every inch counts

If you were to throw a tape measure across our main salon you'd get roughly 6 feet across along the widest section (aft by the door) and perhaps 5 feet deep at the deepest section. But the shape is like an "L" so it narrows at either end. What I am trying to say here is, for a boat we have loads of space. But for a family with 2 kids couped up in the winter time trying to live a normal life... not so much.

I've been playing with ways to have the three of us (and in the evenings the 4 of us) co-exist peacefully when the weather is too nasty to go out and play. On these days if he's not in the book nook pouring over his books (the "books are going to sink our boat if we don't thin them out" post will have to come another day)... or in his room listening to music or an audio book on his CD player... then he is right smack in the middle of the main salon floor going something like this...

That day is was a castle wall. But it can be a marble track. Matchbox cars at rush hour. A playsilk fort. An animal hospital. A gnome battlefield. You get the idea. This does not leave much room to walk around let alone set a baby down somewhere. So for now, in this brief stage where she is like a sack of sugar who we can set down and she stays sweet, she gets this little corner of the main salon.

Her sheepskin keeping her warm on her bouncy seat, a nice view of the big brother action, a good view of mama going back and forth putting away laundry or something exciting like that. Next to her are a basket of board books that Big brother will often break in his action to sit and read to her. And a small basket of "toys" (I really think baby toys are a funny thing for a 2 month old but... she'll get there.). Playsilks and blankets folded nearby.

For now it works. If she's not napping in the sling, or next to me on the settee if I am working, she snoozes right there. He's busy at play. We make the space work.

Until she starts crawling. Then we'll rethink, rework, recreate, and it'll all fall into place.