Three months ago, I had no idea how the details would play out when I returned to the full-time practice of law.  As my maternity leave drew to a close, it was inevitable that I’d soon be knee-deep in digests instead of diapers for most of the day.  For me, it wasn’t so much a question of “work-life balance” as it was about shifting my mindset back into “battle” mode.  Would my new-found “mommy instincts” prevail over the litigation skills that I’d been cultivating for the last several years?  Say, if I found myself engaged in largely one-way babble with a fussy deponent, would I be tempted to burp him to see if that gave him any relief?  Although there were such uncertainties, I had no doubt that I could conquer them.

You see, by the end of my maternity leave, I saw myself as something of a Wonder Woman.  I considered it an amazing feat that I’d kept a helpless, defenseless, totally dependent human being alive for more than 2,100 nonbillable hours.  And she was not merely “alive”; she was thriving.  I’d warded off life-threatening injuries.  I’d even become so organized and disciplined that I could anticipate when hunger would strike and have a bottle on standby before she could hardly belt out a cry.  Given all that I’d accomplished in such a short span of time, it was appropriate that the World would honor me in May with a day dedicated to celebrating my achievements as a Mother.

So it was with all the confidence of a Superhero that I returned to work.  I dared (in my mind) plaintiffs’ attorneys to stand up against my discovery requests.  I laughed at the notion that any assignment was too challenging.  I chuckled at the pile of unread e-mail and magazines that I had allowed to stack up in my pre-motherhood days as a Procrastinator.  The Alter-Ego was in town, and she…meant…business.  Because, like any self-respecting superhero, I had endured a life-changing event that motivated me to be better, faster, and stronger.  In my life as a full-time attorney, that translated into my being more efficient, productive, and organized so that I could get back to what really mattered—my daughter.

We all read stories about how challenging it is to balance work with raising a family.  Those challenges are real and should be recognized.  But in what ways has being a parent, new or experienced, enhanced your working life?

And speaking of Wonder Woman, the real deal got a makeover earlier this week.  Check out her new look here.  Anybody know where I can get that jacket?