Between the ages of 4 months and 2 1/2 years my bug attended daycare five days a week because my husband and I were both working full time. It was something we had to do and it was fine. When I graduated residency in 2011 there was nearly a three month delay before I could start my new job and my bug stayed home with me - we had many ups and downs, but overall it was a welcome change from the hectic days of my training. From December 2011 until this past week my bug has been going to daycare/preschool three days per week and spending one full day and one half day with me. We've done lazy things (watched movies and took naps), creative things (painting and baking), adventurous things (day trips and nature walks), academic things (reading and writing), and boring things (appointments and errands), but we did them
together.
This coming week my husband and I made the decision to put her back in a full time program to prepare for kindergarten next year. Part (most?) of me knows this is the right thing to do. She will definitely benefit academically by being in the classroom every day and I am looking forward to having some alone time to be with the baby bear - I took a very short maternity leave and have had very little time with the baby alone. The other part of me is grieving for my bug's rapidly progressing childhood. She's steadily growing up...and away. It is just as it should be, but it still is a little gut wrenching.
I don't regret the way things have been. I actually think we've done a decent job making memories and doing special things together no matter what our schedules were. And, I feel confident we will keep working hard to appreciate our time together. As a celebration of our past and future "mommy and me" time, I took the day off on Friday and took the bug out for the afternoon.
We declared it "her day!" and she got to call the shots. I picked her up from summer camp and told her I would take her out to lunch for anything she wanted, even if it was "junk food." As you can see, she took full advantage of my offer...
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| Cheese Pizza and Pink Lemonade! |
When the NYS museum was open on Mondays (our full day together) we went at least once a month. Then they changed their hours and we really haven't been able to go much. She has been asking me to take her, so that was next on our agenda. As it was gorgeous out, we decided to take a walk around the Plaza before heading into the museum.
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| Post-pizza, pre-duck chasing pose |
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| Our museum protocol: Carousel, exhibits, carousel |
After a few hours at the museum it was nearly time to head home (the baby is still nursing and I was nearing 5 hours without feeding or pumping...), but I promised her one last treat before we came back to reality. After reviewing the options, she asked for soft serve ice cream...
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| It's definitely not "real food" when you order it by color instead of flavor, but it made her happy... |
I'm still a little sad that she won't be with me on my days off, but I think we had a very joyful and special afternoon together to cap off the past two years.
