Going back to work

I went back to work on the 1st and it has been going really well. I cried a little the night before, but since then I haven't cried! I was extremely stressed about the whole situation-leaving Caroline, pumping at work, the fact that I have been off for two months and feeling rusty , but it has gone so smooth! I am on Family Medicine at OSU and everyone has been wonderful. I feel like everything medical has come back to me really fast and I haven't felt rusty at all. All the attendings and residents have been so understanding and encouraging about pumping during the day. They allowed me use of an empty office. So far it is going far better than I could imagine. Caroline is eating between 9-13 oz during the day while I am gone and I am pumping between 17-23 oz at work, so I have been able to freeze a bunch too. I had a pretty decent stash stocked up (about 60 oz), but we haven't had to touch it! She is doing great with my mom and we are so so so thankful she is staying with us. It has made the process so much easier to leave her with someone we trust and love and know has Caroline's best interests at heart. Plus I am on the rotation with Julie, one of my best friends, so that is so fun!

When we got back from Florida, our garden was in full bloom. Two years ago we made the garden and planted a bunch of plants that would come back and added a smaller garden for summer flowers the next year. The first year our easter lilies had about 9 flowers per plant and were maybe a foot and a half tall. Last year the biggest had around 50. This year the biggest has over 100 flowers on the plant and stand about waist high. It is really impressive and I will put pictures up for comparison.

Our little Caroline is growing fast! When I scientifically (NOT!) weighed her she is weighing about 11 pounds! She has her two month appt on the 26th, so we will see then. She has gained so much more head control and is smiling all the time now. She truly melts my heart when I go to get her out of her crib and she grins from ear to ear. She has been sleeping wonderfully too, only getting up once during the night to feed! This has been a huge help, especially since I had to go back to work. Mike's job is still going great and we feel like we have been blessed in everything that we have!