six weeks

Today would have been the day my maternity leave was to end. At the beginning of my second trimester, I informed my then-boss Diana that I was pregnant and planned on taking six weeks of maternity leave. I had every intention of working until I went into labor and using up my annual and sick leave for maternity leave. But then we learned that the hub's job was moving to Oklahoma, and so were we. And I can honestly say that I had no idea what I was talking about when I said that six weeks was enough. It's not just that nights are unpredictable, and so is sleep. Or that the idea of leaving court every three hours to pump was a ridiculous concept and would have lead to me giving up breastfeeding very quickly. I just never knew (and how could I?) that my days are more than babysitting her - feedings, and naps, and diaper changes. And going back to work now would have been heart-wrenching. No doubt I would have been one of those mothers sobbing in the daycare parking lot.