Margot's Week Days

It's 10 a.m. on a Friday. The radio is off. The tea is still warm. I'm seated on my favorite (and only) red chair. The window is open and I can hear the pond's waterfall. The gentle sun is beaming and awake. The house is quiet. This is probably my favourite time of day.

Margot with the red chair

 I have just completed my first week of staying at home. Even though my exams were in mid-May, I went back to school on a few occasions for meetings, marking, and workshops. But this week, it was just Margot and I. And since my parents are hiking in Switzerland these days (Jungfrau area, for those familiar with the Swiss Alps), I haven't been able to drop off Margot for a much-needed little break. I digress... Back on track.

In general, my days this week were scheduled as such:

• Margot waking up too early for my liking (7 a.m.). She waits until Simon's out the door and then I can hear her chatting in her bed. I miss the days of lazing in bed and reading.

• We go downstairs. She has her milk and her breakfast (which usually consists of yogourt, cereal and fruit). Since she now loves eating with her hands, her "eating area" is a complete mess! (it's berry season!)

• She plays around while I eat breakfast.

• We go for a morning stroll. Sometimes I take longer routes, sometimes (like today), shorter loops. Depends on her mood. I always bring: her water bottle, a book or two (for Margot, not me), her shoes (just in case we decide to stop at the park), and bread. She adores munching on bread. Usually near the end of our walk, she becomes restless and rubs her eyes.

• Hurry home, and put her down for her nap. She doesn't usually nap right away, I hear her chatting and throwing her stuffed animals out of her crib. But she's calm. That's really the only place where she can be quiet. She eventually falls asleep.

• During her morning nap, which lasts from one to two hours. I, take a shower, tidy up a bit, check my emails, "waste" time online, sip tea, read, do laundry.

• She wakes up. Sometimes gently (babbling), sometimes screaming. She "plays" a bit in her room. Then, we have lunch. Between lunch and her afternoon nap is the hardest time. So, I always plan to leave the house and go on a mission, either to meet Rachel at the park, do errands, visit Noa, go to the library. Today, we're going on a mission!

• Then, she usually goes down for an afternoon nap at around 2/ 2:30 p.m. So we have to make sure that we're back home by that time. If  Margot misses her nap window, it will be a looooongggg afternoon...

• During her afternoon nap, I do my one-hour yoga practice.I prepare dinner. And then sit in the garden (the windows are open so I can hear/ignore her) and read while sipping a refreshing beverage. ;)

• Simon usually comes home at around 4:45 p.m. At that time, she's fresh from her nap and ready to hang out with her dada.

And that's my day with Margot. It is a full-time job!