Top Ten Things That Rock About Being a Working Mom.

You've all heard me whine about how difficult adjusting to life as a working mommy has been. Well, today, Amanda over at oh amanda invited the bloggin' world to join her in writing a Top Ten list, so I thought I'd play along.

But to be different, I'm not going to whine. Instead, I'm going to tell you why having a full time job rocks.

1. It puts distance between me and the refrigerator. And the pantry. Both of which are very good things when it comes to losing weight. Since I went back to work? Six pounds have come off, which might not sound like a lot, but it's a start.

2. It gives me a reason to get dressed in the morning. When I was on maternity leave? It was sometimes 5 p.m. before I remembered to get dressed. And that's not a healthy way to live life.

3. It forces me to be (a little) more organized. I don't have time to waste searching for things I need, or washing dishes by hand 'cause I was too lazy to run the dishwasher. So laundry's getting done, dishes are getting washed...and sometimes things even get put away.

4. It's helped me to regain my conversational skills. When you're home alone with a newborn, little things like complete sentences go the way of the dinosaur. Talking to adults helps to bring your grasp of grammar back to life.

5. One word: Starbucks. Sure, we're on a post-maternity leave, permanently poorer because of day care budget. But I pass Starbucks on my way to and from the babysitter's house, and every once in a while, I indulge. Raspberry lattes (non-fat, of course) equal yum. Even better, since I'm no longer pregnant,  no one glares at me when I place my order.

6. I really, really appreciate my couch. During the last months of my pregnancy and the first months of Tori's life, I felt like my ass was permanently glued to its cushy surface. I was so sick of looking at my family room, I could have screamed. But now? Now it's a sweet, sweet haven of peace where I can curl up and sleep for, you know, five minutes.

7. Two words: lunch hour. That's right. Sixty whole minutes I get to myself. I can run errands, go to lunch with friends, clean...or sack out on the aforementioned couch for a while. It's heaven, people.

8. Friends! Most of my friends here in town all meet at the same place for nine, ten hours a day—work. And as much as I liked being home, it felt a little isolated. It's nice to have social interactions again.

9. Have I mentioned I actually like my job? It makes me feel, well, more like me. When I don't work, I feel like a part of my personality is missing. It tends to be the crankier, foul-mouthed side of me, but still.

Here comes the mush. Are you ready?

10. There's nothing better than coming home to a smiling baby. I race out of the office at the end of the day, knowing that gummy little grin is waiting for me. The moment I scoop her up makes everything else I had to do to get there seem completely worthwhile.