Maternity Leave, By The Numbers

Numbers of…

…Weeks since I last taught school: 114 (includes the summer I was pregnant)

…Hours spent nursing: Way, way too many to count

…Diapers changed: An average of 6 per day times 730 days equals… about 4,300 diapers. (Okay, Edwin’s daddy and grandparents probably changed about 10% of those.)

…Miles pushing stroller on the Rail Trail: approx. 320 (I could have walked from Poughkeepsie, NY to Fairfax, VA)

…Music Together classes: 42

…Drafts of first novel: 9

…Blog posts written: 237 (including this one)

…Books read for myself: About 150

…Books read to Edwin: About 3,500 (with a LOT of repetition)

…Episodes of Sesame Street watched: All the seasons on Netflix

…Consecutive nights of interrupted sleep: 10 months

…Pounds lost: 33

…Mommy hugs, kisses and cuddles: Countless, and priceless.

It’s been a wonderful two years. Thank you to my husband and the rest of our family for supporting and enabling this gift of time for Edwin and me.

A new chapter begins tomorrow. Stay tuned.