Farewell to Summer

I've got that bitter, end of summer taste in my mouth. And it's not because I dislike my job in the slightest. I recognize that I've been working harder, at least physically, when I've been home this summer than I ever work at "work." And I love my job. In case I haven't said that enough.

No. It's this:

And this:

These are the reasons for my ambivalence about the new semester. (Also the reasons for my sore shoulders and back, but I can overlook this).

They change every week. 40 hours a week is a lot to miss.

I did my best to be present with them this week, my last home with them. Monday we met our new caregiver, who starts tomorrow. I have no idea how it's going to go. We went for a visit to her home today, to get them acquainted, and I feel pretty good about everything but Adele's naps. Taping my fingers crossed over that.

Tuesday the public library had its monthly Lego fest! Miles made his home at the mature legos...

 Adele hung out at the pee wee duplos area.

 She had a blast. She could not believe her luck, that she was to be allowed to crawl ALL OVER the huge community room.

They're still best friends. 

 Another thing I've done for myself is to throw in the towel on the Nap Wars. We're officially letting Miles choose if he wants to nap, allowing him to choose quiet time and abandoning the drama. I have some reservations about whether this is the right decision for every day, but today I'm feeling pretty positive: he fell asleep on his own by 7:30 tonight!!

On Wednesday, Miles had a hankering to return to the library. But, he said, he wanted to go there "in a truck." With just one more day after that to be home with him, I was feeling indulgent. We made a stroller truck while we waited for Adele to wake up from her nap.

Check out his licence plate. It's supposed to say 123-VT. He did his best. Wrote a V, crossed out his attempt at T and then wrote TV. We're getting there.

Here we go. I'm as nervous as an Olympian preparing for tomorrow's event: Get whole family ready and out the door by 7:45. 7:30 has been my usual summer wakeup time, soo... Wish us luck!