My baby's growing up!

We've been having a good week so far as the weather's been so lovely and sunny! Even though it's the middle of July I say this with some surprise, as it's been a very variable summer so far.

We've been spending lots of time in the garden, and although B.'s been falling off her slide quite a bit (!) she's been having lots of fun.

Yesterday her friend came round and they amused themselves by picking blackberries and stuffing them into eachothers' mouths. Then they strolled around the garden hand-in-hand, like the perfect little couple. Oh, the joys of being two and a half!

We also went to one of our regular toddler groups yesterday. They've recently introduced activity tables, and this week's activities were jigsaw puzzles and playdough. It's so nice when B. can engage in messy play somewhere other than in our house! Sadly, this was the last week before the summer break and this group closes down just like the schools do. What will we do on Tuesday mornings for the next six weeks?

After toddler group we visited our local pre-school. We'd applied for B. to start there next term, and they confirmed that she's got a place, which is good news. She's really ready for this; she's a bright and very sociable child and she's never happier than when she's playing with other children. What's more, each time we've visited the pre-school she's managed to somehow merge into the class and become one of them, even when I only popped in for a minute to hand in our form. I'd just turned my back for a moment, and then there she was, sitting on a little chair amongst the other children, waiting for snack-time! She was absolutely distraught when I tried to get her to leave, and wouldn't accept that we were just visiting.

All of this gives me confidence that she'll love it there and that she'll fit in well - and she's already been accepted by the other children, which is a good sign! And I know it's the right thing to do, but now it's definite that she has a place, I'm starting to get pangs of doubt...

She's been with me almost every day for the past two and a half years, (more, if you count the time that she spent inside of me!). She's been my constant companion; a small, entertaining and loveable companion, and I'll miss her and her funny little ways. Oh, I know it's only three mornings a week, but at the moment that seems like a big thing; it's the start of her school career, there's no going back - and it means that she's growing up! Well, you can see that starting pre-school is going to be much harder on me than on her, which, I suppose is how it should be...

In my more sensible, mature moments I tell myself that it's the right thing for both of us; she'll have fun with her friends, learn all sorts of new things, and have a riot; and I'll have some time on my hands.

Some people, who have been to my house, have suggested that I could usefully spend this time doing a little housework. But they're being mean! And to be honest, I'm not really a housework sort of woman! There are better things to do. And besides, I often feel the need to re-discover the part of my life that doesn't involve childcare, and for a while now I've been longing make some money again. I know that two and a half hours, three days a week won't give me a great opportunity to do this, but if I can find something to do from home then maybe it would be possible.

I should see this as an adventure for both of us. (And stop being so dramatic!)