My Office

I was listening to the recent PregTASTIC episode on decorating the baby’s nursery. Suddenly I realized just how different this pregnancy is from my first. With #1, we took time to set-up the nursery, acquire the desired furniture, paint and decorate, and get all the clothes and diapers in order well before Jonas joined us. I’m not sure a nursery will even exist when #3 joins us. Sure, it will at some point, but in those early days, weeks and perhaps even months, there might not be a designated nursery.

After #1, we joked about the how the crib didn’t even get used. Jonas preferred to sleep in our arms, our bed or in the bassinet right beside us. Anytime we attempted to put him into the crib, he woke up and started crying. It wasn’t until he was about three months old that we transitioned him into his crib and finally his own room. Until that point, the nursery served as the changing room and little else. Our second worked pretty much the same way and we plan for #3 to be likewise. But with #3, it’s not just about co-sleeping and late-night nursing sessions. There is one other component in the equation: the fact that I will lose my office.

We moved into our house a few years ago and finally I had an office. With a door. That locked. It was glorious. Being a freelance writer from home, I revel in my privacy, my ability to close the door, lock it and type away. I work in solitude (or muffled solitude as the walls aren’t soundproofed) surrounded by my books that are neatly lined on bookshelves, as natural light pours in through the two windows. It’s my ideal workspace (minus the soundproofing). And yet, I know I will soon be surrendering it to one of my children. Working on a laptop, I have the freedom to work from anywhere inside (or outside) of the house. An office isn’t a complete necessity. But I like it. I enjoy it. I will miss it.

And so, I am hanging on to it for as long as possible. I know the day will come when the desk will be moved out, the crib will be set-up and a new color palette will be chosen. But until that day is completely necessary, I’m going to close my door, roll up to my desk and stare out the window just because I can.