Maternity leave that really pays

Deep breath. I quit my job. Oh my goodness---I QUIT MY JOB!

After five and a half years with the same company, Jeff and I felt it was in our best interest for me to leave my current position and take on a new and more rewarding one (and scarier and more challenging one no doubt too!)...that of a stay at home mommy of two! I gave my notice on Wednesday (Wednesday, March 17th...just another reason why a green champagne would have been extra nice that night). If all goes as planned with the baby set to arrive on Monday, April 5th, my last day at AMI will be Friday, April 2nd.

I am so incredibly excited about what is to come, but to be honest, nervous too. There are a ton of thoughts going through my mind, our minds, but mostly, I feel amazingly fortunate to have this opportunity.

The chance to be with our kids (still feels strange to say kids, plural, already!) on a full time basis is something I hadn't totally envisioned, but it is quickly going to be my reality. I can't believe it most days. I'll know what they ate and when they ate it. I'll know what they've learned, when they've learned it and how they've learned it. Then again, I'll know how much they've pooped, when they've pooped, what color they've pooped every single time they've pooped it too! So yeah, I do know it's not all going to be peaches and cream.

Financially, the timing is not ideal considering our unpredictable economy. It won't be easy, but it makes sense for us right now and hopefully as a family we'll benefit greatly from this decision. I have struggled deeply with the many thoughts about never reaching my full career potential, but feel better when going into this knowing that this may not be, nor does it ever have to be permanent. After taking some hard looks at the numbers, what it takes for us to get by in a year, who knows---I could be back to work before 2010 ends once this all truly sinks in. But for now, even with the uncertainties, we are looking at my being able to have this time with our children as a completely positive and rewarding experience. I am going to savor all that it is worth, even if a decision, an opportunity, timing or a circumstance changes the plan sooner rather than later.

It seemed a lot of people expected that with two kids so close in age, this decision may just be a natural one. Plus, with layoffs and furloughs affecting my company currently, and taking into account a non-paid maternity leave, the picture appeared to be getting clearer. So many of you had asked about our plans, specifically if I was going to return to work post baby #2, and if we didn't dodge the curiosities and questions entirely, we had to bend the truth until we felt we could come clean. Our apologies to everyone for not being forthcoming about this path, but the secret's finally out and damn does it ever feel good!

Any advice from those of you who are already doing what is one of the toughest jobs in the world will be immensely appreciated! I am incredibly lucky to be in this position and all of my gratitude goes to Jeff for making it a possibility. Thank you, babe, and let me apologize in advance for not feeling like cooking every single night just because I'm at home and begging you to pick up Chipotle on your way home. Or Gina Maria's. On those days, please consider that your children behaved perfectly because I was there with them. Oh, and that the laundry was done...or at least everything but the whites, but there is always the weekend and after all, don't you love the smell of bleach?

Now please, send that wonderful husband of mine some business before we have time to change our minds!

Gimme that shamrock shake. Gimme that shake.

It was no green beer, but it sure hit the spot. And don’t think Jeff didn’t try his best to find our green food coloring, but with no such luck. Not to worry because after we put Mirabella to bed last night I went out and got us the next best thing. Probably the only thing better than enjoying a shamrock shake on St Patty’s day (next to green beer, green champagne or a green martini, of course) is enjoying one while pregnant when ice cream should be mandatorily given through an IV.

Doctor appointment: 36 weeks

So I keep having this suspicion I may not make it to April 5th, the scheduled date of my c-section. My doctor said there was nothing indicating otherwise, but I know much of how I’m feeling is coming from the fact that I’m worried my doctor won’t be there to do my surgery. Since he is off for his kids’ spring break the week prior, other than to work in the office one day that week, I have been thinking that may be my time. The pessimist in me is coming through. Usually I’d be feeling very happy about shaving some time off of my pregnancy at this point, but as you all have heard several times, I just really want my doctor to be there.

I was determined to find out his exact schedule, as if I could really control if I’d go into labor early and when. When I asked if he’d be on call the weekend before the 5th and he said no, I practically begged him to get on the rotation. “That’s Easter!” he says. Sheesh. Like he needs to spend Easter with his family. I told him that too. Both he and Jeff found my madness humorous, and even though I was laughing too, I don’t think I was joking. Dr. Chow left the room while I got ready for my exam and came back with his on call schedule. Three days. Only three freaking days he is on call until the 5th! Like the guy needs that kind of a break. If I go into labor today, I’m all set. The two other dates are March 22nd and 23rd, both of which I said would work for me too. He tried to reassure me about the high qualifications of the other doctors, but I wasn’t having it and told him to take it as a compliment. “None of the other doctors is you!”

Then came time for my exam and he tells me I’m dilated to a one. Hold up, what? My mind races thinking my suspicions about going into labor early have now been fueled. I know people stay dilated at a one for some time, but it was strange to hear since with Mirabella, even at my 38 week appointment, I think five days before I had her, I was not dilated at all. So a one this time felt like…wow! And to still have almost three weeks left…WOW! So really, the 22nd would work great for me. I’m kicking myself for not asking him to pencil me in! One more thing…my doctor thinks this baby will be born bigger than Mirabella; he estimated the size at 6 1/4 right now (Mirabella weighed 7 pounds 7 ounces).

Anyway, after the exam, my doc changed his tune a little and said he’d say he’d give me a 70 % chance I’d make it to the 5th. 30 % I would not. We’ll see! I gained three pounds since my last appointment. Very fortunately, my ankles and feet haven’t started to swell like they did at this time with my first pregnancy. I had hopes I’d dodged a bullet, but was reminded that there was still time for that. Awesome. The good news is that my blood pressure looks great, so there aren’t concerns right now if the swelling and fluid retention does happen. I suppose I can handle a brief stint.

I have only two appointments left, next week and the following: Thursday, March 25th and Thursday, April 1st.

Photos: 35 weeks

Our baby at 35 weeks

At 35 weeks, the baby is about 18 inches long and weighs around 5 1/4 pounds, about as much as a honeydew melon.

Doctor appointment: 34 weeks

All went well at my appointment today, which was fairly routine. I met with Jaimie, a nurse practitioner, and will meet with my doctor in two weeks, and every week thereafter. We discussed warning signs for labor, birth control post baby (which she brought up with a pretty big grin!), she checked my measurements (still measuring right where I'm supposed to be) and we listened to the baby's heart beat. How this happened, I don't know, but I only gained one pound since my last appointment. Very interesting with my almost compulsive ingestion of cookies and ice cream growing worse this past month or so. How great if I didn't have the swelling problem in my ankles and feet like I did at the end of my pregnancy with Mirabella (causing an eight pound weight gain, if I remember correctly, between two of my appointments), but there is still plenty of time for that I suppose! Ugh.

It is very surreal that we just wrapped up celebrating Mirabella's first birthday and pretty soon we'll be welcoming our new baby! It seems so close now. In some ways I feel so ready and in others, it feels like it can't possibly be that time yet. Regardless, we are so extremely excited to welcome our newest family member!

Photos: 32 weeks (and 30 weeks)

32 weeks




30 weeks