Monday, April 26, 2010

Monday Morning Blues

Why is it that no matter how great the weekend was, or how early I managed to slip myself into bed Sunday night, Monday mornings continuously suck! Maybe it has to do with the fact I have to schlep myself to San Francisco, and the hubby gets to stay snuggled up in bed with our little boy for an extra couple of hours because he has the luxury of working from home twice a week – that might have something to do with it!

Today has started off a little rough and the glass isn’t as full as I’d like it to be. Thankfully the sun is shining, and I’m meeting the gang for happy hour tonight. Wow – my first happy hour in over a year and I won’t be sipping a mocktail! It will be a brief showing, but at least I can be there for one drink and some quick gossip before I hit the road. Mark’s cooking tonight, so I definitely want to be home for dinner.

During the early part of my pregnancy I avoided happy hours at all cost. For a casual drinker, it’s a sure give-away someone’s prego when they are dodging group orders at the bar, and sporting faux soda and lime beverages when their usual is a vodka martini straight up with a couple of olives. That’s actually how I was outted to the in-laws last April. About an hour into our visit, my mother-in-law looks over at my glass and says, “why are you drinking water?” I guess the look on my face said it all. Now here we are 12 months later and me drinking water in lieu of a cocktail is much more normal – thankfully. It’s amazing what a year, and a breastfed baby will do for you!

I mentioned it briefly in an earlier entry – breastfeeding has been an amazing experience, not to mention a much cheaper route to keeping my boy fed. And who doesn’t like the fact you burn 500 calories a day doing it, but pumping is a whole different story. To be frank – I hate it! This morning is a perfect example. I get to the office, turn the computer on, check some email, then hook myself up. Why on earth can I express 6 oz in 10 minutes from one boob on some days, but then mornings like today, I barely managed to squeeze 6.5 oz out in 20 minutes from both boobs combined – arg! Hopefully round 2 this afternoon will be better! The only thing that keeps me going with that damn machine is my drive to exclusively breastfeed Isaac for the first 6 months – then we will introduce solids. Here’s to learning to puree homemade baby food! In just over a month, Isaac will be enjoying green bean-mango surprise and God knows what else we come up with to serve as the main course, and I’ll be able to pump a little less, and still have plenty of milk frozen for him.

I'll wrap up my pumping rant with this, although it's very clear I’m not a fan of hooking myself up to a machine that is essentially milking me, I will give credit where credit is due. 45 minutes a day (divided through out my time in the office – I haven’t ventured into expressing while driving, although I have invested in a cigarette lighter adapter for the pump) keeps my boy fed while I’m at work and allows momma to have an occasional extra FULL glass of vino, or in tonight’s case – a guilt-free martini with a side dish of girl talk.

Hopefully by now you’re not thinking, God, doesn’t this girl have anything better to talk about then her getting to have a drink and why her breast pump is raking up the miles? Yes, of course there is, but when your life for the past 2 months has revolved around pumping and freezing breast milk, attending happy hour is much more than just a drink after work, it’s an accomplishment. I’m not just a working mom who is committed to keeping her son nourished with breast milk; damn it, I’m a working mom who can do all that and still have a social life!

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