I am going back to work a little bit earlier than most Canadian moms, after only nine months of maternity leave. My husband is taking the last stretch of leave available to our family, months ten, eleven, and twelve. At the beginning of my leave, nine months seemed like a lifetime, but here we are, just around the corner from my time “off” ending.
Some days, when everything goes smoothly, and the sun is shining through the windows, and the twins barely cry, and I get a shower because naps go well, I think I could do maternity leave forever. On those days, I’m wistfully sad about this time ending. On days when it’s gloomy and cold, I am repeatedly puked on, and I spend a lot of the day on my hands and knees cleaning up half-eaten quartered grapes mashed into the hardwood floors, I feel gratitude for the option of going back to work at all.