My New Job
Three weeks ago I resigned from my position as Director of Clinical Nutrition.
This decision did not come easy. I’ve worked very hard for my career…
I felt like I’d always work…. until my daughter was born.
After I went back to work, my husband and I would often talk about me staying at home to raise her.
I knew I wanted to stay at home, but I had to go back to work first to know that I at least tried.
After my maternity leave was over, I worked for seven months and throughout that time something was always missing.
My husband and I had a goal.
This goal was for me to stay at home with our daughter.
We obviously had to take a look at our finances. Dropping from two incomes to one is a big jump.
We wrote out a plan.
This plan included living a simpler life and spending less.
Truth be known… this is a huge financial sacrifice.
I’ve been known to be quite the spender… but we had a goal and I’ve worked hard to cut back.
This life changing decision is so much bigger than the money.
When you have a child… you will do anything for them. You will sacrifice anything you can.
So… yesterday was my last day of work.
Today is first day starting my new endeavor as a stay-at-home-mom.
I’m happy and nervous.
I know I’ll miss the socializing that work provided me… but I know staying at home with my daughter will be beyond rewarding!
This isn’t a complete end to my career. This hiatus is only temporary.
I worked very hard to become a Registered Dietitian. I still am a Registered Dietitian and plan to work again in the future.
The ideal situation would be for me to find some type of work that I can do from home (which I’m currently looking for).
For now… I’m so excited to be around this fantastic little girl each and every day!
Have a great weekend!!!
YAY!! 🙂 You will enjoy it so much, I know!!
Congratulations! I wish you and your little one all the best!
Congratulations on your new job!
That is so great that you chose to stay at home with your little one! I know exactly what you’re going through having to make such a tough choice. 3 years ago I was faced with the same dilema and I chose to put my teaching career on hold to stay home with my daughter. Best decision I ever made! I feel my children would benefit more from spoiling them with love rather than money right now. I can always go back to teaching but I can never get back their first steps, first time they call me mommy, first time going potty on their own, etc., etc. I know you will enjoy it as much as I do. Congrats on your new job 😉
congratulations! that is SUCH great news…i know you cherish every moment with miss marin, and you’re going to find amazing things to do from home, i can just feel it!
That is so wonderful! Enjoy this new chapter with your little one!
Congratulations! I’d just like to say that your daughter will really appreciate this years down the road. (And if she doesn’t, save this post.) My mother stayed at home to raise me and my sister and I think it’s such an important job. It’s thankless for sure, but I can’t imagine not having her there as we were growing up or coming home from school to her there.
Being a stay at home mom is the hardest job in the world so kudos to you for making this amazing sacrifice for your beautiful little girl! You won’t regret it!!
Congrats on the new job! I don’t think I could be a stay at home mom so I am giving you MAJOR props! I am proud of you for doing what you love! 🙂
Congratulations! What a lucky little girl! I am sure you will have a blast!
I don’t think stay-at-home moms get NEARLY enough credit and I am SO proud of you for making this decision. Your daughter will be eternally grateful and you will be WONDERFUL at it.
Best of luck to you with this! It is so great for kids to have their mum’s around and I’m sure you will treasure this time with your daughter 🙂
Those EYES! She is so beautiful Estela!
I feel like I could have wrote this post as it was exactly what I went through. I don’t buy expensive clothes anymore, we go out to eat MUCH less, etc. But, you know what? I don’t need the fancy clothes to play on the floor, and we like our cooking better anyway – we have friends over rather than going out, etc. I don’t miss any of the “material things” and what I have gained is SO MUCH more.
Congratulations on your new career and the next chapter in your book of life!
congratulations on your decision!!! enjoy big life moments like this.
good for you!! enjoy those precious moments with your baby girl, they grow up so darn fast ;). work will always be there!!
“I felt like I’d always work…. until my daughter was born.”
Me too.
And I have never felt so broke but so rich all at once. We have half the money we used to have and are supporting 3 not 2 people on it.
But we are rich in spirit. We have each other and this time together and i could not imagine working aside from a couple yoga classes per week.
There will be days you will wonder what you did??!! Trust me, 3.25 yrs later with no family help, there are days. But the overwhelming majority i am grateful beyond words for this time. But yes, it’s a sacrifice. We wear the same clothes, we dont go out, we dont shop, but it’s ok. Write me if you ever wanna chat 🙂
Congratulations! I know that my sister struggled with a similar thing after having her son. She is so much happier staying at home and the sacrifices are worth it.
