Empty
After four months of Eric and just over two months of Lucy at home full time, both of my family members returned to work and daycare, respectively, yesterday.
It was like back to school for everyone. Our routine was re-established, and will remain for a little while anyways. Until, you know, a baby invades the house in causes all hell to break loose.
I didn’t write too much here — except for loud Harry and Tanya — or talk with anyone, really, about how difficult the summer was working from home with all those extra bodies in the house (Shelby included). It wasn’t fair to me or them, because that was our reality: Part choice (sticking with a caregiver we love) and part circumstance (Eric unexpectedly losing his job).
It wasn’t any one of them in particular, it was just having them all at work with me. Imagine bringing your husband, kids, dog and babysitter into the office with you. Every. single. day.
But we survived. And remarkably, I met all my magazine deadlines. Launched a business. Kept Durham Mom’s Night Out going. Did not kill anyone.
And it really was a fun bunch of weeks that we’ll never be able to duplicate again. We ate lunch together every day. Took special afternoon trips. Played a lot. Fought a lot, too. I don’t think Eric and I, in almost 10 years together, have ever had such a long stretch of uninterrupted — by work — time together; ditto for the three of us since Lucy was born, except for the odd week of vacation.
It is now so quiet in the house. Spencer asleep at my feet, the gentle hum of a lawnmower down the road, just my fingers tapping on the keys. Work. Efficiency. Normalcy.
Empty.
At least for a little while.
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Enjoy it while you can. My water broke the morning of my last day of work. I didn’t even get a weekend to myself before Brandan arrived. Sounds like there’s never a dull moment in your household, so when baby #2 arrives you’ll be well prepared. Sometimes the unexpected events in our lives turn out to be the best memories.
Hey did he get the job that he had just interviewed for when I last saw you? If so a big congrats and that must be a relief to you all. Enjoy a few days of quiet!!