Pox duty

I’ve been home on pox duty all day today, helping Fiona through the last stages of spotty itchiness. (She’s fine, and she’ll be back at nursery tomorrow.) And it’s only just now that I’ve realised that this is the first whole day that I’ve had on my own with her.

A very pleasant day it was, too. We had some sleepy time, we watched some tennis on TV (Henman giving away his customary first set before coming back to win the match), and we had lots and lots of smiles. How different this is from Alex, though. Until last November, I was working part time, with each Wednesday off to spend with Alex. Now that I’m working a full five days a week again, I don’t get that same amount of precious daddy-baby time.

I do spend plenty of time with the kids in the evenings and at the weekends (I take them to nursery in the mornings, but that time is usually hurried and hassled), but it’s time with the kids, not time alone with the Chuffer-babe. When we split up childcare duties, I usually take Alex, while Abi takes Fiona. It’s just the way things work out. We knew it was going to be different with two children around the house than it was with just one, and I’m perfectly happy with that. It was just lovely to have so much time alone with Fiona.