Back to Work
I went back to work Monday and my first week went well! Mostly it was nice getting back into a routine since my maternity leave consisted of way too many days in PJs, a topknot and copious amounts of HGTV (like, to the point where I want to move to Waco and have Chip and Joanna Gaines renovate a house for us or be Joanna’s sister-wife). Having said that, I wouldn’t give back even a second of those full days at home with sweet Lincoln. They were some of the most difficult days, but he’s doing so much better now and it’s amazing to see.
Kevin and the kids and my co-workers and friends got me some beautiful flowers to welcome me back. It was so thoughtful and seeing my desk full of these beauties made an emotionally tough week easier to get through. I feel very fortunate to return to a job I love with incredible people.
Sleep
Do you ever have moments in life where you feel like lights are actually shining down from the heavens? That’s what we felt when Lincoln started sleeping consistently for 8 hours every night last week. He usually goes down by 8 and then sleeps until 4-4:30 a.m. When he wakes up, I nurse him on one side and we all go back to sleep. Then I wake up an hour later and pump before getting up to get ready for work. I know the four month sleep regression is just around the corner, but we’re cherishing these long stretches of sleep as long as we can.
(L in his woombie)
Harper “Dates”
Our mommy/daughter dates are really important to me. Though she has her moments, Harper is such a good kid and has been as great as we could hope for with Lincoln. Still, I adore one-on-one time with her so she knows that we can still have our special time, even though the baby has a lot of needs at this age. Harper’s teachers always tell me that she talks about our dates every Monday and that makes my heart smile. We got an American Girl Doll catalog in the mail last week and Harper looked at every page and excitedly described what she saw and said she wanted to go “the baby store.” So I took her to the AG store (where she picked out a blender to “make smoothies for bitty baby”) and we also did three rounds on the carousel!
boots | top | bow
She also got some new sheets for her bed recently. The stripe duvet cover is from IKEA and the spotted sheets are here. The printed blanket is here. Harper’s room is still such a work in progress. I have some pom poms coming in for a fun DIY project that I’ll share as soon as I get around to it, you know, with all my free time and all. Ha.
Three Months
Lincoln turned three months old today! I’ll save all of the updates for his three month post, but we have finally made progress with the dairy-free diet and turned a corner about two weeks ago. It took over two months for the dairy to fully be out of our systems. I still have to be so careful reading labels and ordering food (which I don’t do much anynore) as I’ve learned the hard way that even one slip-up can cause his allergy to flare up for a few days to a week. It has been a challenge, but I’m so happy we stuck with it.
Ugh. I could just take a bite out of him, he’s so cute!
I hope y’all had a great weekend! I’m still on Snapchat (@veronabrit) so if you’d like to see snippets of our weekends, that’s where we are!
I’m obsessed with Foxer Upper too! They are such a cute couple. And glad to hear your first week back at work went well!
Good luck with being back at work! I went back to work part-time at 10 weeks and was full time by 13 weeks. What a transition! Just getting dressed everyday was an adventure. Thankfully my little dude decided to start sleeping through the night right when I went back to work full time. I don’t what my husband and I did to be so lucky, but we’re thankful every day.
Good luck back at work! I went back on Monday, too. It’s hard to leave the little ones, even the second time around! I just started this past week eliminating dairy from my diet. I haven’t seen an improvement yet and ugh…2 months?! I’m finding it easier than I thought to avoid dairy, but any tips you have or things you can order when you’re out would be great! I’m afraid to eat out (which I guess is probably a good thing!) for fear that I won’t know how something is cooked or prepared, even if it doesn’t contain “dairy”. How about a going-dairy-free post?! 🙂
Thank you! That;s a great idea 🙂 I will definitely write a post about going dairy free and include some of my favorite foods to eat. I have found that Zoe’s Kitchen can make anything dairy-free and I have never had issues eating foods prepared there. Highly recommend it. I also have a local restaurant called LOCAL Foods that has a lot of vegan options and vegan things are always safe!
I’m so glad the transition back went smoothly – what an emotional time that must be! Sounds like you guys had a nice weekend, and your mommy-daughter dates sounds like so much fun!
xoxo http://www.touchofcurl.com
Thank you Colleen! 🙂
My heart goes to your two beautiful children in daycare. If it is hard for you, imagine what it is for a baby to be separated from loving mommy. I was a teacher in a day care facility before I got married and I know that I want to be the one to raise my baby. On Mother’s Day, I want to own not share the cards and the flowers…I heard of many women gaining professional success at expense of their own kids and family.
Kindly said, I hope I didn’t overstep myself. Best wishes for you, your family and your readers.
