Pyjamas, butterflies and taking over the world

I wrote a little while ago about Buglet and Pixie's career plans. This post is the one I meant to write last Wednesday after Tink's parent-teacher interviews, but it is one of the posts that just didn't happen last week.

Last Wednesday reminded me that Tink has always been Tink. She was in her student councillor uniform and could not only tell me every room that I had to go to, but also tell me who each teacher had seen before and after me. Not that I knew the people she was talking about, but that is not really the point. Every single teacher said that she is enthusiastic, talks a lot, and asks lots of questions. As I said, Tink has always been Tink and as I take you through her changing views on careers you will see why.

My earliest recollection was when she was about 2.5, possibly a little bit older, and I made some comment about working. Tink was most adamant that "Mummies don't work. Mummies go to uni and go to meetings". There was nothing I could say that would convince her otherwise. Once I thought about it, in her universe that was what mummies did do. I had been at uni her entire life, and my mum works on the same university campus. When I babysat my little sisters at night, or when my mum babysat my girls it was very often because either Mum or I had a meeting. From Tink's point of view that was just the way it was.

Fast forward a year or two, and we were at one of my best friend's place and Tink was playing "house" with my God-son. Nothing traditional about this game. Tink told him that she was the mum, she was going to a meeting and that he could cook dinner. She handed him the baby, picked up her bag and left. My gorgeous God-son picked up the baby and turned to the stove. There were two very proud mums that day.

Tink then went through a bit of a slump. When she hit the "what are you going to be when you grow up" stage at school, you know where they look at lots of different jobs, Tink came home every day being absolutely adamant that she was going to do nothing.

Me: So you are going to look after the house while Mummy and Daddy are at work?
Tink: No. I am going to do nothing.
Me: You are going to go to uni?
Tink: No. I am going to live at home and do nothing.

I don't believe in pushing children, but I did decide that then was a good time to have a conversation about needing an aim in life. Tink soon decided she was going to be a butterfly. That's an aim, right? Better than doing nothing on my time that is for sure.

Tink has never actually mentioned being a giraffe, but she is very attached to her onsie .....

I should say here, that Tink likes to do things, but she likes to do them her way. Even at 5 the idea of being told she should be thinking about what she wanted to do clearly didn't sit well.

Later she decided she was going to be a hairdresser two days a week and a music teacher three days a week. That was her plan for a long time. Now she is a bit bigger and it is all becoming real she is thinking about teaching. There is also the dream that her soccer talent may lead to something, but we will just have to wait and see.

Me? I think my wonderful middling daughter has amazing leadership skills. Common predictions for my Tink by other people include State Commissioner for Girl Guides, Prime Minister of Australia, and possibly President of the World. I am just sure that her energy and drive will mean she will make a positive difference whichever way her life takes her.

Manic Monday (aka Part 1 of 'This is how I do it')

As someone who balances work, paid and unpaid, family and study if I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say "I don't know how you do it" I would be very rich and could possibly retire. I would also be very rich if I had a dollar for every time I had heard "starting them young", but that is a whole other blog post.

I got an email from my lecturer  today saying how close we were to finishing. This would have been much more encouraging if she hadn't have listed all the things we have left to do, but it is still nice that she cares.

As after an adult life time of being asked how I do it, and never having a good answer except "caffeine, napping and an amazing disregard for housework", I decided I would actually write down how I do it. To be fair, "caffeine, napping and an amazing disregard for housework" does help significantly, but it does take a little more than that. One day I might need to prove to the girls how impressive I was, and how much I am here when they complain about absent parenting (so far so good as previous posts will show). I am also thinking that writing it down will serve as a reminder about how hard it is, so I don't go back to study before the girls are self-sufficient. Don't worry, I will spread this out over the next few weeks, so you aren't all totally bored.

Mornings
Today my alarm was set for 5.30am, I had intended to get to work early. Not to mention Monday is supposed to be one of my dog walking mornings and I am supposed to get up at 5am, but I was up late last night, I need some sleep, my back hurts I am great at making excuses ..... This would be more convincing if I hadn't had spent the snooze time contemplating how I feel like I've had more sleep if I wake up around the 2am mark (not unusual for me), because if I go back to sleep easily it feels like I've had two nights sleep. Early morning musings don't actually have to make sense.

I actually got up at 6.15am and ran around frantically.

Wins: having change for the girls to donate to some thing at school, having my clothes ready the night before, and remembering to have breakfast (I do try and eat breakfast at home to set a good example).

Fails: Not remembering what it is the girls are donating money towards, Tink telling me she needed money for the train home as I ran out the door (thanks to my mother for sorting this one), and being yelled at by the Pixie for being grumpy at her when she wouldn't get out of bed.

Could go either way: Not getting a seat on the train. Winning 'cos it means I can read a fun book; failing 'cos I can't study (personally I count this as a win because I have a bad attitude towards study).

The Day
I made it to work by 7:30am. This is a massive bonus because it is my busiest time of the year.

Wins: Remembering to buy white out after Pixie put a reminder in my phone. Organising lunch with a girlfriend next week, getting a whole agenda drafted. Sorting out for the big two to go on camp during the school holidays. Remembering to text a few people about random things. Leaving the office at 5.40pm and making it to the train on time.

Fails: A panicked phone call to Mum when I realised I hadn't heard from either her or the girls after school today. The number of phone calls I have to make tomorrow. Forgetting to do some Guide stuff. Stuffing my friend around working out a day I could do lunch.

