Back to Work

On Tuesday, I went back to work. I was quite anxious during the weeks leading up to Memorial Day because I knew it would be really hard to leave Tucker. Even though he's a chunky monkey, he is really still so teeny tiny. It wasn't perfectly smooth, but the week was much better than I had anticipated. I'm optimistic that next week will be even easier. Here are few thoughts and updates from the week:

• I justify my time away by reminding myself that he still sleeps the majority of the time I'm away.
• Tucker's still struggling with a bottle, but every new day he seems to get a bit closer to being comfortable with it.
• Having Kris home (for a few weeks) during this transition is WONDERFUL.
• The mornings have been relatively smooth. Morning feeding at 6ish, cereal w/breastmilk around 10ish, nursing with mom at lunch.
• The afternoons have been less smooth. We still need to work on the 2-3pm snack session. I get home around 4 (will generally arrive at work at 7 most mornings) and am able to nurse him right away. It's great.
• I did come home early Tuesday because Kris couldn't get him calm after a really long time of trying cereal and a bottle. Every day since has been okay, though he's ready for his mommy at 4.
• I really miss my boys and I'm practically ready to run to the car at noon and four.
• I've successfully built up a nice stock pile of breastmilk and continue to pump multiple times a day.
• The dedicated breastfeeding room at work is wonderful.
• We plan to introduce veggies to Tucker this weekend - fun! It's a little earlier than I would prefer, but I think he's ready. Now comes the big question of the week, sweet potatoes or butternut squash?
• Owen is at home full-time right now and has been a huge help to his Daddy. Kris actually noticed that Tucker is much more willingly to try a bottle if Owen's in his line of sight.

Here are few photos of our goodbye taken the morning just before I left for the office: