I think I’ve found it. My groove, that is.

We are on day 2 of week 3 back at work, and I’m feeling pretty good. I’m tired and stretched thin, but I’m starting to recognize this new life as “normal”, which is great! After Lewis was born, I don’t remember how long it took me to accept working motherhood as normal, but I know it was much longer than this.

Don’t get me wrong, being away from my infant still doesn’t feel natural. But natural and normal are different things.

I have a rhythm and pattern figured out enough that things are predictable and manageable. I have a semi-schedule for laundry, dishes, groceries, getting up in the morning, bathing the kids, keeping up my own hygiene etc., and people end up with full bellies at dinnertime without too much stress.

The key? Relaxing my expectations.

Dinner, for example, is definitely not gourmet, and rarely made from scratch. Mac-n-cheese, quesadillas, take-n-bake pizza, chicken nuggets, eggs and hashbrowns, green beans from a can, pasta with sauce from a jar… it’s food. We’re full. Mission accomplished. I DID IT!

Laundry never gets folded the same day it is washed. That’s ok.

I only shower on days when I have to be in the office. Also ok.

The kids get bathed every other day. More than ok.

Sometimes we get our clean dishes straight out of the dishwasher because I haven’t unloaded it, and the counters are covered in dirty dishes. Sounds like a fail, but WRONG! We are eating off of clean dishes – Another win!

I  miss my babies all day, every day. I also miss my maternity leave and getting chores done more easily. This isn’t the way I dreamed of spending my infant’s early days. But I am absolutely killing it. If you count beating hearts, fully bellies, and happy humans, I’m coming in at 4 out of 4 every day. Go me!