Date night

People weren't kidding when they told me that time would start to fly by once you have a child. Romy is two months old and just the other day, while holding a newborn who weighed as much as Romy once did, I realized my little one has taken off and is growing into a toddler before my eyes. Before I know it, she will be walking.

Post pardum depression may or may not effect you after you have a baby. I prepared myself for hormone hell, and after the first two weeks flew by without an ounce of irritation, i thought i was in the clear. It wasn't until week 6 that my new reality started to set in. Making the adjustment from me to MOM seemed to frighten me all of the sudden. Stress of finances, lack of "work", the unknown future, worries of whether i'm going to succeed with raising a child were all lingering and scaring the crap out of me. The good thing to know is, it was all normal. The first thing I am thankful for is girlfriends. without them, i may have allowed myself to sink deeper. the most important thing is recognizing your feelings, staring them in the face and devising a plan to conquer them. conquering them meant, to me, finding myself. the Pam i knew pre-pregnancy...the woman who got lost in maternity clothes and hormone hell.

date night. an absolute necessity in regaining your spiritual strength, reconnecting with your mate and reminding yourself you are a woman who deserves to feel wonderful and sexy -- even all the while keeping your MOM priorities -- just on back burner for a mere evening in order to recapture your sanity.

24/7 is a lot of time to spend with your newborn. while most of it is awesome - there are times when i stepped back and asked myself....oh my god....can i just sleep NOW. maternity leave is a must, and a much appreciated leave of absence from work, but make no mistake...this is not a vacation. this is an exploration of self...finding the best way to slowly acclimate yourslef into a new life. it takes a lot of effort, patience, and understanding - all from within.

i am so thankful to have gone out to dinner with Ted over Valentine's Day weekend. It became a huge eye opener - a breath of fresh air - my mini theraputic vacation - from my MOM duties. It was refreshing, comfortable, enjoyable - heck, it was so much fun! i saw what i love in me ...i could breathe easy and relax and not worry. one, just one of these every other month or so...i believe, will keep me on my feet. that, and a refreshing visit to the hair salon.

Being a MOM is the hardest job i have ever had but truly the most rewarding. but even the best jobs in the world need stepping away from so you can truly enjoy the beauty of them.