A Letter to Riley - Working Mom

Dear R -

Tomorrow I go back to work after 12 wonderful, amazing, stressful, emotional weeks with you, my baby boy.  Today has been the worst day in 12 weeks because I am in complete dread.  All I can do is cry.  I have zero desire to go back, but Dad says it's what is practical, financially responsible, blah, blah, blah.  As you'll soon find out, I'm the emotional one of your crazy parents and I do not want to leave you, even if that means living in a shack.

However, I don't want you living in a shack, so going back to work is the only option.  It would be better if we could afford a nanny so that you are home, but we can't.  We are in that section of the graph where I make far too much money to stay at home, and not enough to afford a nanny.  So day care it is.

Nana stayed home with my siblings and me and Grandma stayed at home with Dad while he was young.  Am I doing a complete disservice to you?  Dad and I want to provide you with the best life possible now and later.  We don't want to burden you with being financially responsible for us when we're older and we want to give you the best education possible.  That means for the time being, I have to go to work.  I hope you're too young to remember this as my goal is to definitely be part time by the time you are in kindergarten.  And who knows, maybe a million dollars will fall in my lap.

Until then, I want you to know that it breaks my heart that I can't be with you all day.  You are the sweetest, cutest, most cuddliest baby boy and I am grateful for every second of the last 12 weeks with you.

I love you to the moon and back.
-Mom