I’ve written before about how much Clare loves Sam and has adjusted really well to his presence. It’s also given her great opportunities to practice her two-and-a-half-year-old independence. When we get ready in the morning, she gets dressed almost entirely by herself, gets her coat and shoes from the closet and puts them on by herself – usually on the right feet. She goes up and down the stairs by herself, climbs in and out of the car and her car seat independently, and generally does whatever she can without our help. This can go a little far – sometimes if we’re a little slow to wake up in the morning we’ll hear her drag a chair across the kitchen so she can get her own slice of bread out of the cupboard in the morning. She hasn’t figured out how to use the toaster, but I imagine she will one of these days. She’ll also open the fridge and if there’s a sippy cup of milk or juice in there she’ll get it out. One night I left a bag of chocolate chips on the counter and I found her eating the chocolate chips in the morning. I’m trying to put this independence to good use though – Clare clears takes her dishes to the sink after eating, puts her own clothes and toys away, and helps me with laundry. She loves it and tells me “I’m your big helper Mama!”
On the work front, I’ve cut back my hours to part-time. I only work 3 days a week, which is about the perfect balance between being home and getting away for some adult interaction and intellectual stimulation. I thought being home an additional two days a week would mean I would work out more, my house would be cleaner, I’d spend lots of time gardening and I’d keep up with laundry. Snort. I definitely spend more time cleaning, though I’m not sure that the house is actually any cleaner. I still do laundry every day – and I always feel behind. Our poor yard was so neglected we finally called in landscapers and it took them two days to get it into shape. I haven’t been to the gym since before getting pregnant with Sam.
The big difference with me working part-time is that we spend more time doing family activities and relaxing on the weekends instead of laundry, cleaning and yard work. There is more time spent wrestling and tickling, making delicious breakfasts in our jammies, going to the park and for hikes, and generally enjoying our foursome.
There’s also more time for moments like these – my kids playing in the laundry basket. One of the classic, simple moments of childhood.
