It's been almost a year and the moment has finally arrived.
I'm back in the office tomorrow.
Time has just whooshed by.
When The Goddess arrived last December, I thought I would have plenty of time to chill out with the children, see more of my friends and generally breathe out a bit more.
Instead, it's been really hectic, hard work and despite some lows it's mainly been good.
So what joys will returning to work bring?
Talking to adults without being interrupted.
Using my remaining functioning brain cells.
Wearing clothes that won't be stained.
No more anoraks.
Being plain old Sharon and not so-and-so's mum.
The cosy routine of office life.
That means cake when it's someone's birthday, cake when it's not. Daft jokes with your mates, diet food (you're always on a diet when you work in an office) and discussions that genuinely involves deep thought, such as the merits of jeggings versus harem pants.
What will I miss about being at home?
Snuggles, cuddles and kisses at random times of the day.
Watching the children grow and change and really feeling involved in their lives.
Cbeebies. How else do you think I got the housework done?
Seeing my friends.
Obviously, there's a whole lot more but you get the gist. Any parent who works is generally between a rock and a hard place.
Yes, you get the luxury of going to the loo all by yourself, but you can also be missing out on seeing your child's first steps, or an assembly, or parents evening.
Affording childcare, and the logistics alone are enough to make you want to cry on a daily basis.
You need to help bring home the bacon and have a sense of freedom, but at what cost?
And I haven't even started on the guilt aspect.
But I'm being positive and seeing it as the next chapter in this funny old thing called life.
Gotta run now. Nails to paint and bags to organise. In that order.
Wish me luck.
