Recharge week

One of the things I really like about paternity leave in California is that you don't have to take it all at once. In my case, I took three weeks off when my Son was born, and then went back to work with another three weeks in the bank. The only requirement for the leave is that you have to take it all within a year after your baby is born.

So, this week I'm taking another week of paternity leave. I'm calling it the, "catch up on sleep and give mommy a break" week. So far the results have been excellent. I've been watching Tommy while Jenna does a variety of appointment and takes some time for herself. Also, Tommy has gotten in on the game by deciding to sleep seven hours between feedings at night. That means we can put him down at nine and not have to get up again until four or five. The other benefit is that we can go back to sleep after he wakes up at four.

It's funny how much sleep matters. I feel like a fog has lifted. I'm thinking more clearly and more interested in the world around me. I highly recommend this strategy to other new dads, and am grateful that someone suggested it to me before Tommy was born.