Ready or not...

Hi, ho, hi, ho, it's off to work I go!  I've got my lunch box packed and clothes laid out, most of Rylie's stuff is already at her Daycare waiting for her, and Chris is prepared for a normal {though, busy} Monday at his clinic.  A lot of planning and preparation has been done in anticipation of this Monday...this I-had-a-baby-and-spent-nine-wonderful-months-with-her-at-home-and-now-it's-time-to-get-back-to-work Monday...this I-hope-I-don't-ball-my-eyes-out-all-day-at-my-new-job Monday...this just-get-through-the-day-and-then-I'll-be-able-to-snuggle-with-my-baby-again Monday {until i have to do it all over again Tuesday, of course}.  This Monday that also happens to be Chris' birthday, Monday!!

Whew...Ready or not, life's about to get real!  We are going to learn the real art of multitasking...of putting makeup on while feeding the kid a bottle at the same time...of timing the daycare drop-off so I also get to work in time...of trying to avoid being spit up on before handing the kid over to her teachers {note to self: put a spare sweater in the car}...of cuddling with the kid, making dinner, bathing the kid, and putting her down for bed all at the same time...

But I know that we are ready for this.

Rylie is more than strong enough now to be left at a Daycare center full time, though it will be a big adjustment for her.  Hopefully she will fit right in with the other rollers, crawlers and barely-walkers... I'm also hoping she is able to avoid the perpetual snotty noses and loud coughs that I am sure are in her future.  Either way, I'm so excited to see and hear about all the new things she learns each day.

I am ready to get out of the house and put work clothes on {though they are a little snug at the moment!}.  And though I absolutely love my mommy friends, I am looking forward to making conversations about things other than our babies' bowl movements, diaper rash, delivery nightmares, or breastfeeding woes.  Sure, it'll take time for me to figure out exactly what my role means {Facilities Maintenance Administrator}, but I am ready for it.  I also have some personal goals I'd like to reach now that I am out of the house and on my own:  lose the baby weight, reconnect with old friends {30 minute commutes are good for telephone conversations}, make some new friends {mommies or otherwise}, and to just have the time to be me again.

I think Chris is excited and nervous, too, because this means he will be able to spend some quality time on his half days with Rylie without me nagging him :-)  He is a GREAT dad, but that's just it...he's the dad...so of course he does things "wrong" according to mom.  We will have to have a sit-down time to actually go over what Rylie and I do, how much she eats, when she sleeps, etc, so that he has some sort of clue of what to do with her on his own, but that won't take long to figure out.  Pretty soon, I'm sure they will be having tea parties on Tuesday mornings and teddy-bear picnics in the park on Thursday afternoons.

So, yes...I'd say we are ready.  It will be a change, but change doesn't scare us.  We are embracing this change and all of the positives that will come with it!  This change is right for our family :-)