On our way home, we picked Mark up who was on baby sitting duty for the afternoon.
I had meetings in the afternoon with my boss, who was over from the US, about what is happening at work and what will happen when I am back.
I don't want to think about returning to work, but unfortunately I have to and have tentatively set 5th Dec as my return date. Mark will be home throughout December and Vera will start childcare in January.
So early I hear the Swedes say! But unfortunately the UK has not got as generous parental leave and pay as Sweden...and needs must
On a more positive note, Vera is a darling and very smiley and chatty and warms my heart every day.
I tried to sing her a lullaby tonight to get her to sleep and she just fired off one of her sweet smiles that says that I'd much rather be up and play with you than lie here in my cot. I started laughing and my singing quickly stopped!
Here are a few photos of Vera "exercising" in Sweden
Oh Therése,
ReplyDeleteI so feel for you! But yóu know what; it's gonna be ok!
And as great as you are planning for the future, I'm convinced you will find a day care provider you feel real comfortable with. Even though by Swedish standards it's early to start day care it's just normal reality in the rest of the world. Heck, so many friends and relatives over in the US hand over babies not yet 2 months old to day care providers. Or, like the single mom I know who was assigned to active duty in Iraq when her baby was 5 months, even that was ok, her girl is a bubble 2 year old today w/no signs of distress over being cared for by others.
We live in a bubble over here, and we really need to acknowledge this and appreciate it.
Vera will be fine, she's got the best parents imaginable and you and Mark will just be even happier to return home and find ways to draw the line between work and home-life that's so easily blurred in highly demanding jobs like yours.
To make the transition between home with ones newborn to going back to work is always difficult, and usually more so for the parents than the baby, but one day at a time. Enjoy this time now and deal with that part of reality when you must.
Love you very much
your friend Anna