The Beginning and The End

Meet my new and old appendages.

Today was officially the end of my 3 month maternity leave.

(sigh and tear)

I loved every second of every maternity leave that I have ever taken.  I know that here in the USA we aren't know for having wonderful maternity leave in comparison to countries like Norway where women get a year.  But I feel blessed to have gotten 3 months.  I actually was able to take 3 months after each of my children and can't imagine anything less. 

It is such a valuable time filled with

lots of snuggling, kissing, bonding and napping.

 (Well after the 3rd the last thing didn't happen much).

It takes at least that long to get to know them and their likes, dislikes and how to attend to their care in a way that is unique to them.

Oh how I will always cherish the time I had with this little one.

I have always wanted and wished to be a stay at home mom, but that hasn't

been in the cards for me.  I have a wonderful job that allows me to be very present in my kids lives and flexible in my schedule since I work from home.  But my maternity leaves have been the closest I have been to being a stay at home mom.  I had the thought today, that if Talmage is my last child that I will never get to have that stay at home experience again.  It was hard to choke back the tears.

Problem solved.  Talmage just can't be my last (Tyson would argue if he read this).

Well, back to reality.