Things not to do when you're going back to work

I went back to work this week, and about the only thing I did right was starting on a Thursday, giving me the weekend to recover. I am absolutely thrilled about being back to work, but if you're ever returning to work after caring for your newborn for three months, try NOT to....

1. Have a sick kid. On Wednesday, the day before my scheduled return, we were in the pediatrician's office with Grant, who'd spent the morning crying inconsolably. Clearly something was wrong. He'd had a cold, so we thought maybe an ear infection, but the doctor didn't find anything. She did, however, plant horrible diagnoses in my head (i.e. twisted intestines) and advised us to go to the emergency room if he didn't improve. He did, but not before Mommy shed many a tear...

2. Go to a grueling Crossfit session. I joined this new workout program called Crossfit, where you basically do ridiculous workouts until you puke or pass out. Last Saturday, the workout was 180 push-ups and 180 kettlebell swings. I have never experienced such overwhelming upper body soreness. So I started back at my first day barely able to move my limbs.

3. Start a new job. I'm the Daily Breeze newspaper's newest columnist, which is pretty cool, since I can write about whatever I want. The column will largely be about young family life in the South Bay (think: longer blog entries). Check out the first column here. It runs every Saturday.