Since starting work my blogging time has been reduced. Part of it is that I have less free time and the other part is the brain-dead aspect of working nights. I chose to work nights because 1) I figured it would work better for the overall family dynamics and 2) I've done it before and did ok with it. 

It's going about how I expected: I'm very tired, but life isn't totally out of whack for all of us. And I kind of like the Secret Life of Walter E. Middy aspect of being out of sync with the world. When everyone else is sleeping, I'm helping babies be born and supporting new, dazed families adjust. I feel like it's a job worth going to which helps a lot when I really, really want to go to bed, not to work. Also, I'm so tired that I don't have the mental energy to agonize over it. I just make some coffee, put on my scrubs, grab my bag (already packed - must do) and go.

I come home as Natty is waking up and Murray is getting ready to go, say goodbye to him (we watch him bike down the golden avenue, piled high with leaves, on his cruiser bike - a fun image to carry with me), get Natty dressed, fed and take her to school. Come back home to sleep, wake up, go back to pick her up and then run errands, etc. We often end up hanging out at Victoria's Station, a coffee shop in Putnam. I've lived here about 2 months and am on a first name basis with the manager - what does that say? Natty is a creature of habit and we always sit in the same place - a yellow couch with gold and black velveteen pillows in a corner window. She checks to make sure we have our seat as we walk in the door and we haven't been out of luck yet. She gets a steamer (strawberry is the most recent flavor - yuck!), I get a decaf Americano and we usually split a treat. The staff is indulgent of my persnickety ways with coffee and they make a lovely cup.

One dark area of my life is that I decided not to go to grad school this spring. The program started in December and with the baby coming in January we decided I would focus on the kids a bit longer. I'm disappointed, there's no getting around it. But I also don't want to be a stressed mess with a new baby. That's no life for us. I admire families that juggle everything, but it's not the road we want to take. 

For now, autumn is beautiful and I just splurged on a snazzy double stroller - Phil and Ted's. I'll let you know how we like it when I get it assembled and road tested. Must hit the roads while the weather's good!