Monday 19 September 2011

Baby milestone!

Or maybe it should be a mom milestone! Today, for the first time, I will let Alice in the hands of perfect strangers. Ok, they won't be junkies or homeless people (no offense to junkies and homeless people) but daycare workers at the community clinic. They know (in theory!!!) what they are doing but I'm still freaking out. Should I place my head between my knees and breathe...would this help me or is it normal to fear this milestone?!?

All of you, readers from the U.S. (and most places in the world), you can laugh at me as much as you want. I'm well aware that most of you had to go back to work full time when your baby's neck was not strong enough to hold is/her head up. Alice is almost 6 months old and, last night, I had a bit of insomnia because I would be without her for a small 2 hours while I go to a baby food workshop.

My friend (the one breastfeeding her baby under an apple tree) will be with me and her daughter will be with Alice at the daycare. This should give me just enough mental strengths to make delicious baby food without cutting one of my finger in the process ;)


Note: Take a look at this great article about breastfeeding in Mongolia.

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jen: Same thing for me! Ah, I love treasure hunts. So much fun. A few years ago, for my birthday, Dan made a treasure hunt for me and it was awesome. Some things never change.

lin: I'm so happy that you enjoy my simplicity posts. I will eventually write more about simplicity because it is such an interesting subject.

little gray pixel: Really? Well, I'm telling you to be bored at least once a month ;)

lina: Well, my mom tutorial is mostly in Hudson so you can imagine the over scheduling! I just can't believe that we never had coffee together...you should organize something!

uk lass in us: Ah ah ah! This was written in the book (they complain of being bored when they have to clean their rooms). So funny!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

ok, that article just blew my mind. Thanks!

sara-ananda said...

Funny, I left little a. today for the first time at daycare too! For 2 hours as well and I think it went well.
He'll go 2 days a week - divided in half-days mostly - but I feel SO guilty and terrible. I am sure it'll be fine and as you said, it's pretty normal in other cultures to leave your child at an early age. In France, I think it's 2 months and a half.

Although I think it's great that Canada offers one of the longest maternity leave in the world, it has a tiny down side: people expect new moms to want and be with their baby full time for a year. If you ever dared to dream about working part time, take classes, or do whatever makes you happy (other than being a mom), then you are kinda looked like a weirdo. Or a bad mother.
Honestly, I am sometimes jealous of A's dad who works full time and has a whole other full life outside of our home.
I wouldn't want to work 40 hours a week because I want to enjoy as much as I can of my baby while he's still small and needs me a great deal.
BUT I also need some time to do stuff for me. And further down the line, these things are also for us, for him, for our future.

So, yeah... Canada is notorious to be pretty sensitive (and sensible) about feminist issues but sometimes this maternity leave thing makes me feel unsettle about how, as a woman, I am suppose to only want to be a mother for 10 months. A little reducing, don't you think?

If only the social pressure and the guilt of a young mom could just not play a part into motherhood, everyone would be much happier!

Rebecca said...

Good luck! I'm sure it will be far worse for you than it will be for Alice!!

lola said...

awesome article... woa.

Last night it was bugging me that I couldn't pronounce your blog title so I got online and started learning french. :)

taryn said...

good for you! i am fascinated with this whole "solid foods" thing. it's still a month away for us and i am doing all sorts of research!

we certainly are lucky in canada with our maternity leave, aren't we? i couldn't imagine heading back to work yet, let alone at 3 months or earlier!

luke and pamela said...

i have been sharing that article with everyone i know! thanks for posting it.

one claire day said...

amazing article, thanks!

I'm a bit late leaving this comment...so how did it go? Did you both cope okay? x

megan said...

the mister and i were just talking about this the other day. i informed him that i wasn't sure if i would be able to leave e with anyone until she was 1. silly i know!

BeginnerGundamJ said...

Hey! That's Me/US in the photos! What a fun day!