I honestly cannot even come up with a response to this. How sad that you feel the need to shame a mother for her choices. If you feel this way, please keep it to yourself next time and you do what you feel is best for your family and we will do what is best for ours. My children are happy, healthy and loved.
I can surely share my thoughts about what you said but my purpose is not debating. Nor was insulting or to diminish working mothers. Whether you believe it or not is your choice. My comments have children in mind. Maybe I am ‘selfish’ because I don’t want to share and be fully present at those limited and crucial first years of my child’s wholesome development. From experience I know that anybody can’t do that job with the same dedication like a loving mother can. A placenta accreta story brought me to your blog not malicious intentions. I won’t write anymore comments. This is your space. My view on Motherhood has a more significant meaning but I guess, I’d simply keep it on my child’s journal 🙂
As always, best wishes.
Most children develop fantastically with two working parents. Most children also develop fantastically with a stay at home parent. I am supportive and respectful of what you want to do when you decide to have children. If staying home is what’s in your heart— wonderful! But your post was insulting not just to me, but to all mothers. I hope you can one day read your comments and realize that. Best wishes to you as well.
I come to this blog sometimes to see reviews and have listened to her videos. I have been a women’s health nurse practitioner for 24 years now and a registered nurse for 31. I still work. I have 2 children who are adults age 27 and 29 and I stayed home for awhile, worked part time for a while and full time. The “stay at home” mentality that is a must and shaming women is really snarky to say the least. I can tell you for a fact that a stay at home mom is highly valued but in all situations, I work my butt off more now that hanging around the house and watching kids and doing laundry. Sometimes life doesn’t give us a choice and lay off’s right now are not infrequent. This is just as much a personal decision as breastfeeding. I’ve seen women who breastfeed shame other women who chose to or just can’t for other reasons and it’s really hurtful. It does not make you a better mother to stay at home or not. In fact, sometimes the child benefits from the socialization more. I don’t even want to go through the pros and cons but shaving a Mothers Day card???? for real??? I have never even heard of such an attitude. Just like Veronida said, if some mothers don’t work you wouldn’t be enjoying your internet service, phone service, electricity or health care to start off. Please consider what judgments you put in writing before you get at the keyboard. It sounds like Cecilia, you are actually jealous of women who are professionally successful if you really look deep into that comment. So sorry Veronika, try to ignore such and I hope you have a good week. I just read this and can’t stand insults online especially like that. And what really gets me is that the mothers that “stay at home moms” and shame others who work think in he long run their children will love them forever. There are no guarentees. Stay at home moms’ children are not going to be more intelligent or more anything than if the mom works. This kind of mentality is really sad that it has continuted on so many years now.
sorry for all the misspellings. I just had a eye surgery recently and still getting my self back and yes, I’m back at work. LOL
Thank you for your comment and support 🙂 It’s so imporant that we all support one another in the choices we make for our families!
What a fabulous job you’re continuing to do, Veronika! I enjoy your blog tremendously, and can’t imagine being as organized and energetic as you must be to continue to blog during these demanding months. So glad to hear that you and Lincoln and doing well. And Harper seems like such a sweet girl and sister. The “blender” she picked out is just adorable!! All the best!
Thank you so much Marie! I love this blog— it gives me a little “me time.” I hope to be able to continue as long as both of these kids are sleeping by 8 PM! LOL 🙂
Veronica,
I understand that we don’t have the same view on motherhood. My comment was nothing but well-intentioned. I am glad that your children are healthy, happy and loved.
All the best,
Cecilia
Actually, we do have the same view on motherhood. We all want to raise children who are loved unconditionally, happy and successful.
Please don’t come here and tell me that your comments are “well intentioned.” Your implication that I have to share my Mother’s Day card because I choose to work is not “well intentioned.” It is insulting. I’m so thankful for the teachers who help care for my children everyday, but they are not my children’s mothers.
Your insinuation is that mothers who work outside of the home are selfish because they care about their careers in addition to their family.
What about the doctor, who is also a mother who spends her days caring for sick children? What about the mother who is also an accountant and helps families with their taxes? What about the mother who is also a teacher and teaches your child to read and do math? What would happen if no mothers worked? We need mothers to work to benefit us as a society. We also need mothers who stay at home because there are numerous benefits to that.
What about when your children start school? Will you share your Mother’s Day card with their teachers since they will spend their days at school? Will you cease being their primary caretaker?
The bottom line is that staying at home with your children doesn’t guarantee anything. It doesn’t mean you’ll be a better mother, that they’ll be more loved or turn out to be more successful. It doesn’t mean you’ll be close to them as adults and it doesn’t mean that your choice is any better than someone else’s. In fact you can find studies that support that children of working mothers are happier and more successful just as you can find studies that show the benefits of having a stay at home parent.
