The Scrapbook: 2/7

We were in Stockholm this Saturday evening - Samuel and me, that is. Maestro H. B. had invited us to listen to his concert so we spent a wonderful hour at Konserthuset, listening to Bruckner's 9th symphony, then said hi to H. B., walked around the city, marveled at the Christmas display on the windows of the fancy NK department store, and had a lovely dinner date. The clock, of course, was ticking the whole time.

It ended up being the longest time I have ever been away from Lucas - 6,5 hours.

I've been thinking about this quite a lot. There are so many different realities and circumstances, possibilities and needs in different families, and without a slightest criticism toward other young moms I can say that I've never felt a need to be away from my child, to have a break, to do "my" things, to breathe "my" air. A lot of it comes down to the generous maternity leave system here in Scandinavia - I can literally drag out the time and stay home with my child for a good couple of years. Breastfeeding also plays a role - it puts very concrete boundaries to the ability of being away (unless one wants to mess with pumping - which I don't). The closeness - or absence - of grandparents or other possible babysitters affects the young parents, too. But all in all, other than reading in a cafe for an hour, I have never wanted to be away. Throughout L's first year of life, my "record" of being separated from him was four hours. It happened twice - once I attended a baby shower, once I sat in the emergency unit of a local hospital with a horrible breast inflammation.

I know other moms who have different style of life. In one family (where the mother was not able to breastfeed) the baby has been dropped at grandparents' place for a night every Saturday evening ever since the baby was a month old. There was a serious case of postnatal depression in this family so that one free evening / night has been a lifeline for them. And I am glad it has work out so well for everyone, including the toting grandparents who love messing with bottles and nappies.

If I'm away from L. for more than two hours, I start getting separation anxiety. He, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care at all haha! He has just so much fun with farfar and farmor.

We will see what the next year brings. I am happy to continue my routine - with an occasional hour here and there, writing articles in the church office or reading a book in Cafe Chocolate.

But our historic date night in Stockholm needed to be documented: