First week of daycare

Rue de France, one of the pedestrian-only streets (most of the time)

Today, I sat at a café on rue de France, sipping a cappuccino by myself. I know that sounds like a normal thing to do in France, but for me, the feeling was completely foreign.

Since giving birth to our son over a year and a half ago, I've almost never been alone. But, he's now started daycare and all that is changing. I'm happy about my new freedom, but it's definitely taking some getting used to!

At first, I felt guilty that I was leaving my kid with someone else, so I started dressing in business clothes so they wouldn't think I was going home to write (or worse -- just watch TV) in my pyjamas. "Maman has to go to work," is what they told my son when I left. I think it soothed me more than it did him!

The coffee downtown was supposed to offer a similar working-world baptism.

And, so here I am. Again. Finally. Having a baby -- more than any romance -- is the biggest whirlwind!

Here's how the daycare is going:

Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed: First week of daycare: trust but verify

I seem to be doing a lot of sitting in my stories lately. Note: this is also new, and very, very good. (Running after a toddler really is a lot of work!)