What to do while Emylie's at school?

Having Emylie go to school has been an adjustment. She is loving everything about school. She loves the bus. She loves playing at school and she loves coming home.

Then there is me. :) Up front - I love that she loves going to school. I am just learning how to retrain my brain and do things I haven't been able to do.
For the last three years most of my days have been spent in the great room/kitchen area. I don't do things in other parts of the house. If I answer the door I am trying to make it quick while listening for Emylie. If nature calls, (yes - all of us have to now and then.) I hurry with the door open so I can listen for Emylie. When someone else is in the house that makes things a little trickier. I don't go outside without Emylie, I don't go downstairs without Emylie. Sometimes I have had to quickly run outside to help one of my other children who need help or step outside the door to make sure they cross the street safely. But I don't leave the room without worrying about Emylie's stability and safety.

So when she goes to school you would think I would have this new freedom. I know that while she is at school I can go downstairs or down the hall. I now I can start a load of laundry and not worry that the water is too loud. I can go pick tomatoes out of the garden. I can go get the mail. If I allowed myself I could even take a nap. Yet I find myself staying in the same part of the house that I normally am with Emylie. I find that I often have to remind myself that it is okay to do these things.

I know I am comparing myself to a dog but here is the best analogy I can come up with. If you put in an underground shock fence in your yard for your dog, the dog quickly learns that if they cross at certain points they will get shocked. Over time they learn to stay within the area. If you were to take the fence away, the dog would continue to stay in the same area they were trained to stay in. That is kind of how I feel. I know it will gradually get better and I will get used to this new freedom but it has been interesting to experience it. And in all honesty I miss my little girl like crazy! (what mom wouldn't?)