It is a strange time after having small children at home for eight years to be finding myself with some free time. Having them so close together meant there was always a new baby before the elder one started nursery but my final baby has just started nursery and a new chapter is unfurling.
Finn is still only part time at school but as of next Monday, he will be doing five school days a week and Cora will be doing two which means for two days between the hours of nine and three I will have no children at home. It feels odd, but right at the same time. I feel so ready to have some more time for me, to rediscover what I want to do and how I want to do it and the little taster sessions, those 2 hours when Finn is at school already and Cora at nursery have been wonderful.
Cora has always been clingy, she has always wanted to be close to me and I wondered whether she would ever be ready for this day, but attachment does seem to breed independence and she walked in on her first day without really looking back. She looks forward to her nursery days and she is so happy and settled which assures me that I have made the right decision.
Finn is so excited for next week when all his friends will be at school and he can play out on the playground like his brother. He looks so small and smart in his school uniform and I want to remember this as I know how quickly they grow, how much older the year 2 children look from the reception ones and how much he will change once he is full time in school.
And I have decided for the first week of having all my babies out the house for 2 days that I am going to spend it doing nothing productive at all. There will be plenty of time for all that, but this time has been eight years coming and I deserve to spend a whole day lying in bed watching Netflix and eating chocolate buttons, surely?
These photos are from one of our last mornings with just these little two. Maxomorra, one of my favourite organic kids brands sent them these outfits and I just love the bright autumnal colours.