I recently went back to work after 13 months. Due to a short hospital stay at the end of August last year, just under a month before giving birth, I started maternity leave a couple of weeks early. I’m fortunate that I am going to be working part time for the next year or so rather than full time. However, I’m still missing Autumn like crazy!

To make myself feel better, I’ve decided to try and focus on the positives of going back to work.

1. Less pooey nappies

Autumn’s routine for dirtying her nappies seems to be in the late morning. As such, I will probably miss out on having to change a pooey nappy 4 days a week! This is one of the biggest positives, I realised, while I was sitting at my desk forcing myself to not keep thinking about her on my first day back.

2. Hot tea

At work, I can go and make a cup of tea (herbal, I’m afraid I don’t like the normal kind) and drink it when it’s still hot. At home, I have to keep my mug in the kitchen or in a high place while it cools down. Inevitably, it gets forgotten and by the time I remember it, it’s gone cold. Even if I make it to the correct temperature, the same thing happens, as Autumn is always very interested in any glass or mug left on the coffee table. By interested, I mean she grabs them and starts waving them around. We then have to leg it across the room and make a quick dive, a wild look in our eyes.

3. Lipstick

Whenever I put on certain lipsticks, Autumn just always seems to know that they smudge and rubs her hands across my face. It’s always dark ones or really bright ones too. When I went back to work, I was so excited that I could wear my red liquid lipstick without having it smeared across to my cheeks. Believe it or not, I don’t tend to set out to look like The Joker when I do my makeup!

4. Peeing

You may remember my blog post about the things that have changed since I became a mum. Of course, one of them was that I could never have a pee in peace. Well, now that I’m back to work, I can! I’ve realised that I’m a lot quicker to use the toilet and get back to my desk these days too. I think that just shows how I’ve learnt to do tasks really quick as a mother, because if you don’t, stuff gets destroyed (or worse, the baby could get hurt!)

5. No crying/screaming

My days with Autumn were sometimes quite literally a headache, made all the worse when she cried or screamed about something. It was always that I just wasn’t doing something fast enough. Often this was preparing food in such a way that she’d be less likely to choke on it. Of course, this wasn’t something that crossed her mind. When she wants food, she wants it. NOW. I really enjoy not having the crying and screaming around me when I’m working. I do miss Autumn’s babbling and constant saying of the word “Daddy!” though, it’s adorable.