Taking a Break

One wonderful gift of being close to our families is that our kids get lots of time with their beloved grandparents, aunts/uncles and cousins. And one benefit for me and Ben is that this enables us to take a break. Zosia has standing weekly outings with my Aunt and my mom, which means that during the week I get one morning "off" (while Lily naps), and Ben and I get one weekend morning "off." This has been so great for all of us-- for Zosia, it has helped foster a sense of independence, something that is so important since she is with me for the vast majority of her waking hours. For me, it provides some time to recoup, work on little projects, or spend some one-on-one time with Lily. For me and Ben, it gives us some built-in couple time that does not occur at the end of the day when we are fried.

During the week, I generally feel compelled to get something accomplished. I often use up my free time baking bread, tidying the house, or cleaning the kitchen. My sweet aunt always comes home and asks, "Adele, did you rest?" and I always have to answer honestly, "No, but I did do a. b. and c."

So today I am actually going to rest-- read a novel, paint my toenails, and make some grilled cheese for lunch. Because if there's something that truly needs to get done, I will find a way to get it done, and all the other stuff can wait.

(above: Zosia and her "Baba," my mom)