Another Update

Brian's branch is being reassigned. Even though he maintains that it is a lateral move, I'm going to go ahead and tell everyone that it's a quasi-promotion. The new branch is an extra 5 minutes away (We love Vegas traffic). He's being moved from a medium traffic branch to a high traffic branch. At this new branch, he'll be the only licensed banker, meaning that he's the only banker able to handle investments and business accounts. So YAY.

For now, we've also decided to forgo daycare for Mia. Since Mia has stopped going to Kate's, we visited a couple of in-home daycares, but I still don't feel comfortable leaving her with a stranger (not to mention the fact that one stranger's house smelled like cats, and the other stranger's house smelled like curry - we did agree that curry is a better smell than cats...). My company isn't doing particularly well (financially - the healthcare industry has taken a big hit, insurance companies are covering about 30% of what they used to, it's not good), so my paychecks are often delayed by a few days (or weeks....), which has made our bank account levels kind of unpredictable. Read: I don't always know when I'll have wads of cash available to fork over to a babysitter. I have been taking Mia to work. EVERYDAY. It's actually been going well so far. She loves meetings, something about people talking between themselves rather than at her is probably soothing.

As I write this (see? I'm not terribly busy right now) she's napping in her Pack 'n Play. It's awesome, and everyone has gotten used to coming into my office and speaking in hushed tones.

Nesting Strikes at Work

Even though it is only 5 days into my due-month, I have convinced myself that I will not be going into labor by myself. This isn't 100% irrational (albeit about 90%), my contractions have slowed since my calendar flipped, and my desire for her to be born in May rather than June make believe that she will be born after my May 30th due date.

But, seeing as this could still happen anytime (May 22nd would be lovely, you listening, baby?), I must still diligently prepare for my departure from work. They say not to 100% make plans about your maternity leave until you have actually had your baby, the nature of my position with the company is that I cannot be 100% off for the entire 6-8 weeks. I have immigration petitions that have to go out between May 27th and June 30th, all of which have to have my signature on them. I, of course, do not feel comfortable signing them before I have reviewed them and they are ready to go, so I will have someone deliver the stack to my apartment to review and sign in between feedings. Let's hope this works.

Today, I looked around my office and realized that If I was to to into labor tonight and not be able to return tomorrow, it would be embarassing for the person who is somewhat taking over my responsibilities to sit at my desk and have to sort through my documents. There is an order to the way they are arranged, but that may not be obvious to anyone but me. So... I organized:

About 1/4 of the petitions that need to be reviewed, signed and sent out afer May 27th, now looking nice rather than being arranged in different piles according to what is missing.

The front of my desk, which used to be littered with the above pictured petitions in various stacks and the below pictured books.




My bookcase, whose contents used to also litter the front of my desk. Come to look at this picture now, maybe these books should be arranged my size... perhaps a Friday project.

I've also begun to make a list of the files and books that need to be dropped off at the apartment before my pseudo-replacement leaves on June 12th, for me to begin working at home once she leaves. She's already prepped on the hearings that are already scheduled for the next three weeks, but things get scheduled and rescheduled all the time, but I can only prep someone who hasn't been around for the past year so much. Or, I just have trouble relinquishing control (this seems like the most likely culprit).

I am looking forward to maternity leave, but I know that things will be a bit more stressful for me since I will continue to have my work responsibilities. I'll work from home from mid-June until the end of July, and then transition into working a few days per week in the office, or a few hours per day in the office and finishing everything else I can up from home. Even though I may not give 100% of myself in either my role as a mother, nor in my role as a full-time employee, I think this might be the best solution for us to cut the cost of daycare, and for me to continue spending as much time with the baby as possible. At least on days when Brian is off, I'll be able to a full uninterrupted day at the office. Let's hope she's a good sleeper, otherewise, this is going to be impossible.