Sunday, September 29, 2013

A Long Week and Finding Time

This past week was my first full week back to work.  I am floored.

Having a baby and learning to care for that baby is very, very challenging.  I feel like I have accomplished many challenging things in my life and I still think that this is one of the most difficult things I have ever done.  I know that it will also be one of the most rewarding, but right now I am in the field, on the front line, and it is hard.

As you may know from my blog, I am a teacher.  This will afford me certain luxuries as a parent, for example I will have the same vacation days as my child, in theory, and have summers off with them.  I also have shorter work hours (at least it looks that way on the clock), which will mean more time with my little one.  That is wonderful.

But right now, it is hard.

There is no other way to describe it.  I am extremely lucky to have a supportive husband and family.  My parents are going above and beyond.  My Mom is taking care of Sweet Pea during the day and my Dad even comes by to lend his help and go for stroller walks.  I do not think I would have survived this past week without my parents and husband.  Everyone had made sacrifices to make this work (working full-time as a nursing Mom with a three-month old).

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Fast forward three weeks and I finally have time to finish this post.   My first Draft did not even include my horse,  which is very telling.   Due to my husband's change in work schedule to accommodate care for our now four-month-old,  I cannot get to Harley after work.   We had just hit a rhythm of visits before work started and now I am worse off than before as far as seeing my horse goes.

I will figure it out.   When it comes to my horse, I always do, but in the mean time, baby has dibs on Mommy.  Harley understands.


12 comments:

  1. It took me a long time post baby to get things in better organization. Each stage you think you've got the swing, and they change on you... Like yay now the kid walks... oh crap where is he?! I think that newborn stage is the hardest, at least with the first, congrats for surviving that! Once they get bigger they just come to the barn with mommy (and hopefully someone to watch them).

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  2. Hang in there Val, it is hard. It's really great that you have a strong support system, it really is. You will get though this and look back and wonder how you did it. Crazy busy is an understatement. Along with all that, you need to take care of yourself...I hated hearing that, but it is important. But I know you know that. I'm glad you checked in. That first week sounds like a doozy. I so wish I could help out with Harley boy, but like you said, he will forgive you and for sure, he will be just fine.

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  3. There is no harder job in the world than being a good mommy. Thank goodness for grandparents too. When my daughter had her first I was the designated babysitter when she went back to work. It's rewarding and the good part is you can go home at night. I'm still babysitting a few times a week but it gets easier when they go to pre-school and then full time school. It's a busy time for you and your family but things will get to be routine and you'll have time for Harley. I'm sure he understands :)

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  4. I feel for you Val. Being a mom is the most important job in the world. Don't be too hard on yourself, and enjoy this fleeting time with your little one. Harley will be there when your new schedule and demands settle out. :D

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  5. So hard to be a mom and work full time. Even harder to work and be mom to a BIG one, too. Glad you have so much support. :0)

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  6. Babies are indeed very hard, and very time consuming, as they should be. And babies + work, harder still - I remember what that was like although it was a long time ago. And babies + work + horses - I didn't have to do that until my daughters were 6 or 7, so I never had to try to cope with that.

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  7. It's always tough for the first few months ~ I find things don't really start to balance out until the little one is at least four-five months old, and that's even with being home full time!

    Hang in there, you'll get through it. It is absolutely worth it, and I know you'll figure out how to get it all worked out!

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  8. Yep, I'm not even working right now and I still barely spend any quality time with the ponies. My horses don't seem to mind their extended vacation, Harley will probably forgive you too.

    Thank goodness for your parents, at least you know that your girl is with people who love her when you're away- I know it's still hard though!

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    1. Knowing she is with Grandma makes a world of difference. My Mom is also a tremendous help to me. I am very, very lucky.

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  9. Val--I always hesitate to say this to moms-to-be (I think you and I talked a little about this giving advice thing), but it is very hard to do much with a horse while you have a nursing baby (let alone also a full time job). The horse will wait for you--that was my view anyway. And to this day I am very glad I put the baby first. A lot of my "horse time" was carrying my baby in a sling (and later a backpack) while I fed...or just hung out with the horses. It worked for me. Hang in there. It is such a huge change; I don't think anyone is ever really prepared--I know I had no idea how much my life would change. Oh and yeah, totally worth it. Raising my son has definitely been the best experience of my life. Not easy, but wonderful.

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    1. I miss Harley, but when I see him it is like seeing an old friend (and he is). I tell him that this is temporary, at least the nursing part is, and he doesn't seem any worse for the down time. I am learning that there is not much time for anything while I am nursing, so that is my current hobby. Even grading papers is a huge obstacle. I don't think too many people really understand what a commitment it is. I nurse about ten times a day for at least 30 minutes a shot and pump three to four times a day during the week. If anything else gets done inbetween, it is a miracle.

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  10. Honestly.... horses benefit from time off as well. I often think back to when I was a kid and our horses "rested" all winter long and when we were in school. Never had health issues, feet problems. It doesn't take long to get them back into shape. Enjoy life - don't ever feel guilty.

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