Maternity Leave

Where the heck did the time go? Tomorrow marks my first official day of maternity leave - a day I have been anticipating and a little freaked out about for... oh, about 9 months. I spoke to another one of the moms at my birthing group who was on her first day of mat leave when I saw her last and she had the same anxieties. Thankfully, I am not alone. Dood even said that I shouldn't look at it as anxiety but as "nervous optimism". That guy always knows what to say.

The reason I am a little anxious "nervously optimistic" is because I haven't ever really been out of work. The one time I was out of work I had a job before the end of the week. I guess it was a wake up call that my work is too much a part of my identity.

I'm nervous that I will have too much time to think now. To worry about all the things that could happen at the end of this pregnancy, during labor, as a new mom. Thankfully I slept quite a bit this weekend and I didn't have time to think.

My plan for the next few days (if I don't go into labor) will be to sleep, eat, poop and repeat. I'm pretty much going to be an infant before my infant arrives. I'm not really making many plans. I do have a check-up with my midwife and a visit with a friend planned... but that's about it. The rest will come as it may. I started to make some plans and then I kind of slapped myself and realized that this is not the time to make any plans. This is the time for rest.

UPDATE
Day 1: I slept in until 10:00 and then went for a walk and got some groceries
Day 2:  Got up at 5:00 and rolled plastic bags, made muffins, brownies, and supper. Went for another walk and to the birthing class.
Day 3: Slept in until 9:00 and went for a long walk with Mr. Newman. Paid a visit to the midwife. All is well.

This maternity leave stuff isn't so bad after all.