Please don’t come to this place under the guise that you’re being helpful. It’s not helpful or well intentioned to suggest to a mother that she is making the wrong decision for her family and that she is less of a mother because she chooses to work.
Very well-said Veronika! I am a big fan of your blog and one of the reasons I love to follow you is because I think you can do it ALL. I was a stay-at-home mom for 5 years until I went back to work this year. I did it for ME and it was the best decision I made. I even noticed that my kids who are 3 and 6, appreciate me more now than ever. And I appreciate THEM more. I think the comment above, whatever the intention was of the woman writing it, was completely uncalled for. Some moms HAVE to work to financially support their family. Some moms don’t, but that doesn’t mean that they should put everyone else’s happiness before theirs. As mothers, we do everything for our kids. You have found a great daycare for your kids, and your kids social and emotional development will grow tremendously by being in that environment. You are doing what’s best for them and what’s best for YOU. (Mom’s needs are important too, people.)
Bravo, Veronika! And Amen.
I’m a stay-at-home mom for a variety of reasons, but do not believe that model is best or even good for all families. I’m insulted for Veronika and her readers by Ceclia’s comments. Veronika, your response was articulate and compelling, but it’s dreadful that you had to waste your time reading and responding to it. It’s obvious to anyone who follows your blog that you are a devoted wife; engaged, loving mother; and dedicated professional who, in addition to those demanding roles, shares useful and inspiring information, ideas, and insights with your readers. Don’t let unkind individuals distract or deter you. You have so much to embrace and be proud of!
Thank you for your note Marie, it means a lot to see another mom’s support. I won’t lie, reading a comment like that hurts, not because I believe it or agree with it, but because it hurts to see another woman purposefully leaving a comment that is meant to dishearten and shame a mother for doing what is best for her family. I am friends with working mothers, stay at home mothers and work from home mothers and I feel thankful for that because I am able to see and learn from the experiences of mothers who live different lifestyles, have different routines and parenting beliefs. I respect each of their choices to do what suits their families and I appreciate that we can all be friends despite having varying beliefs and lifestyles. I am proud to be a working mother and I’m proud of my friends who make other choices. Thank you again for your uplifting comment <3
Well said Veronika. This is no place for mommy wars. Why would another woman feel the need to disparage another woman’s choices? I work because we need the money. If we wanted to own a house in southern California, eat better than beans & weenies every night and wear clothes that didn’t come from a thrift store then I have work. My kids are teens now, well rounded, have never been in trouble and are self sufficient. They can do their own laundry & they remember to take their lunch and homework to school everyday because they know that I’m not at home to run it school for them. My husband lost his job last year and it took him six months to find another job. We were lucky to have my income and health insurance to get us through that crisis, which has occurred three times during our marriage, once before kids and twice after kids. Cecelia…stay home if you want, I can assure you that nobody really cares, but how would YOU like it if Veronika or anybody else disparaged women who stay home? Also don’t spout off with the “staying at home with kids is the hardest job in the world” nonsense. Police officer, firefighter, solider, coal miner, construction worker, these are ALL hard, stressful, dangerous jobs.
Thanks so much for your comment! I can relate to your story. My husband was laid off a month before our wedding in 2009 and again a week after we closed on our new house this year when his company was sold (this not something I’ve previously shared on the blog, but it was a stressful time, especially since our other house hadn’t yet sold).
Thankfully he knew it was a possibility and he was interviewing extensively— and he did get a new and even better job a week later—but what if he hadn’t? We had a new house, still owned our old house, a child in expensive daycare and a new baby about to arrive. Thank goodness we had my salary and healthy savings to fall back on, just in case he didn’t find a job right away.
There is no point in debating who works harder or is better. There is no better way—just what’s best for your family. Let’s just support one another!
It is so hard checking those lengthy ingredient lists! A friend recently told me about this app that looks interesting for those of us that have food allergies (or babies that do): https://www.contentchecked.com I thought of you Veronika, and wanted to share!
You are doing an awesome job, Veronika! I rarely every comment on any blog posts anywhere, but this hit home for me. Why a mom feels the need to shame another, is beyond me! I am a working mom with 5 month old and he will be starting daycare on Monday. I’m so terrified to say the least. We were trying to go the nanny route, but have not found that ‘perfect’ fit yet. It’s nice to see a working mom with some positives to having kids in daycare. I’ll continue to support you and your blog, after all we have so many similarities! Hope you have an awesome weekend with that beautiful family of yours!