day.)
Now that Conrad is in daycare for four hours a day things are much different... much better. And since school's over and neither DH nor I have to go in tomorrow, we're doing something radical: we're going on a date! We'll be mean parents and take Conrad to daycare, then we'll go to the movies and catch a 11 am film. We haven't been to the movies in over a year and don't even know what's currently playing. When DH googled our local movie theater he came across this user review:
"I was able to get my groove on with my lady in the back of the theater. This was a nice change of pace since I live with my mom."
Well, I don't expect "to get my groove on" with DH, but it will be a nice change of pace since we live with a baby. :)
I hope you saw something good and had some fun! I know it feels like you're "bad" parents -- oh, the guilt! -- but one of the best things you can do for your son is let him know that you have a life (lives) and you need time alone (together), just as he does... or will someday.
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