One week down, one to go

This week has been an intense one for everyone. Mommy started attending the 53rd session of the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women, which lasts two weeks (March 1-13th), and has been gone from 7AM to at least 7PM most of the week. Daddy has also been working hard on a handbook for mayors addressing the implications of climate change for urban food security (a World Bank consulting project). So, Aidan has not seen a lot of either of this week. He attended his second week of daycare for full days on Tuesday and Wednesday, and our babysitter Laurie took care of him full days on Monday, Thursday and Friday. This is the first time he has ever spent a full "work" week away from both parents, so it was tough.

However, despite the big transitions, Aidan has been a trooper. We have completely stopped nursing to sleep, and he is now cuddling to sleep with Laurie, Daddy, and Mommy (when she is around). And at daycare, he sits in his stroller and falls asleep while "Tia Nina" (the daycare providor) reads him books. So, his falling-asleep process is transforming radically! Mommy and Daddy are really happy that this is happening: we want Aidan to be able to be okay, whether or not we are around, and this is a big step in doing that. Aidan has also missed us a lot (he cries when Mommy says goodbye to him, even if he is staying with Daddy or Laurie!), but he hasn't kept too much of a grudge for our leaving. He is always thrilled to see Mommy in the mornings, or play with Mommy or Daddy when we are around. Mommy has missed Aidan this week, but she is glad that things are working out as well as they are.

This weekend, we had a great time playing all together, catching up a bit from the long week. On Saturday, we all went out to brunch with a college friend who we recently discovered had just moved down the street from us. Then we spent the rest of the day playing on playgrounds, watching buses, running down sidewalks, and generally glorying in the beautiful warm weather, which was a record 69 degrees (up from a high in the 20s early this week)! On Sunday, we caught up on some housework and did some more playing outside. Aidan has learned three (capital) letters of the alphabet because of our fridge letter game and Wild Animal Baby magazine, and is now pointing out "A", "O" and "B" on sale signs at neighborhood grociery stores! It makes our walks even more fun.

We have one more week of crazy schedules, but Mommy thinks we are over the worst of the two weeks. Tonight, Grandpa Ruane is coming over on the train to spend his spring break babysitting Aidan. Aidan will have a couple of days of daycare, but will spend the rest of the time with Grandpa, who he adores. So, hopefully this week will be a little bit easier!