Easy like Monday morning

On Mondays we have a lovely little routine. We wake up bright and early, brush our teeth, and head downstairs to have breakfast. We get dressed, pack a bag full of supplies, and head out to kindergym.

There are some children at kindergym who will play with every single toy. They will rush excitedly from the hoops to the bouncy castle, from the bouncy castle to the trampoline, from the trampoline to the big soft building blocks. The toys and activities available vary from week to week, so these children are never bored.

But then there are some children like our Audrey, who head straight for the toy they love and pretty much stay there the whole time.

Audrey loves playing with the balls.

Different colours, different textures, different sizes... they're all fun, as far as she's concerned.

And all she wants to do is carry them about. She's totally uninterested in kicking or throwing, both of these being methods to get rid of her favourite toy.

It's freakin' adorable.

I do manage to interest her in other activities briefly from time to time, but generally I use it as a great opportunity to use descriptive words - "Oooh, look at that GREEN ball, you're carrying it really well, is it heavy or light? What does it feel like?"

After kindergym, after the songs at the end have been sung and the musical instruments put away, Audrey goes in her buggy and has a snack (today it was dried fruit in a little pot, to help her work on using both hands for a fine motor activity) while we take a slow, cross-country ramble to the shelter. I found this little route from the community centre to the park that takes us across the hidden green spaces and muddy footpaths, and I absolutely love it.

During this walk, Audrey invariably falls asleep, snack still clutched in her little hand. With her gently dozing in the buggy, this walk becomes one of my favourite times in the week - a few moments all to myself, precious and peaceful and quiet, and an opportunity to walk at my own pace.

I used to love walking and hiking, and would go for a short walk at least once a day. Once, before Audrey, I got the bus to a vet out of town and decided to walk back into the city - I didn't know the way, but I could see the Pentland hills and knew where our house was relative to them. It took most of the day, but I hiked my way back into the city and when I collapsed, weary and aching, onto the sofa at our house at the end of it, I thought to myself that I had never felt so free. So resourceful and capable, so present in my own body.

We arrive at the rescue and Audrey gets to play with the bunnies. She loves it. The perfect end to our Monday morning.