Becoming a SAHM, part 2

So J and I came up with a plan.  I would work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  He would have one of those days off and take care of Abigail that day, and on the other 2 days I worked J'd work a closing shift at EB (a time when a retail schedule was a blessing).  That meant Abigail was only being watched by someone else for 8 hours a week, he'd drop her off at noon and I'd pick her up at 4.  I felt better about working knowing she wasn't in daycare all day.

When it was finally time to return to work, the hospital daycare didn't have any openings.  So my wonderful sister jumped in and said she'd watch her.  It was so nice to know that during the hours we were away from her she was being loved on by her aunt and cousins

So on my first day back I didn't have the dreaded drop off to deal with.  Thankfully!  I got up, got ready and left her with Jason.  It was still hard, I missed Abigail like crazy but made it through my short week and looked forward to the days I was home with her.  It helped that Abigail was such a good baby.  By 3 months old she was sleeping through the night,  I'd put her down at 7 and she'd sleep till 7.  She would drink from a bottle or nurse, she was happy and healthy, making it easy for others to take care of her.  During this time J loved hanging out with his Abigail.  He'd take her to Home Depot, he loved how she rode next to him in his truck.  It was sweet to watch him with her and see their bond.  The older she got the harder it was for him to drop her off at daycare.  I was so happy I didn't have the drop off, I got the happy pickup instead!

That fall my sister broke her ankle and could no longer watch Abigail.  I called and the hospital daycare and they could now take her.  It was nice to have her close to me.  I could pop in and check on her, and right when I was done with work I could see her.  I came to love those working at the ELC and they loved Abigail.  As she got older they always told me about how motherly she was, she'd help all the other kids (her same age), hand them their blanket, get their pacifiers for them and even try to put a shoe back on or button their coats. Her tender heart and compassion has been seen in her since she was very young.

So, with Abigail getting older it was time to have another one.  This time we got pregnant right away.  Life was good.  We had it down.  It'd be easy to add another one to the mix.  We'd just do it the same way.  Right.  Wrong.  That's when the curve balls came, when my perfect little plan wasn't going so perfectly.  That's when the Lord started changing things up, making me uncomfortable, pushing me in another direction.