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Waiting on Baby and Transitioning to Working at Home Full Time

January 20, 2017 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

Baby boy’s due date was January 16. He’s officially late… so much for my instinct of thinking he’d be early! But, from what I’ve read, this is pretty normal. About 50% of all babies are born AFTER their due date.

Credit: Doula Support

Little Miss was a late one too; I developed pre-eclampsia late in my pregnancy, and my blood pressure skyrocketed when I hit 41 weeks. I was induced, and she appeared rather quickly thereafter; just a 13-hour labor. This time around, so I’m told, I should have a speedy delivery… whenever he’s ready.

In the meantime, there’s a lot of waiting going on. I’m trying to keep Little Miss and myself as busy as possible, but I’ll admit: every morning I wake up and I can’t help but think… well that was another night he didn’t arrive, and another day of waiting. Because most people go into labor at night, right? When they’re the most relaxed? (Feel free to share your story below!)

Transitioning to WAHM status

This past Thursday was my last day in the office at The International Kitchen, meaning I’ve officially been “home” for a week now. I’m still working (with my personality, it’s hard for me to NOT work honestly), but it’s definitely on my own schedule now. For me, this often means working during Little Miss’s naps and after she goes to bed.

Visiting the Chicago Kid's MuseumThat also means I’m just doing a couple hours of work a day. (Because let’s face it, I’ve been taking a cat nap nearly every day this month). Honestly, working gives my brain something else to do other than think about WHEN our new baby boy is going to arrive.

I’m also trying to focus on the positives of waiting…

More Time with Little Miss

For starters: more time with Little Miss. Even though I was only in The International Kitchen’s office twice a week, I can tell Little Miss is enjoying having me around (for the most part). We went over to my mom and dad’s the other day to go to the Children’s Museum, and when I told her I’d be staying — rather than dropping her off to go to work — she gave me the biggest smile and hug.

She’s definitely been soaking up all her mama and me time, and I’m glad I can give that to her before her brother arrive. As much we’ve tried to prepare her for life with baby brother, and as much as I know she’ll be excited, it’s going to be a big adjustment, especially once he starts sleeping in her room, whenever that may be (and if you have any tips on that, feel free to share them below too).

Nesting Time!

Cousins huggingI’m cleaning, purging, and organizing like I NEVER have before. Those who know me well know this is a BIG deal. I wasn’t even this extreme when I was pregnant with Little Miss (then again, I worked straight up until I was induced, essentially). I’ve donated and thrown out more bags of stuff than I can count… and something that has been on my to-do list since I was pregnant with Little Miss is happening too: my office is starting to feel more like an office instead of a dumping grounds for papers and a mish mash of stuff!

It feels soooo good making this room a haven of sorts. Not only have I “released” a whole ton of papers that I no longer needed, but I’ve packed away some books and my old writing — things I can’t dare part with but don’t need to be shoved in my bookshelves and drawers — making the small room feel welcoming rather than a stressful.

Plus, an organized office makes me happy because it means I’ve reached a goal of mine: I’ll be working from home full time for the foreseeable future. I have zero idea what my ‘schedule’ will be like of course — and you’re probably laughing now like I am too, because what kind of ‘schedule’ does one even have with a newborn other than ‘survival’? But at least now I have a place that feels truly dedicated to my work.

So that’s what my “waiting on baby” looks like. It’s hard to believe I’m “only” four days past my due date. It feels like an eternity waiting for him to be ready… but I hope he knows we’re ready for him, and we are so ready for the next chapter in our lives as a family.

***

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Filed Under: Family & Lifestyle, Parenting, Work From Home Tagged With: family, goals, life with kids, little miss, parenting, wahm, waiting on baby, work from home

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When do you set aside time for writing? (Not work- When do you set aside time for writing? (Not work-related, but for a creative project, whether it’s for fun or eventual publication).I bookend my days with my creative writing.After the kids are off to school, I take 15-30 minutes to journal and/or work on my latest WIP. This is almost always on the computer.Once the kids are in bed and after I’ve had time to decompress, I pick up a pen and write for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. This is usually in my journal, but sometimes it’s on a printed version of my WIP.I know this schedule won’t work for everyone, but as someone who works from home, it’s helped me keep my creative writing from falling to the wayside due to other work and life priorities.Plus, I like to believe that my brain keeps working on my WIPs while I sleep, when I work on my writing before I go to bed. 🙂Sometimes I write terribly.Sometimes I can’t think of the right word.But sometimes the words flow, and then it feels a bit like magic.Earlier this year, I made a commitment to myself to prioritize my creative writing the same way I prioritize doctors’ appointments and other ‘non-negotiables.’Have I missed days? Naturally. Life happens.But this structure - this dedication to showing up to the page - has helped me in countless ways, and I’ve made more progress with my creative writing than I have in YEARS.Looking for some accountability with your own creative writing?I have two FREE options for creative writing accountability in the new year. Shoot me a DM and I’ll share the details 😉#WritingCommunity #Creativity #MomLife #AmWriting
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