Back to reality

Isabel went back to school today, her first day in Year One. I'd thought she might be a bit nervous since she was towards the end of last year - mind you, that was because she thought she was the only member of her class going up to Year One, and that she wouldn't know anyone. Ah, the self-centred world of the five year old!

However, today dawned bright and windy (very windy - blew the cover off the garden furniture twice!), and she skipped down the path to the school singing "first day back at school - hooray!". You gotta love the little geek. She was even happy going into a new classroom, no hanging on my sleeve, just pootled off - one kiss and she was gone. This is a far cry from the girl who used to have to be peeled off me when she went to her Montessori nursery school in Kilburn, before we moved out to the sticks. It's like she's had a personality transplant - the change in confidence levels is quite remarkable.

I must admit to a guilty sense of relief at sending her back to school. It's been lovely spending the summer with both of my girls (and Husbandio, for two weeks at least) but exhausting. Never mind salaried work, spending every day with a small baby and a five year old is far more draining. Small baby was the least of my problems, since she's now in a lovely routine, and sleeps from 9-9.45am, noon - 2pm, and 4-5pm. Which leaves plenty of time to get stuff done, and even have a nap. Or catch up with Holby. And that's exactly what I did today - my mum was here for the day, and she and I both napped during Emily's lunchtime siesta. But Isabel has no off switch - she's constantly chatting, questioning and, if given half a chance, misbehaving, for every waking second of the day. By about 5pm each day I usually had to say "Just be quiet for 10 minutes!" - this is why normally sane parents resort to the babysitter known as the television. They just can't stand the Chinese water torture of constant communication.