Time Well Spent

Each day after work, there is a mile-long list of things to do - papers I should be grading, errands I should be running, a house I should be picking up.  But instead of doing the mundane, I choose Time Well Spent...with Ava. 

First things first: silly time.  A few moments of curiosity and giggles, where she roots around in my sock draw and insists that I put some Hanes on her.

Follow that with wallowing around on the bed with one of my necklaces...

What are you doing, Ava?  *shrug*

Finally, a dose of pretending to make yummy food, feeding each member of the family - Dada, Mama, and "Dit-ty" (kitty), and then spinning around in circles going, "Whoooaaaa....whooooaaaa."

Dinnertime may be an ordinary item on one's "list of things to do each evening after work," but with Ava around, it's Time Well Spent - she now can use a spoon and feed herself a container of yogurt.  No matter if half of it lands on her bib and tray, or if she gets impatient and uses her fingers...the point is that she is gaining some more independence.  Sad and exciting at the same time. 

As the evening draws to a close, Time Well Spent means running a warm bath and letting Ava soak and splash and play, rinsing away the day's stress and frustrations - which for her means not getting her way NOW, and being put in time-out at daycare for hitting another kid with a toy.  Er...sorry 'bout that, innocent kid who got hit.  Ava is still learning to control her emotions.  Give her a break; she's only been around these parts for a year and a half.

I want to get in the bath NOW.

The evening routine ends with a good teeth brushing...

...and plenty of stories, snuggles, and kisses goodnight.  Definitely Time Well Spent after a long day at work!