Julie and I dropped off Lyla at school this morning, and then I drove a tearful Julie to work. It reminds both of us of when Julie first went back to work after her maternity leave ended. Back then, Julie felt wrong being away from her daughter all day, like she was contradicting some vital instinct. Today, that feeling came back. Leave Lyla with other people? With others? As in not us?
I'm fine with it, I think, but it does feel weird. I rationalize it by telling myself that it's ultimately what's best for Lyla: interact with other babies, develop immunities from all sorts of germs, learn from adults with child development degrees. My brain has this all figured out, but at the moment it's struggling to communicate to the rest of me, the part of me that says she's not here, I can't see her, hold her, play with her, put her down for a nap--and she's not with Julie either, not with family, can't see her...can't see her.
I'm being a total dork about this. Man up! Maybe I'll watch a movie.
*Update*
Julie called the school at 11:00. All is well. Lyla likes the indoor jungle gym thing and nearly grunted her way up the stairs to the slide. She also slept for 45 minutes, chugged a bottle, and ate solid foods. So far, she hasn't done anything to get expelled.
*Update*
After picking Julie up from work and driving to Lyla's school, we found her fast asleep, her third nap of the day. One young lady in the class, extremely verbal for being technically pre-verbal, had been saying "Lyla" all day. I think they will become BFF.
And now we're all home, cheerful survivors of the first day of school, no longer apart.
3 comments:
Hi Cuz,
I thought you'd enjoy this article.... http://www.newsweek.com/id/210252?GT1=43002
Courtney
Thanks, cousin! Happy birthday, btw. :)
Major parent milestone! Totally harder on the adults than the kid, but really that doesn't make that stomach pit feeling any easier. Best of luck with school, school, work... looks like Julie got the short end of that stick!
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