Morning all!!
Beautiful day in Provence, cold but sunny.
(btw bebe, will there be more light and sun when you are in the US? I think that makes a huuuuuuge difference to mood.)
Boff, I had some fit colleagues in my old university (lawyers and economists seem to be better looking than language/lit specialists).
This guy who is a law professor is very good-looking, but looks a right cheesy idiot in the photos I've found online.
Re the struggles, I agree that there are six more potentially bad months to go, but things could get easier much sooner. Bebe, you have come through loads already in the last 6 mths, with all your BFing troubles and illnesses. Christmas provides cheer and relief, and then once the deep winter is over and the teeth are out, things will really, really look up. Moo will be chattering and walking, and that phase is sooo much more fun than babies, and IMO just as cute.
That seems endless, but if you think back to this time last year, when we were all just getting to know one another and adjusting to being PG, it doesn't seem that long ago, does it? [hopeful optimistic emoticon].
Solitude is the killer, I find. And I mean solitude from other adults.
In the day, I work alone in my study or am in the classroom at work. Once a week I eat with colleagues and if I didn't do that I would be really really deprived of adult conversation. I rush every day to get everything done, and am always behind and always botching work and everything else.
Every evening in the week, as of 4:20 when I pick up DS1 at school, I know that my day as a "free" adult is over. I have to get the boys home, entertain them while I cook, feed them, bath them, wind them down and get them to bed. And then I am alone in the house till DH gets home. I can't even go out for just a 5 min walk to clear my head, and that is what I find rough.
DH works damn hard and v long hours, but he has choice and more freedom; he knows I am at home with the kids, so he can call to say he'll be home late or he's off to see a mate/have supper with friends/play squash. I think he has little idea of how demoralising it is not to have even the questionable freedom of thinking "I have to get this work finished, I'll stay on at the office a bit longer." Or even of being stuck in traffic without panicking about who can get the kids for you because you're going to be late. Never mind the enjoyable freedom of answering the phone and saying, "A beer this evening? Sure, I'll just call Auld and let her know." To be fair, when it's the latter he calls to ask if I mind, but I never say "Don't have a beer with your mate, come home instead" as I know I'll be clearing up/ working/ ironing anyhow. It's partly the restrictions that get you down, the not being able to do things on a whim. You feel as if your life as an individual is over and you will always be stuck with a baby.
But it does get better, and if you try and find more RL adults to meet up with (even though you might not normally go to groups/ clubs, etc.) then you will feel better for having adults to chat to face-to-face. I think the internet is a bit of a false friend in this respect. It's great to come on MN and post and read and discuss things with others, but it doesn't get you out of the house and out of your thoughts as much as actually seeing people.
God, that was long and I never even said half of the catch-up things I had planned to.
MUST do some work.