Back To The Salt Mines

I've accepted a new position, and will be returning to work in two weeks. It is really bittersweet. On the one hand, we need the income -- it's that simple. On the other, it will be so hard to go back after having so much time at home with X.

Don't get me wrong: the hardest days with X (teething, grumpy, won't-take-a-nap, won't-eat-his-dinner kind of days) made me long for time away, or even just for some help. But they are days I'll never get back.

I'm second-guessing myself now, to be honest. About everything. I know that in the long run, it's just a decision that had to be made. But now that I've had a few days to adjust to the idea of going back to work, I wonder if I did it right during this time off from the 40-hour work week. Did I spend enough time with X? Did I pay enough attention? Did I bond adequately with him? Did I cuddle him enough? Did I help him learn?

How will we spend these last two weeks? Well, X has been going part-time to his sitter the entire time I've been looking for work, so that he wouldn't lose his spot and also to keep him socializing with the other children in his sitter's care. So, he has a couple more days of part time care before going back full-time in June.

We are also traveling by car to visit my husband's family in Florida. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and having a week of beach time. Also, we will meet our new grand-niece for the first time, a tiny baby girl born on May 14th. It's the first long trip we will have done since Christmas, when X slept for pretty much the whole ride. I have a suspicion that this trip will be quite different, however we will break up the ride and stay a night in a hotel on the way there and again on the way back.

Then, back to the salt mines.