Month four is upon us!

It simultaneously feels like 20 years ago and yesterday that Viola came to join us. This goes without saying, I suppose. And if it seems like a long time ago that I was gigantically pregnant, I have only to glance at my midsection, which looks like bread dough that has just been punched down for the second rise, to remember that it was only a short three months ago that I pushed out a little person I grew in there. Here's hoping that by month six I will be reporting a belly that is, if not taut, then at least non-mushy. I'm not going to lay off the non-dairy Newman-O's to get there, however.

Today I sit in our sunny living room with my daughter sleeping on my lap, feeling victorious

for having made it through not only Viola's "fourth trimester" but my first two weeks back at work. I'm not beating myself up too badly about the fact that at least four pairs of pants still don't fit. I had visions of looking really great when I went back to work, but it turns out that just showing up without puke on my clothes is a major accomplishment. Remembering to put on makeup is also a bonus. One day I forgot, and a few people asked me if I had a rough night, on account of my under-eye bags being all exposed.

Makeup or no makeup, the answer to that question depends on your definition of "rough."