Returning back to work...

I was "reorganized" out of my job, better known as LET GO, LAID OFF, CANNED and whatever else you call it, at 37.5 weeks pregnant.

During this time, I looked for work actively and delivered and cared for my baby girl full time. I am lucky to report that I am returning to work effective Monday, February 11th. I am mixed with emotions and can best sum them up to bittersweet. Thus I have been quickly adjusting to life back at work and taking care of my baby.

I would be crazy to say I am not having a major anxiety attack over the sudden changes. Some random thoughts through my head

• Will my baby forget that I am her mother?
• How will I balance work and wanting to spend time for her?
• How am I gonna wake up and get her out of the house at the same time?

To answer my own anxiety ridden questions, who forgets their mother..no one! To achieve work life balance, I have signed up for mommy and me classes, meetups and pretty much have scheduled my weekends to be all baby all day. Finally, organization and routine are the only way we will get out of the house on time.

I keep repeating, I am not the first mom/dad to go back to work and I won't be the last. Will it be hard, of course but I HAVE to get through it.

Looking forward to being a proud working MOM!

Help! I have no Mom Friends, is it important and how can I make some?

It is completely true that once you have a baby you will never go back to  the person you were pre-baby. Your life revolves around your Little One and as they start getting older you want to cultivate friends for them but what do you do if you have no mom friends.

I am in this situation, a lot of my friends do not have babies and therefore I feel a slight disconnect because this little person has me changed so much. I have never been one to require a lot of friends but since having K, I want to cultivate more relationships with fellow moms.

K had her first playdate with a friend of mine's daughter, the experience was nice for the babies but even better for the moms. Its a time to vent, asks for opinions on all things baby. In fact, we spent the majority talking about our little ones from diaper brand preferences to how many times a week we bathe them.

It was nice, having a familiar friend in the situation but of course I want K to have maximum exposure to babies. So I began looking for ways to meet other moms and I have had some mild success in meeting new people. I come from a background in Career Services and the single handed best way to land a job is to NETWORK. Well, I have taken that same philosophy and am networking my way into a few groups

1. Signed up for Living Social and Groupon
I signed up for both services before baby to go to restaurants and do adventurous things. However, I noticed that one offered a baby sensory class which engages her to play using all of her sensory. We attended the class and met a few other  moms and made a contact with a mom, who has a facebook group.

2. Facebook
There are several mom related groups on Facebook. The group I am a member of is a private group so locations, details cannot be seen. I have noticed that they have yet to do a meetup but at least I am in the loop.

3. Meetup.com
Similar to Facebook, there are several groups on their and meetsup are encouraged. K and I have our first meet up today at a local park. I will let you know how it goes.

All in all, its a bit awkward to build relations with random strangers. However, I have noticed that it is good to get out of my comfort zone and expose my daughter to new experiences.

Until next time.

How becoming a mom has changed me!

They are so many cliches about the moment they place your baby in your arms, how everything changes, how you will never be more in love than will you see s/he. It's true, I have never been in love more with anyone and I think about that moment every day. My daughter will be 4 mos and boy has she brought about changes. Here is my list on how becoming a mom has changed me.

• I am always TIRED! I don't think I have had a solid night's sleep since being pregnant. Sure, she sleeps through the night but I am so busy trying to get caught up on housework that I don't sleep.
• I have become more domesticated. Before Baby, I liked to cook but cleaning, finding things for the home were not my forte. Now, I am constantly looking at things for the home that keep it clean, organized or smelling great.
• I CLEAN daily. Like I said, I don't enjoy cleaning at all besides for the Kitchen, bathroom etc...Well having this baby I clean daily and have a routine. I must say I get satisfaction out of sweeping the tile daily.
• I MULTITASK. Yeah, I've heard it you can't really multitask but seriously I do. In the morning, my husband watches baby, I put bottle in warmer, walk the dog, feed the dog, take bottle out, change baby diaper and feed. 
• I HAVE DONE WHAT I SAID I WASN'T. Prior to baby, I had grandiose unrealistic expectations ideas of what I would never do. For Example, I was against COSLEEPING, guess who cosleeps sometimes...ME!
• I am searching for MOM FRIENDS. Again, I have always been shy and somewhat of a loner but since having baby, I have had a quest to find moms with babies. I feel that by making friends, I can bounce ideas, the babies can get together.
• DISORGANIZATION to ORGANIZING CHAOS. Before Baby, clutter and papers littered the house, bills got paid but not efficiently. Because spending time together as a family is so important, we have been streamlining our papers, filing away mail and trying to de-clutter our house one day at a time.

These are just a few ways that being a MOM has changed me. I do know that each day, I strive for better and I have a motivation so strong. I look forward to seeing the evolution of me, a year out, 2 years out and 18 years out.