Why Moms Need a Break

I love my daughter. And I have had time away from her since she was born two months ago; Jeff and I even went on our first Lily-less date last weekend. However, until today, I had no idea what a massive difference there was between running errands by myself and actually having a day just to be on my own.

Jeff has been working long days this week with a lot of evening commitments. Last night, he asked if he could go out with one of the other dads in our neighborhood after work, and I was more than happy to say yes; C. is a great husband and a great dad, and Jeff needed the time with another guy. As expected, the boys had a wonderful time, but what I didn't expect was what Jeff told me when he got home. Basically, he declared today a "Mommy Break Day," meaning that he would take Lily while I took the day to do whatever made me happy. I couldn't get over the incredible gift of time I'd been given!

So, today, Lily spent the day with her daddy in Georgetown. They walked the waterfront, fought to find a place with a changing table in a mens' room (seriously, world--it's acceptable to assume dads don't have little ones to change?!?), and had bottles (beer for Daddy, milk for Lily) outside in the sunshine. And while all that was happening, I had my first pedicure in nearly a year, had lunch with my awesome friend M. out in the sunshine, drank the first cosmo I'd had since before I got pregnant, and sat outside with a glass of wine, happily reading my Kindle without a care.

It's one thing to be a husband. It's another thing to be a father to a daughter. But it is a completely different thing to be a father to your wife. Today, Jeff gave me the gift of Mommy's Break Day, the gift of time with myself and with a close friend, the gift of realizing I am still someone independent of Lily. And, while I couldn't wait to snuggle my little peanut when I got home, I'll be remembering that cosmo in the springtime sun for many days to come.