This time last year, I looked like this.
My maternity leave had already begun. In fact, I took almost a full month off before Penelope arrived. I was certain that she was going to come before her due date, so I thought I was only taking a week or two, at most, off before she arrived. Looking back, I am thankful beyond words for that month. I was highly impatient, but I still enjoyed the waiting very much. What a gift that time was. If you are pregnant, and can manage to do it, I highly recommend taking off as much time as you can before your baby arrives.
I spent my days sleeping in till whenever I wanted, leisurely having breakfast and then going for a long walk. I would eat again and do some nesting around the house and then take a nap. Eating, nesting, napping, resting, relaxing, walking, that is all I did for an entire month!
Once a week, I went to prenatal yoga and afterward met up with my friends at New Leaf for dinner. I treasure those moments so much.
I rented the entire collection of Mad Men and watched it ALL. Every time I watched an episode I needed to have a glass of milk and some cookies. I ate a lot of cookies and milk (and good stuff too, but man, I really craved milk and cookies!)
I will never again get that time back and I will never again be childless and have all the time in the world to do whatever the hell I want. I guess, except for one day, when I my children are grown and have left my nest.
The countdown to Penelope's 1st Birthday feels very much like the countdown to her arrival. The weather is the same, I feel like nesting, cleaning, creating, and tending to my garden. I feel like slowing down and waiting, trying to soak up these last few weeks of her babyhood. Remembering where I was this time last year. Just yesterday, we went to St. Mark's Wildlife Refuge and saw the butterflies coming in and it seemed like a blink of the eye that we did that very same thing, last year, except Penelope was in my belly still and this year she was carried on the back of her Papa as we hiked around.
I think in honor of her Birthday countdown, in the coming weeks, I will share some more pictures of what I was doing this time last year, so stayed tuned!
