hot town, summer in the city

Sydney is on its way to a new heat record - 6 days straight of temperatures of 30C. Your room has not dipped below 27 degrees overnight for over a week.  But we're doing our best to keep cool, you love being clothes-free most of the day and we have made good use of the pool, the beach, cool baths, playgrounds with water fountains, and even good old bucket showers (particularly hilarious when you're pouring a bucket over me!)  Vieve let you paddle at daycare on Wednesday and told Dadda that once they had you out of your swim nappy and back into your clothes you promptly plonked yourself back into the paddling pool.

end of week 1

So we got through it - your first week at daycare.  Well, two half-days, but that is a lot for someone as little as you are.  The first day went well, you went for your morning sleep with no crying and had a good long nap, and were interested but shy around the other children.  The second day you also had a nice long nap in the morning, but were a bit unsure when you woke up and kept wondering where I was.  When I arrived to collect you at midday you were fine but happier when transferred from Vieve's arms back to mine.  We stopped at the park on the walk home and you were full of smiles and enjoying the beautiful sunny day.  You even went down the slide on your own!  Here are some pictures:

monkey's first school bag

I've wrote earlier that things in the Brooks household are changing.  Here is some tangible proof:

Maya's first school bag

Yep.  Your first school bag.  Packed and ready for your first day of family daycare this week.  Although the bag is ready, and you're probably ready, I don't think I am yet.  But I probably never will be.  I can't wait to get some independence back in some of my days but it's going to be hard to relinquish the care of you to someone who is virtually a stranger.  But a very nice, loving, caring, and qualified, stranger.  I know all children and parents have to go through this eventually.  And I've had friends tell me that the only day harder than dropping you at care for the first time, is the day I come and pick you up and you cry because you want to stay, rather than crying because I am leaving you.