That moment...

...when you get your first post-mat leave invite to a mandatory evening work event and you realize you won't see your little one to bed that night.

:(

My Week Off

This was totally going to be my outfit this week...

What would you do if you had a real week off?

I'm not talking a family vacation. I'm talking a week off where you have the days to yourself, without kids, without spouse, with the comfort of knowing your kids are in good hands. Where you know you'll get cuddle time at the end of the day and you have the security of knowing you have a (good) job to go to at the beginning of next week.

The possibilities are endless, really -- which is why I chose to have such a week off when I set Isla's first day of daycare date (this week) and my back to work date (next week). In my head, the week would be full of "me time". And really, mamas, deserve a little "me time" after mat leave. We really should be at a spa for 24/7 with a martini in one hand (ok, I would like a beer) and a good book in the other, while someone is, like, rubbing our feet and giving us pedicure or some such.

We deserve it.

My week off? All I really wanted was a little nap time and some yoga classes (and hey, did you hear Track Fitness is having free yoga classes all week to celebrate its re-opening). At the end of the week, I wanted to see a few movies at TIFF. Daytime movies (with popcorn) are my idea of decadence.

SO WHY IS MY DAYTIMER SLAMMED FULL OF APPOINTMENTS THIS WEEK?! (and bigger question, why do I still use a daytime?!)

Today was insane. In addition to a late toddler wake-up, we waited at home for an hour for him to go to the potty (potty training time...weeee!). I checked Isla's going to school bag a hundred times, constantly adding another little thing that would remind her of home (Sophie La Giraffe) or me (family pics). And then we had the Isla drop off (took longer than expected), an Archer appointment (for over 2 hours), then an overdue lunch with a friend/colleague (which was nice, don't get me wrong), then rushed home to pump because, remember, I didn't wean?!, then I answered like 300 emails that came from all over the place, and then I ran to Loblaws to make sure my children don't starve to death and then I had to pick up Isla from daycare.

And you know what? Tomorrow looks about the same. More appointments, paperwork, more commitments.

Bah.

But such is life and the reality is that I had to jam in a bunch of these appointments this week because who knows what madness awaits me when I am faced with the reality of 2 full-time working parents and 2 kids next week. Will I ever get a workout in? Will I turn grey because I have no time to get my hair coloured? Will I turn into one of those crazy people with super long curly nails because I can never fit in a manicure?

Or will I realize that NONE OF THIS IS IMPORTANT in the big scheme of life, these are not real problems and by all accounts, this phase will end faster than we could ever imagine.

Besides... right now? I'm blogging (fun), watching Mission Impossible 3 (kinda lame) and eating popcorn (delicious). Life ain't that bad on my week off after all.