Bittersweet

Yesterday as I was lying in bed with Ayla trying to take a nap, I looked at her romping and playing instead of sleeping and I realized that it was going to be our very last full Monday together. It brought me to tears to think about it. Next week I'll be starting back at work and even though I'll only be doing part time hours it still makes me sad to know that I won't have all day to just laze about and enjoy Ayla's company. It made me stop to think about those moms who are able to stay home to be with their children and watch them learn and grow. Then there are the rest of us who for whatever reason can't or don't want to assume that role. I'm lucky to be in Canada where I get a year off for maternity and can have a small taste of what it would have been like to stay home all the time with Ayla. And next week will be my opportunity to see what it's like on the flip side of that coin. If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a mother it's that we must accept and appreciate the smallest of things life has to offer us. It's never been so apparent to me how fleeting each moment with her has really been. I've turned around and she's 10 months old and no longer a newborn and one day no longer a baby.