A Night Apart

My girlfriends and I planned our annual girls weekend way back in November when I was seven months pregnant. As I agreed to the date I calculated that my baby would be about 6 months old at the time and that I would leave him/her (we didn't know the sex of the baby) with my husband and I would go live it up with the girls.

As the weekend approached I decided that I would take her with me. Another girlfriend, who's son is 10 months old, was bringing her baby. She was going to get a sitter. I was going to have my husband come drive to watch the baby when we went out (we were having our weekend about 60 miles from my house).

The more I thought about it the more I realized that I needed to take the step and stay a night away from the baby.

As the day approached I kept changing my mind. "I'll stay home and not go out that night," "I'll have my husband watch her while I go to dinner and then keep her overnight with me," "I'll just skip the dinner out and go home with her..." My husband was very understanding and basically said he would support whatever decision I made...

On Saturday morning I called him and said, "Ok, come down and get her." He came and picked her up around 3pm. We hung out for about 30 minutes and then I help load my daughter in the car. As I did, I started crying! I couldn't believe that I was so emotional about it! I kissed my daughter, hugged my husband, kissed again, hugged again, more crying... Finally, my husband says he's leaving. He closes the door and they drive off.

I cried for about 5 minutes as I walked to rejoin my friends at the beach. Then, I was fine! Fine? Yes. Happy? Yes! I enjoyed frozen yogurt, an un-rushed shower, a glass of wine.

We went out to dinner and I enjoyed the conversation and laughter with my girlfriends. I had a great evening. It ended sooner than I had hoped it would because I had to go home and pump my breasts (which, by 10:30 looked like implants). I fell asleep with no worries about my daughter and husband at home.

I woke up in the middle of the night due to the discomfort of my engorged breasts. I realized that I felt really OK being away. Then, I started feeling guilty that I wasn't thinking about them more. Well, obviously not too guilty, because I fell back to sleep after a few minutes.

I woke up the next morning, took another un-rushed shower, and had coffee and breakfast. I spoke to my husband and couldn't wait any longer to get back to him and my daughter. While the other girls were going to enjoy the morning together I bid them all adieu and headed home.

We all survived the night apart and I feel comfortable doing it again, though not too soon... =)