And, we have four kids.

Ok friends, I know I've been missing from the blogosphere for a way long time, but it's not without good reason; I promise! Our darling little daughter was born a couple weeks ago and I'm taking maternity leave - from everyday blogging, from freelance projects, from just about everything besides my wife and mommy duties until I feel well enough/rested enough to return.

Even though we have FOUR CHILDREN (ohmygoodness), I've never taken a maternity leave that really left me feeling settled at the end. When all of our other children were born, I was working (at least part-time and often from home); This sounds like a blessing, right? It is...until you realize that working from home means you're always at work. It seems like even from the right after my kids were born (days after) I was still in touch with the peeps back at the office - sending files, answering questions, checking email, and assembling reports and documents. I was grateful to have a job and this level of postpartum involvement was somewhat my choice (as a super workaholic) as well. While I thought I was doing something in the best interest of everyone, it was really kinda detrimental to those early weeks of baby/mom bonding. I was getting more stressed out than necessary (equalling a stressed out baby); not resting well enough; having anxiety attacks; not taking care of things at home; and, not eating right (often in excess, gaining weight instead of losing).

I asked to leave the hospital the day after my baby was born. My doctor and baby's pediatrician okayed it, but when my doctor (who knows my personality, obviously) looked me in the eye and said, "You can leave early, but you have to go home and rest." I knew that I'd be doing exactly that. It feels great to be taking this time off. This time with the baby and my other littles has been super important and despite the lack of sleep - restful!

I'll be back soon with the birth story, postpartum weight loss thoughts/ideas, recipes, funny stuff and more. I'll look forward to being back on the blog before long, but for now...it's time for some more baby snuggles!!

Take care, friends!!