13w6d

My DH and I are starting to seriously discuss child care and work plans for next year. By the end of this month I need to (1) decide on my health insurance company (the primary difference being which hospital -- the one with the free standing birth center, or the one we have used for years where DH works which has a newly renovated birth floor), (2) decide how much money to have withheld pre-tax for health expenses, (3) decide whether to have money withheld pre-tax for child care, and (4) how much our church pledge will be.

All of these things (except #1) hinge on plans for child care. We are considering many things, including the fact that I plan to take the full 12 weeks that the FMLA guarantees my job, even though about 8 weeks of it will be without pay. Another option is that DH will take 8-12 weeks FMLA leave also, after I go back to work, much of it without pay. Another option is that he will quit work completely and stay home, eliminating even more income. My sister works part-time (5 days every 2 weeks) and has offered to trade child care if I wanted and could arrange half-time work. That sounds like a good option, too, but it would be a tough sell to my boss.

No matter what we decide, it is starting to sink in that life is going to change completely!