The idea that maternity leave is coming to an end in a month is starting to set in. During my time at home with Giuliana I’ve (tried) to embrace every moment. I know this is the most precious time with her. The changes I’m seeing in her on a weekly basis could bring me to tears because I know in just one month I will return back to work and miss out on so many moments. Knowing and feeling this way help me to be a patient and better parent. During those nights when she wakes every 3 hours on the dot, instead of getting frustrated from being so tired, I welcome her cries and whimpers. Same goes for during the day. I know I’m not supposed to get her to used to being in my arms but the heck with it. I swoop her up and hold her while she sleeps on my chest for what could be hours sometimes. Who cares if I get zero things done. The time with her cuddling in my arms is so much more worth the shower I need to take, chores I need to do, or dinner I need to make. I breathe her in and just love the idea of being able to sit on the couch and be as close as I possibly can to her while she sleeps.

My MIL will be arriving in a few weeks, and although I love her very much and know how helpful she’ll be while here, the dynamics of the house will change drastically–it always does. However, I’m pleased she’ll finally get the chance to meet her first born grandchild. I know she’s ecstatic about the idea of being with her for 39 days straight. I’ve thought about how difficult it might have been for her not to have been present when Giuliana was born. For that reason I make an effort to send her pictures almost daily of the baby so she can see her changes occur right along with us. Since my MIL doesn’t speak English, it clearly makes things challenging for me. Luckily, while she’s across the world, living in Colombia, I can utilize Google Translate to communicate with her via Whatsapp–which I try to do as much as possible.

We’ve planned for her to come at the perfect time for (us). September will be a challenging month for me. It’s the month where so many changes will occur. I’ll be going back to work, returning to the gym, leaving my daughter for 24 hours to attend a bachelorette party night, and sharing my small two bedroom condo with my MIL. So many changes literally right around the corner. So again, it’s all setting in and the thought of it makes me want to love on my daughter that much more while I still have a few weeks left with it being just the two of us during the days and the three of us when my husband gets home after work  💞