And thus the holidays are over and summer ends. La travailleuse returns to work, la petite returns to la crèche two days a week, and l'homme au foyer tries to get used to a part-time job. Or two.
First day back at home babysitting is a breeze. Confounding expectations, la petite coquinette is sweetness and light all day. First day back at the crèche she clings to papa's arms and legs longer than normal but eventually allows him to slip away and apparently thoroughly enjoys the rest of the day. Meanwhile her parents both struggle with post-holiday exhaustion.
Second day of papa-toddler time is marginally more trying but still ranks as low-maintenance on the babysitting scale. Next day back at the crèche, more somewhat uncharacteristic clinging and shyness to start off with, but thereafter apparently all systems go.
Last working day of the week - TFI Friday for la bienheureuse, la petite starts climbing the crankiness scale, and papa looks forward to the weekend. If only he'd known. It soon becomes apparent that yet another cold is brewing in those little nasal passages, which pushes the grumpiness over the red line on Saturday and exhausts the supply of tissues on Sunday. The downside of sharing one's day with other virus-vulnerable little friends. Meanwhile mama and papa show signs of having picked up little bugs of their own. The weather also deteriorates and gives us the first real hint of autumn.
Welcome back to the mundane, grey days of those dreary three months either side of the winter solstice…
