by Dylan Dreyer Gets To Go Back To A Job She Love And Her Kids Get To See Mom Does Working
“I’m also so lucky that I get to go back to a job I love and my kids get to see me loving what I do and working hard. As I prepare to go back to work in a week, I’m ʙᴀFFʟᴇᴅ by where the time has gone,” the eteorologist wrote in an Instagram caption, posted on Monday. “Looking back, though, I realize…we squeezed A LOT in!!
Dreyer went on to list all her family has experienced in the last 16 weeks, from newly-minted family member Baby Rusty’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay, to the launch of Dreyer’s New York Times Bestselling book, “Misty the Cloud: A Very Stormy Day.”
“I know time will keep flying by so I’m soaking in every second and loving every minute of it,” Dreyer added. “I’m also so lucky that I get to go back to a job I love and my kids get to see me loving what I do and working hard.” Dreyer also noted how lucky she is to have ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɴɪᴛʏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ at all.
“ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɴɪᴛʏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ is a blessing and I’m so appreciative for the 16 weeks I got to spend at home with my boys (although some would argue it’s not nearly enough…agreed!!),” she wrote.
A reported 23% of Aᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴs have access to paid family leave, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while 89% have access to unpaid family leave. One 2012 U.S. Department of Labor sᴛᴜᴅʏ found that an ᴇsᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇᴅ one in four women return to work just two weeks after giving birth.
The now family of five welcomed Russell “Rusty” James Fichera into the fold on Wednesday, Sept. 29, six weeks before his expected due date.
“My water ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ Sunday evening and I’ve been hanging at the hospital. Our little guy is anxious to get out and meet us!” Dreyer wrote in an Instagram post, updating fans. “Doctors are closely monitoring both of us and trying to keep him on the inside for a little while longer to get stronger. All is well!”
Baby Rusty was born healthy, weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces and measuring 18 inches long.
“I am so full of emotion and gratitude for this past week,” Dreyer wrote in an Instagram post a week after Rusty was born. “Gᴏᴅ has blessed us with baby Russell earlier than expected but taken care of us the whole way. I couldn’t imagine waiting until November to meet him.”
Baby Rusty, who also goes by “RJ,” stayed in the NICU a week after Dreyer was released from the hospital.
“Man it feels real good to be home together!!!” Dreyer wrote in another Instagram post, celebrating her family of five being all under one roof. Baby Rusty joins Calvin, 4, Oliver, 21 months, and a slew of eager fans excited to see their mom back on TODAY. Welcome back, Dylan!
