10 Things I'll Miss Most About Maternity Leave

My maternity leave is coming to an end. I'll be heading back to work, and my heart is filled with grief and excitement. I'm excited to be heading back to the daily grind and doing what I love. But, I'm grieving about being away from Princess and Baby O. This is my second maternity leave, and I thought returning to work the second time around would be a piece of cake. But, it's gonna be harder than the first. Here's what I'll miss most: 1. Not having a schedule. Aside from meeting deadlines for school, I really haven't had a set schedule for the last 12 weeks (except for things concerning the kids, of course). 2. Not having to get dolled up. My skin has gotten a much needed brake from makeup application. 3. Being home with my family during the evenings. I usually make dinner before going to work, and set it aside for Princess and her Dad. But, it's been nice being home at dinner time. I'm gonna miss hearing Princess's question of the day, "Mommy what are you making for dinner?" 4. Daytime walks. One of things I love about being home during the day is being able to go for a stroll. Both kids love being outdoors. I remember taking Princess outside as a baby and walking her around the neighborhood, whenever she'd get cranky. I do the same with her little Bro. The movement calms him down too. 5. Sleeping. I thought that being home with a new baby would mean little to no sleep. Baby O has been a pretty good sleeper, which has allowed me to get some extra nap time. 6. Free time. Spare moments are far and few between. But, I've been lucky to have the help of my hubby and my mom. I've been able to use what little time I have to exercise and run errands. 7. Bedtime with Princess. I usually tuck her in on the weekends. But, we've made bedtime a routine during the week. We read two books, say our prayers, chat about the day, and I'd rub her back until she falls asleep. I'm counting on my hubby to stick with this routine. She's come a long way, and her reading skills continue to improve everyday.

8. Family time. We're usually limited to family time on the weekends. But since I've been home, we've been able to chill more as a family. My husband and I managed to squeeze in a date night.

9. Spending the entire day with Baby O. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Baby O is mad cool. You can just look at him and tell he's got swag. Just like any other baby, he does have his cranky moments. But, he's just so much fun to be around. I love his contagious laugh. I love the way he kicks his legs like he's getting ready to get up and go somewhere. He's a busy little baby. I also love the way he sits back and observes everyone around him. His Dad thinks he's a mama's boy, and I have no problem with that.

10. Being a stay at home mom. Even though my maternity leave has only lasted 12 weeks, I still consider myself a temporary SAHM. Some people think all you do is sit on your butt all day. But that's so not true. It's hard work let me tell ya. Keeping the the house in order has been one of the biggest challenges. But, I've managed to work out a pretty good system. Bonus: Being able to take a trip at a moments notice. My maternity leave has turned out pretty well. The only regret that I have is that I can't extend it another 12 weeks. What did you miss most about being on maternity leave? What do you love about being a SAHM?