How I Managed to Be a Single Parent For a Week

I have a great employer. That's how I did it.

I work part time (Mon-Thurs). I flexed my work schedule. I worked a full day the Friday before my husband left so I could work shorter days while he was gone. With my long commute, pumping, and lunch, I'm typically gone 10-11 hours a day. There is no way I could work a full day and do both daycare drop off and pick up. A downside to using an in home daycare is that our daycare closes early - 5:30pm. Besides, I wouldn't want my kids to be in daycare 11 hours.

Working short days was a blessing. It made our week go rather smoothly. Thank you to my employer and manager for being flexible. I know I'm fortunate & not all companies are as supportive of working parents.

My daughters and I getting some snuggle time in while Dad was gone.

Love,

Single Pumping Working Momma

Those words shouldn't go together. If I was a full time single parent there is no way I would pump. My kid would definitely be formula fed. I would have to get myself plus 2 kids ready in the morning, drop kids off at daycare, drive to work, work a full day, drive home, pick up kids, cook dinner, play with kids, bathe kids, bedtime with kids x2, get house work done, crash in bed. I didn't see any room to take time to pump at work, store milk in bags, or sanitize pump parts. That would definitely be the first to go.


Love,

Single Parent

For all those single parents or parents with deployed spouses, I salute you. You have one TOUGH job.

I had a taste of being a single parent this month. Hubby went on work travel for 6 days. I'm counting Sunday through Friday as 6 days.

I decided that being a temporary single parent is like running.

When you first start you feel great. You go too fast and do not pace yourself. You're super mom. Shortly afterwards fatigue sets in and you decide this suck. You question why you are doing this. The end seems far away. That was my Tuesday. It will get its own post. Awful day. Then you get over the hump and realize you can do it. You pull your head up and say this isn't so bad. And finally the end! You see the finish line and you sprint. Then you crash on the ground.

I hope to not do this frequently. It takes a team to raise small children. I'm THANKFUL my husband is back!

Love,

Each 24 Hours is a Gift

My priest must read my mind. His homilies are always in tune with whats going on with my life. Today he preached that "each 24 hours is a gift."

That struck home with this working momma. So many times lately I have said there are not enough hours in a day. I've been focusing on what I cannot get accomplished, get done, or miss out on. I've been focusing on all the wrong things. I should focus on how blessed I am. I do love my life but I keep stressing over what is not perfect about it. Well that's enough.

I'm going to change. I'm going to take each day as a gift. I get to wake up every morning next to my best friend when others are lonely. I get to hug two beautiful girls that God graced us with when I know too many people that are struggling with infertility. I get to work for a wonderful, generous employer that let's me work part time while other's are looking for work or their jobs keep them away from their families. I have my health (this I really am thankful for lately due to my long C-Section recovery), while other's are limited by their bodies. I have loving family and friends. I am blessed. My day is a gift.

So when I only get an hour of quality time with my daughters, didn't get around to doing the dishes, ran out of time to work out, or wasn't able to call my mom, I won't stress. I'll remind myself, today was a gift. It truly is.

How are your days a gift? How do you focus on the positives of being a working mother?

Love,

Sippy Cup Champ

In college I was a Flip Cup Champ.

Now as a mother I'm a Sippy Cup Champ.

I can assemble and dissemble sippy cups at lightning speed. I have skills.

I feel like a solider assembling and dissembling his riffle. This is a skill I didn't realize I would be proud to brag about as a collage undergrad. Oh to be a mother.

Love,

My Latelys

My goodness it's been a while. Are you still reading? I'm here.

Now that I'm a working mom of TWO small children, I'm struggling with finding time to blog. That and about everything else. I am exhausted. I do have topics in my head. I need a device that allows me to talk to text while driving on my work commute. That would do the trick.

Lets see....

Lacey is super sweet and such an easy baby. Her big sister was not an easy baby. I could have many more babies if they were all like Lacey. She is not sleeping through the night which is very frustrating. She's 4 months old now. Baby Teagan consistently slept through the night at this age. I have no idea how I haven't fallen asleep at work. I'm a zombie and a big contributor to the coffee industry.

Teagan is 3. And boy it sure is the terrible 3's. I'm not a fan of this age. It's mentally exhausting. Taking care of a baby is easier.  I'm thankful she has daycare ;) .

Going back to work the 2nd time was easier for me. I really was stressing about going back since this time I knew what I was getting myself into. But it hasn't been as hard. I love little Lacey so much and miss her dearly when I work, but I'm okay with it. I haven't had any breakdowns like I did with baby Teagan. Maybe I'm just stronger.

Please don't stop following my blog. I do plan on keeping it. :)

<3 Love Love Love My Girls <3

Love,

Breastfeeding Working Momma

In order to continue breastfeeding my baby while I work, I have to pump (express milk) at work. This is no glamorous task. I personally think it's sucky.

My employer has "Mother's Rooms." They provide a clean private place with a sink and a mini fridge so I can pump at work.

So far no one else has used the room. Hell yeah! I don't have to worry about scheduling my time or someone using the room during my scheduled time. No big deal if a meeting runs late or I'm in the middle of something. The mother's room is always free for my use. I wonder if this will last until I'm done breastfeeding.

I'm working in a different building then when I pumped for Teagan so I'm using a different mother's room.  With the room I used for Teagan, there were times I thought I might explode due to scheduling conflicts or missed pump session times. However I did bond and make friends with the other mommas that used the room. We kept a journal in the room and wrote to each other while pumping. It was very supportive and I enjoyed being a pumping momma penpal.

I once had a week long training class in a building where our business people work (I'm in engineering). They had 2 mother's rooms and those rooms were booked solid all day. I had to pump in my car. Which means I had to park at the far side of the parking lot, use windshield sun shades, and hope no one walks by. One perk to being an engineer is that my coworkers are mostly male and thus less pumping mommas to use the mother's room.

The mother's room I use now is on a different level and a little bit of a walk. I can appreciate the extra exercise since I'm not at my pre baby weight yet. My extra out and about breaks has gotten other's attention. As I frequently pass the same people in the hall, they ask me why I'm on their level or out so much. I proudly tell them I'm using the mother's room. This quickly ends the conversation. I smile and watch them squirm from discomfort. I'm waiting for the day when someone asks what is a mother's room. Then I can make really them uncomfortable. Saying the word breast at work makes every male panic. It must be from all the sexual harassment training. Hehe.

Probably the only plus from pumping at work (yes yes I'm also providing food for my baby) is that it gives me time to read. I fogot how much I read pumping for Teagan. I never get quiet alone time to myself. I just finished The Sh*tty Mom. I plan on writing a post for this book. It is HILARIOUS. It makes laugh out loud. It's a must read for any mom. Thank you to my sister-in-law for buying me it. Anyways...my mother's room is on a busy hallway. I wonder what people think as they walk by and hear the repetitive pump (suck suck suck suck) along with laughter. It's all fun and games in the mother's room. :)

The joys of being a pumping working momma!

Love,