mom stuff
Congratulations!!!! Nothing is more special and amazing in life than your first baby ~ You already have the "dream job!" (Really, you DO!) But I know what you mean; I had my first last August. Sometimes amidst the haze of sleep deprivation and other factors, it's easy to forget what an incredible thing we are experiencing.
I will tell you that if you can find a way to balance this with work (for pay), it does get easier. The baby will get more independent (hard as it is now to believe!) and the workload a bit more managable as time goes on. The downside is, not only will you miss many of her "firsts" and special moments, you really cannot be in full control of the way your baby is taken care of.
There are lots of perfectly fine alternatives to being a stay-at-home mom, and no doubt you will find a safe and secure place for her to be in your absence; however nobody looks after them quite like you would.
For whatever it is worth, I have forgone my flying career options in favor of being at home with our son. Part of that has to do with his daddy's career (also an airline pilot), part of it has to do with my age (I am already 37) and part of it the fact that I am a control freak and refused to leave him with anyone (except daddy) because I wanted to make sure he received not only adequate care, but love; but mostly it has to do with looking inside to find my own truth, and determining that this is truly what's best for our baby. Your truth may be different than mine.
Either way, I empathize with the decision you have before you and wish you nothing but the best of luck in the future.