Balance

I've been making the most of the free childcare when it's available to get my case studies written in order to get my doula qualification. Between this, and a shift at Bubbahub, and a day of getting important but boring stuff done, I realised that I have not spent any real quality time with Ivy for three days. Most days I make a point to do something fun with her inside the house and something fun outside of the house. Otherwise it can be too easy to go through the day doing all the necessary but boring stuff and letting her entertain herself and then realising that I haven't actually given her my full attention at all, despite having spent the whole day together. Although on these days "entertaining herself" doesn't exactly last long and will more likely have spent the day trying to distract her and desperately attempting to stop the whining without actually giving her what she is needing: my attention.

So it suddenly hit me how glad I am to be a (mostly) full time Mum. Because it means that most days aren't spent trying to be useful but spent doing things that offer Ivy the chance to explore and learn and intereact and have fun. And it is amazing to see the world from her perspective.

This morning I had the opportunity to go off and get some work done. But I realised that what I needed was some quality time with my girl. So we went off and did something that was just for her. And best of all we did it as a three!

 

(I have hardly any photos of me and Ivy, but here is us on a trampoline in Lucca)

We are in Lucca

So far being here has meant outdoor swimming and splashing, eating pizza, drinking coffee, warm sun and warm when it's not sunny.

We are staying on a farm. There is a pomegranate tree (!!), apple trees and vineyards. There is a noisy tractor and sit on lawnmower, both of which Ivy is really facinated by and also slightly scared of. Earlier we hear the tractor and she grabbed my hand so we could go and see it. When she says tractor it sounds like she's saying chocolate.

Being here has also meant the anxious wait to hear from the university. Apparently we will know via email tomorrow. It has also meant trying to navigate websites looking for an apartment to rent. Websites which apparently don't give you the option to search by number of bedrooms (wtf). It has also meant going to estate agent offices at the wrong time (damn siesta), and trying to work out the abbreviations in the property descriptions.

But it is mostly warm, and so far Ivy is not sleeping awfully (but not great either), so we're ok. And I love swimming outdoors, even if it is unheated!