And This Chapter Closes

I just put Dominic down to bed for the last time before I return to work. This last year has truly been the hardest and most rewarding year of my life. I would not change it for anything. 

I am looking forward to returning to work in some ways: Adult interaction, only worrying about myself for the daytime, being able to wear jewelry and wear my hair down... that's all I can think of at this moment. 

Mostly I am thinking about all the things I'm going to miss about being home: Dom's HUGE smiles and waves right when he wakes up in the morning (I'll be gone before he's up 4/5 days of the week), singing and dancing to Raffi together in the mornings, Dom and his goofy attitude and mannerisms, being home and getting my to do list finished every day, taking a nap in the afternoon if I so wish, spending lots of time with David and together as a family, and so so so many other things. 

I am lucky that I have every Tuesday (and some Mondays) off for January and February, so returning to work tomorrow doesn't feel TOO daunting. It is just one day, and then I get to have another normal day on Tuesday. Dominic is right in the middle of a really difficult leap in his development, which has brought on some separation anxiety (mostly in large groups) and clinginess (mostly if he's getting hungry or tired). In some ways it'll be nice to get a break from all that, but it also is hard to think about leaving an going about my adult life when he is struggling. 

I am also lucky that I have an end-date for my work that is already in sight. It is looking like my last day of work will be in the last week of March, where I will then take vacation for a couple weeks before starting my second maternity leave. It feels do-able. 4 day weeks for January and February, and then full-time in March, and then I'm off again for at least 1 year. I can do this. It's less than 3 months. (I have not forgotten that next time I'm off will be a lot different. A newborn and a toddler...). This is the best case scenario. I/we are very very grateful for how this timing has "worked out". I could not have planned it any better. 

David will drop him off at Louise's house tomorrow morning, so at least I won't have to do that! I'd be a disaster I'm sure, which wouldn't help the situation. She will be great with him, and once he gets used to the change he is going to love it there. I am very confident of that. That has made thinking about this change of pace much less stressful. 

We had the big Gerber Christmas this past weekend, and we were asked to reflect on our last year and share some words, traditionally in the form of a poem. Typically I have zero desire to do so, but this year I felt I actually had something to write about. I didn't anticipate getting emotional (despite the second line of the poem), but I choked up on the second LAST line and could barely finish it off. Luckily, when I teared up so did half the women in the room haha. 

Kimber Family Poem – 2017 (Gerber Christmas)

Dominic Stuart, you’re the highlight of our year.
Let’s see if I get through this without shedding a tear!
2017 brought struggles & love like we never knew,
But the good outweighs the bad 1 million to 2.

“Happy New Year,” I mutter with barely a stir.
Baby’s hungry. Again? Yup… that’s for sure.
January and February are all just a haze,
What felt like years, was really only days.

March is more of the same old tune,
Lots of birthdays, though. They say Oma turns 50 soon!
We surprise her with drinks at a pub in the city,
And share why we love her, not sparing the gritty.

In April, Dom is baptized in front of family and friends,
He spits up all over his outfit. Please… tell me this ends!
Sleep Training starts; let the heartache begin.
Rest, OH SWEET REST! Where have you been?

May makes it my first Mother’s Day!
Ow! OW! What, Dave? You’re Appendix? Oy VEY!
There’s always next year… Maybe that’ll be fun.
Who knew we’d be expecting yet another little one!

Opa turns 50 at the end of month June.
We all go to the cabin and drink by the lagoon.
Off to Chef Chris, we go to indulge,
We eat ‘til we’re full and our bellies all bulge.

July there’s a wedding! Let’s go get some sun!
Oh… lots of fire and smoke in the Okanagan.
It clears just in time and we celebrate gleefully,
The beautiful matrimony of Adam & Aly.

In August we find out we’re pregnant. AGAIN?!
We still have a little baby, but I guess if not now, then when?
In the Fall we adjust to the changes a-plenty.
Married 5 years! Cheers to the next twenty.

We end our great year with a surprise for our mister,
In May Dominic is going to have a little SISTER!
Our baby turns one. Where did time go?
The years go so fast, but let’s keep the days slow. 

Now for a different format... A photo for each verse of the poem.

Dominic Stuart, you’re the highlight of our year.

Let’s see if I get through this without shedding a tear!

2017 brought struggles & love like we never knew,

But the good outweighs the bad 1 million to 2. 

“Happy New Year,” I mutter with barely a stir.

Baby’s hungry. Again? Yup… that’s for sure. 

January and February are all just a haze,

What felt like years, was really only days. 

March is more of the same old tune,

Lots of birthdays, though. They say Oma turns 50 soon!

We surprise her with drinks at a pub in the city,

And share why we love her, not sparing the gritty.

In April, Dom is baptized in front of family and friends,

He spits up all over his outfit. Please… tell me this ends!

Sleep Training starts; let the heartache begin. 

Rest, OH SWEET REST! Where have you been?

May makes it my first Mother’s Day!

Ow! OW! What, Dave? You’re Appendix? Oy VEY!

There’s always next year… Maybe that’ll be fun. 

Who knew we’d be expecting yet another little one!

Opa turns 50 at the end of month June. 

We all go to the cabin and drink by the lagoon. 

Off to Chef Chris, we go to indulge, 

We eat ‘til we’re full and our bellies all bulge. 

July there’s a wedding! Let’s go get some sun!

Oh… lots of fire and smoke in the Okanagan.

It clears just in time and we celebrate gleefully,

The beautiful matrimony of Adam & Aly.

In August we find out we’re pregnant. AGAIN?!

We still have a little baby, but I guess if not now, then when?

In the Fall we adjust to the changes a-plenty.

Married 5 years! Cheers to the next twenty.

We end our great year with a surprise for our mister, 

In May Dominic is going to have a little SISTER!

Our baby turns one. Where did time go?

The years go so fast, but let’s keep the days slow.