This post is dedicated to all the single working moms out there. Or all the single moms. Or all the working moms. You know what, it’s dedicated to all the moms out there because you’re all rocking at what you do, even if you don’t know it.

I had my first experience as a “single working mom” this week. B had to be out of town for work super early one day so it was my turn to do the dreaded daycare drop off AND pick up.

It was my first drop off. I expected a few things going into it: first that I’d have to get up super early if I wanted to work out, get ready for the day, feed and change FW AND make it out of downtown and back to downtown by 8 a.m. Second, that it’d be hard because I hate saying goodbye to FW in the morning.

Well, it was both of those things times ten. Of course when my alarm went off at 4:58 a.m. I didn’t want to get up. It felt like I had just fallen back asleep from FW’s 3 a.m. feeding and it was SO COLD and dark out. I managed to get out of bed only 15 minutes later than I wanted to, and got in a 29 minute workout. Not quite what I wanted … but better than nothing.

I quickly showered, got my breakfast ready (a.k.a. I grabbed a yogurt and some granola and fruit), fixed a crock pot meal and then woke up FW. He was super giggly and happy (he is a morning person!), which made me happy as well. Phew, I thought – this is nothing!

Of course two things happened then. One, he took about 15 minutes longer than usual to eat. And I felt too guilty on this particular day to cut him off. And then, he of course decided to have a massive “I haven’t pooped in two days” type of blowout right before we were ready to leave.

Before leaving, I took a look at my calendar for the day and remembered I was triple-booked for after work with daycare pickup, a board meeting (that I was going to be late to because of a work meeting) and another appointment.

FW was still giggly when I put him in his car seat. He was smiley all the way to the parking lot. And then, when he realized he wasn’t going for a walk/run, he seemed to get serious. (Yes, this may be all in my head)

When I got to the daycare, I was the first person there. Even the employee at the check-in seemed surprised, saying “Oh, wow, he’s the first little one! He’s so young!” (didn’t make me feel better)

And then, of course as I put him down to leave, he started crying. I know he wasn’t crying because I was leaving (right?! he can’t really know…), but it didn’t help matters. I ended up dashing to my car before the worker could see me crying as well.

On the bright side? I made it to work 10 minutes early. And didn’t get any baby bodily fluids on my work outfit.

So – single working moms … well all moms – I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know how you manage to make time for yourself. I don’t know how you get enough sleep. I don’t know how you turn off your “mom face” after dropping off your child with someone else and turn on your “work face.” I have so much admiration and am in awe of all of you.

Shared as part of the Thinking Out Loud linkup. Because I really can’t make complete thoughts at this moment and this seemed like a TOL post.