Playing Pretend

I awoke around 7:30 this morning to Julien rustling next to my chest in our bed.  At the same time I heard Colette’s tiny feet come down the hall toward our room, whining for Dad and milk (she tends to prefer whomever put her to bed the night before, but forgets her preference, as soon as one of us puts two feet on the floor).

 As usual, Jeff worked/dicked around on his computer late, so I get out of bed, and leave Julien to hang with a semi-sleeping Jeff, while I encourage Colette to put on underwear and pants (not sure what this girl has against pants, but every morning she puts up a fight).  Once I win that battle, she wants to draw, but she wants to draw with me and she wants to sit on my lap. As much as I would like to do that, I need coffee, to brush my teeth, nurse Julien and make us both something to eat. She doesn’t want to color solo, so I offer up an episode of Curious George. It’s lazy of me, but it the easiest and most enjoyable way to ensure that the kids are fed, I’m caffeinated and that Jeff gets another hour or so of sleep.  Once the priorities are taken care of, we turn off the T.V. and color together, while Julien watches in the swing beside us.

Let's try this getting dressed thing one more time...

Raise your hand if you think pants are stupid!

I wake up Jeff at 9AM to help me get Colette ready for daycare, and like as with most toddlers brushing hair and teeth, washing peanut butter off the face, putting on a hat and putting down the two dolls and three lovies takes quadruple the amount of time it takes an adult.  As usual, it’s an enjoyable but incredibly slow process and at 9:38 we’re out the door.  Normally she would scoot to daycare, but there was too much snow today, so we walked instead, drawing with our gloved fingers in the snow along the way.  Once at daycare, I kiss her goodbye and turn for home, just a 2-minute walk around the corner.

Just as I enter the apartment Jeff passes Julien back to me so he can get to work and I can get on with my maternity leave, you know like get my nails done, meet a friend for lunch, go shopping all with Julien in tow…and it really hits me. TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF MY MATERNITY LEAVE.

My favorite maternity leave accessory! A must-have in fall 2013!

I’m going to miss this late-rising, slow-poking, family-filled lifestyle so so much. It’s been some of the hardest and most enjoyable weeks of my life. I know that I wouldn’t be a good/happy stay-at-home mom, but man it’s been an amazing twelve weeks of playing pretend.