Day 129: 16 March 2026

 Journal

I don’t know how other moms feel, but for me, there’s a window in the evening. It lasts somewhere between one hour and two. And it’s HARD!

Little One (LO) is starting to get tired. Nothing is quite right. There’s more fussing. More clinging.

And it makes sense. I totally get all of it!

But the problem is: I’m starting to get tired, too.

And there’s still dinner to eat and then dishes to do. Sometimes, like this evening, there’s laundry to hang up.

And we’re in the same room together. LO in a high chair or walker or on a blanket on the floor with some toys. Me sitting next to him on the floor while I balance a bowl of food on my hand or have it set on the sofa like a table. Me at the sink. Me pivoting between the table where the pile of wet clothes is sat in interim between being taken out of the washing machine but before being hung on the drying rack.

LO likes songs, so I sing. The wheels on the bus go round and round… The itsy bitsy spider… A, B, C, D… This little piggy went to market… and on and on and on. Sometimes, we even sing the few Greek nursery rhyme songs that I know.

But, it’s not the same as being held, so it only pacifies LO for a time.

But then the food is eaten and the chores are done. My hands and arms are free again. And I swoop up LO. We might play a little longer. We read some stories. LO rolls around and does planks and we play little games. And it starts to get easier again.

And then there’s laughter.

And pretty soon… it’s time to get ready for bed.