AWESOME decision! The sacrifice will be so worth it!
Congratulations on your new career path! Her face is just adorable. You are very lucky!! 🙂
Have you ever considered opening your own practice? You could possibly do it from your home and online.
Jenn
Congratulations, Estela! I am so happy for you. Best wishes as you embark on your new career. She is fabulously beautiful! 🙂
Wow, Estela. That’s awesome, and it’s touching what you will give up to spend more time with your child. I’d say this is probably the most rewarding (and stressful) work ever. Kudos to you! I’m sure your kid will really appreciate it one day! 🙂
That’s amazing you and your husband made that choice for your family! I hope I can do the same thing when I have a baby. congrats!
Estela,
Congratulations! I stayed home with my daughter until she was about 2 when my husband got laid off. The time I spent with her was the best time of my life. We have made many financial sacrifices for me to be at home more and it is so worth it. Now I work 2 days a week and that seems to work for us.
One of my goals is to work from home as my kids get older. If you ever want to talk about work-at-home options for RDs send me a message.
good for you, estela! change is good, especially when you have an absolutely darling daughter to care for. she is beautiful!
Wow, what a huge change!! It sounds like you really talked it through though. And hey, if things don’t work , you can’t always get another job. It’s definitely worth a try. I look forward to being able to work from my home when I have children. It sounds do-able now, nut we will see.
Your daughter is so adorable. I’m sure she is worth not being able to buy a new pair of jeans. Good for you, I hope it works out, I think it will 🙂
You are great Mom Estela and your daughter will Thank you later… I do hope that when we have children I get to stay home with them and be as good of mom that you are. Congrats on making such an important decision 🙂 My mom gave up her career as a civil engineer for my sis and I and she always says she doesn’t regret a second of it 🙂
Hey! congrats on the big leap. It’s such a beautiful thing you are doing. You will always have your career to go back to (if you chose!) in the future.
Wow! What a big decision, but a good one!
Last year I lost my job in a layoff (GASP!) and my world completely changed from my spending habits to my friends to my schedule. Big adjustment but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Congrats!
wow, big decision and I am sure not an easy one, but looking at that face, I am sure it came a bit easier more and more. This is such a great thing youa re doing 🙂
What an exciting decision!!! I know it’s hard to give up something you’ve worked so hard for, but the reward of spending more time with your daughter is priceless. I’m looking at ways to work from home too so that I can be in the same situation when the time comes! The great thing about being an RD is that those situations are possible & realistic!
I think this is so wonderful and I would love to know some tips on how to make this happen for myself. It is a dream of mine to be able to stay at home with my daughter and even though she is not even here yet and I am not even on mat leave yet I dread the day when I have to go back to work! I am thinking of going back part time in the beginning and then going from there.
This was so inspiring! As an RD and want-to-be-mommy someday, I have thought about such changes and becoming a SAHM. But what an exciting time, and what a wonderful position to have on your resume – Director of Clinical Nutrition! Life has phases, and this is a very exciting one. I have no doubt that you will find something rewarding in nutrition while following your heart as a mommy 🙂
Oh wow!!! I’m late on this comment, but HUGE congrats on making this big decision! I know many SAHMs, and they all say that, while they miss work every now and then, staying at home with their baby/child was the best choice they ever made. I bet you’re going to love it!
HOW ADORABLE is your baby girl??? She is beautiful!
WOW i respect you so much!! you are supposed to invest in your daughter right now, thank you for being obedient to that!
I just found your blog from a comment on Carrots N Cake and loved reading this post. I think it’s wonderful you are going to stay home with your daughter and make that sacrifice. She will thank you for it, I’m sure.
Cute blog!
Good luck! I am a SAHM now and its great. But some days it does drag on, look for a parents center in your area if you have one, its basically a big play room, its been a great resource and Harper has fun with the other kids there since she doesn’t go to daycare. I don’t know what I’d do without it!
Congrats, Estela!
My husband and I made the same decision. I sold my business when my oldest was 18 months old and have been home ever since (almost 12 years!). Best. decision. ever. 🙂
I am so happy for you Estela. Your days will no doubt be very busy and filled with wonderful moments and memories you will cherish forever.
Just one of your San Diego Fans 🙂 By the way, Desi is now in Houston, Texas