The New Normal: Life After Going Back To Work

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Back to life, back to reality.

Ever since my gig called parental leave ended a few weeks ago, our home has been in a bit of chaos.

The entire goal of the day now is to survive and get to the end. The mornings are different. The day is different. Thankfully the nights are pretty much the same other than the fact that we are much more tired.

Everything changed when dad went back to work.

Four different people. Four routines changed in a blink of an eye.

What I Miss About Parental Leave

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Well I have been back to work for one week now and it seems like just a distant memory since I was home with the kids on parental leave.

Obviously I miss the quality time with Charlie and I really enjoyed being a temporary stay at home dad. I think I run a good house.

But work came calling and we need two incomes to get back to the comfortable life we enjoy.

Finding time to blog has also been hard to come by. Sure, there is actual time to do it, but when those moments happen, I am pretty content just to sit on the couch and do nothing.

Working and parenting again has taken a toll on me and most likely my family for this first week. We crave routine and it will happen soon enough.

Trips, birthdays, holidays, colds and all the other outside variables are gone, now we can just settle into a new normal (whether we like it or not).

While I have this 10 minutes before catching the bus, I wanted to make a quick list of a few things I really miss about my parental leave.

I also just wanted to check in and make sure you were still there.

Here goes.

Day 132: That’s It Folks, Show Is Over

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Parental leave is over. My life returns to normal. Back to work I go tomorrow. Hope I remember how it all goes.

Everyone has been asking if I was going to do some epic finale post to wrap it all up? Well of course I am. But not yet. I want to let it sink in. I want to reflect on what the last six months were to me. I want to talk to grown ups again.

So, yes, I will do a concluding post at some point, but for now you will have to wait.

With all the sickness running through our house, my last few days have flown by. I have been too busy caring for the baby and running back and forth to daycare to notice it all slipping away.

Day 128: Batteries Everywhere Were Running Low

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Well, it has been a week since I last checked in from the PL. Time is flying and as my time on parental leave runs out, I have been blogging less and really trying to soak up all the moments and experiences.

Today was one that I will try to avoid soaking up. More like ring it out and hope it never happens again.

Day 121: No Boys In The Hood

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Well, Day 121 and there is something definitely different going on. There are no boys at home. I am all alone. What the heck?

Today is the first official day at the new daycare for both boys and that means I have a handful of days left to myself on the PL.

Don’t worry, I have a lot to do in preparation for going back to work.

Day 117: The Crying Game

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Today was the second day for Charlie at daycare. The difference for today’s visit was that it was two hours long and I would not be there for the second hour.

Well, that was rough on Charlie. Even moving a few feet away from him would upset the little guy. Now, based on his personality, this may not have anything to do with me. He tends to be an environment guy. If it is a place he does not want to be, it does not matter who he is with.

A daycare full of kids and babies is not quiet. It is chaos times a million and when you are used to a quiet and structured home life, well that can get to anyone. Especially a baby like Charlie.

Day 116: Orientation Week Is Going To Be Hardest On……

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Daycare orientation week is going to be hardest on ME!

Yep, forget the kids, they are going to love going to a new school. The person I am worried about is me. My time at home with the boys is coming to an end.

Today was our first trip to the new daycare. This week is a gradual introduction for Charlie and by Friday he will be going for a full day.

I have been with the little guy every day for six months and it is going to be hard to let that go.

Harrison will be starting at the new daycare next week but he got to check out his new class today as well. Let’s just say he loved it.

We packed up and left for the school just after 9 am today. The agenda was to go for an hour with me staying in the baby room with Charlie.

Tomorrow, it will be two hours and I leave for one.

Day 112: Trying To Keep The Bomb From Going Off

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What bomb you ask? Well I call it the Charlie Bomb. You see, our little baby is sick. He has a fever and he is grumpy. I am not 100% sure if it is the fever or the fact that he is not as hungry that is making him less than happy.

If you can believe it, this is my first time playing doctor on my parental leave. Yes, we have pretty healthy kids.

The timing is pretty good however, as Charlie starts his new daycare next week (orientation). So it is best to unleash germs at him now because as any parent who has started a new daycare knows, the kid will be sick in 10 seconds. All those new kids and their lovely germs. Can’t wait.

Day 107: Parental Leave Was Getting Too Easy

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August has said so long. School is back. September is here in full force.

Parental leave? Well it has been getting a little easy. It has been getting a little boring. To be honest, why do stay-at-home parents complain so much?

Okay, that last part, not nice of me. I am kidding of course. Taking care of the kids all day is a lot of work for sure.

For me, as I enter the last month of my parental leave, I guess I needed something to amp up the challenge.

Charlie, our baby boy has been a wonderful roommate for so far and I would have to say, he is pretty manageable.

So what could we do as a family to really test my dad skills? What would be the next challenge for me before I head back to work?

Well how about our other son, the soon-to-be 4-year old, staying home full-time as well?

Yep, challenge accepted.

Why I Wanted To Take Paternity Leave

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As I enter the fifth month of my paternity leave, I wanted to answer a question that is pretty common when I tell people I chose to stay home with our baby boy.

The question, Why did you want to take paternity leave in the first place?

When I am asked this question, it always has this amazed and surprised tone to it. As if I was tricked into staying home with the baby.

Did I lose a bet? Did I draw the short straw? Or did my wife just really want to get the hell out of the house and back to work?

None of these were true.