Things I Learned This Week

Well, it's my first week back working for the man. Here are the things I am learning this week:

1) There is a special, eighth level of hell especially reserved for new mothers who have to leave their young babies at daycare. I used to smile sweetly when a new mom would tell me she cried every day for a week when she had to leave her little angel at daycare for the first time. I thought it would feel like when I have to board Sybil at the vet's when we go home for Christmas. I did not realize it would feel more like someone had borrowed one of my limbs for a few hours and told me to function like a normal, smiling human being without it while my heart crawled into my little toe and cried.

2) Just because you have a little angel does not mean everyone you care about will be able to drop all their plans and rearrange their lives to celebrate her milestones with you. Hmm, I thought - how can they not all be as fascinated with her eyelashes as I am? BECAUSE SHE IS NOT FLESH OF THEIR FLESH, that's why. So I need to get over my disappointment when people can't make it to events I deem important. Suddenly, I realize the handiness of the nuclear family, and more importantly, the husband. Before he was a fun guy to vacation and canoodle with, but now I realize he is also the only other person in the entire world who is as excited about the little angel as I am. No wonder people place so much importance on family to the sacrifice of jobs, hobbies and friendships. This was all new news to me, who has always considered her close friends to be extensions of self. What, we're different people? I thought. Well, yeah, and that's okay.

3) Ironing is overrated.