I survived!

I survived the first week... HOORAY!

I managed to do something 'special' with the kids every afternoon, so I feel a lot better about the whole 'missing out' at home. We went to the beach, did some gardening, built a huge (heart-shaped) trainset and had fun on the verandah. These are all things that we do regularly anyway, so they weren't that special, but I was really concerned that these staples of our 'pre-work' life might disappear. I think I'm going to have to work hard to keep them in the schedule though, as today I'm particularly tired!!!

Wednesday in the garden was funny. I'd just said to Miss Piggy that I would have to pull up the (nearly dead) pea shoots as they were never going to fruit (or whatever it is you call pea plants growing actual edible peas). As I pulled the browning strings from the soil I noticed we had actually (by some strange miracle) managed to grow real peas! NINE of them in fact! Yes, nine actual peas in 7 actual pods! Not a feast in anyone's book, but highly pleasing to a four-year old girl who fancies herself a green-thumb. We pulled them up anyway, and she planted 8 new peas to watch grow from the dining room window. We ate the peas. They were AWFUL, but she claimed they were yum.

We also planted some basil. She was disappointed to hear that the leaves were 'it'. I think she'll be happy when I let her attack it with scissors, though - actually, do we cut it or should we rip off the leaves as needed?

The Small Boy seems to be coping OK with the change - he got a little bit wobbly-mouthed on the second day, but other than that no dramas. It seems he knows I'll be back and is enjoying the attention from the rest of the family in my absence. I know he must be missing me a bit, though, because twice this week he has crawled out of his bedroom (after bed-time) to lie at my feet under the computer table while I work.

I love this little fat-man, and am sad that my days

of listing him as my employer are over :(

Work is really good. I've slotted back in without much drama and feel confident that I still have 'it'. I'm not playing my a-game yet, but I'm doing OK. I'm hoping that after a full-on first few weeks, the workload might ease a bit and I can go back to getting some actual sleep!!!

Wish me luck!