The Entourage after school
On Mondays Mum picks the girls up from school and another friend who lives near us to ferry them all to confirmation classes (well except the Pixie, Mum drops her off at my sister's house). I don't feel too bad about this one, partly because Mum offered, and partly because it is as important to her as it is to me that the girls get this opportunity. Plus she is driving someone else too, and I get them all home. Mum drops them at one train station, and I meet them at another.

I love my train trips home. It is the quiet zone where I transit from work-mode to home-mode and gives me very precious reading time. I don't study on the trip home so it is always fun reading time, and reading is one of the things that makes me happiest.

Wins: Waiting at the train station to meet the Entourage plus one. Not traumatising our Monday passenger  too much (he puts up with the girls quite well!). Being at the right train station (Monday is the only day I use this train line).

Evenings
I drop Buglet at her dance class, our passenger at his house, then bring my little two home. About an hour of driving gives us lots of catching up time which is sometimes nice, sometimes tiring, but it does make me feel like I am not missing out on so much! Mum feeds the children so I have a very lazy dinner (toast tonight, please don't judge me - I made sure I had a very big lunch), do some housework (I use this term loosely, but I usually get something done), shower, discuss homework and school and all those sorts of things, and pick the Buglet up at 8.30pm. Family rule is if I have to pick them up after 8pm from an activity, I get to wear pyjamas. I am the mother, I get to make the rules. I try to get there in time to watch her Buglet's last 20 minutes, and the trip home is a good chance to just talk to her. Luckily Monday night seems to have reality tv shows on which I do not like, but the girls do. This means the little two are happy, and I don't feel bad when I am doing other things.

Conversations today include Tink's badly studded leg from her soccer game yesterday, Pixie having a "man" vein in her foot (shaped like a man, not looking like it belongs to a man, it took me a while to work this out), our costumes and food and activities for Guides on Wednesdays, the fact Pixie is playing in a school sports carnival tomorrow which I am not 100% sure I knew about and which does mean I have to reorganise my usual Tuesday plans. Bonus is I will get a bit of a bit of a sleep in tomorrow!

Pick up the Buglet and shoo them all off to bed. Some nights I do housework, some nights I study, some nights I curl up on the couch to read.

Evenings all get thrown into chaos the one Monday a month I have a Guide meeting after work. An adult type Guide meeting where we do the behinds the scenes stuff for the state, not the fun unit stuff. Those nights I am very nice to Apple who usually fills in the parenting blank for me.

Tonight I have blogged (clearly!) and studied. I will be in bed by 10:30pm tonight! Tonight I am just tired.

Fail: having an assignment due on Friday, reorganising plans.

Win: Pyjamas, cuddles, Tink bringing me home muffins she made at school, and studying is much more fun with a cool pen.

Hope you all had a happy and productive Monday xxx

Hot 'n' cold

"Mama, mama, I went to town, inside, outside upside down!". Does anyone else remember this line from the Berenstain Bears' book Inside, Outside, Upside Down? I adore that line! It always pops into my head in the middle of the chaos when I am balancing a million emotions all at once.

Pixie is very into singing at the moment. Yesterday she declared the theme song was in Hot 'n' Cold in honour of Buglet. She is such a caring sister sometimes.

I had a horrible scare with Buglet. She came in before I was even out of bed crying and telling me her legs weren't working and she was burning up on the inside.

I panicked.

My first instinct was to throw her in the car (possibly even literally even though she is almost my size), and take her to the hospital.

Buglet said no.

Alternative panic plan I called my mum. Lesson here is it doesn't matter how old your children are, or how old their children are, you are still their mother. I really need to remember this!

Mum very sensibly told me to call Health Direct, who were lovely as usual. After a trip to the doctor, I am happy to let you know she is ok.

I stayed home with her yesterday. I was supposed to be keeping an eye on Buglet, but instead I slept on the couch, admittedly with her, for three hours. She may not have been the only one who was sick. While I was sleeping Buglet amused herself at one point by taking pictures of me when I was asleep. I have taught them well! Very politely she asked me prior to putting them on facebook. I told you I have taught them well.

The bonus to being at home was that I was here to get the letter saying that Pixie has been accepted into the academic extension program at the big girls' high school.

If you missed the post about Pixie's application click here. You will see why I was a bit worried.

Pixie wasn't worried. She has kept asking about when the letter telling her she was going to high school would arrived.

I have also been a bit concerned about how high school will cope with Pixie. When I asked her what they were going to do with her, she very calmly told me that "They will put me in a room by myself and lock the door". Um ... I suppose that would be one method!

It has been stressing me out a bit because we don't live in that high school zone anymore, and I didn't really have a Plan B yet. Yes I do realise I keep saying there is always a Plan B ... and I know there would have been, but I hadn't worked it out yet.

Pixie's only concern has been that I expect her to be like Tink.

"It's not fair Mama. Everyone will expect me to be like Tink. I am only going to do the academic program. And music. I am not going to do soccer and be on the student council as well. I am lazy and that is too much for Pixies".

There is only one Pixie and there is only one Tink, and thank goodness for both these things!

But they are all wonderful. My random happy moment was Tink and Pixie both being super excited and insisting on taking pictures when we saw a double rainbow on the way home from school.

Have I mentioned recently that I love rainbows?

And to round out tonight's post nicely and evenly. A Buglet quote on Pixie's singing.

"I keep thinking that Pixie will just one day start singing like Daddy. But I think she has your voice Mum, and that is a shame".

Harsh, but true.

But long may all my babies continue to sing like no-one is listening, and long may it keep us all happy when everything else is inside and outside, hot and cold, and up and down.