Highly Sprung

For a while I've been keen for Tilly to have something, a club that really pushes her and helps her gain confidence and self esteem. She is such a good and lovely girl with plenty of talent, character and humour but she really lacks the skills to shine. She is still petrified of school assemblies and achieving star of the week etc. Just in case she needs to stand up in front of the whole school.

I think she needs something that will bring her out of her shell and give her confidence. There is so much choice out there, trampolining, gymnastics, karate, dance, ballet, swimming etc. I contacted Highly Sprung about their classes and they gave Tilly the chance for a free taster session. I asked Tilly if she wanted to go and she seemed interested.

I took her this morning. They were so amazing when we arrived, interested and engaged in her. We took a seat as the group arrived, I felt her anxiety rise. She started to get teary, as I led her to the corridor so others didn't see her cry, the workshop leader saw her and took her off to see a room. We made a break for it while she was distracted.

I hate seeing Tilly like that, I'm being cruel to be kind but it hurts me too. As I went to the car, I ended up crying too. No wonder she is like she is, I'm an emotional wreck too.

I couldn't rest easily at home. I was checking my phone to see if there were missed calls but also to check the time.

Unsurprisingly Tilly liked it.

As this was only a taster session there was no pressure for her to attend any more sessions. I gave Tilly the option but she wanted to go back. The more the day has gone on the more she has talked about Highly Sprung and how much fun it was.

I am so pleased. She already seems different, I only hope that it does improve her confidence in groups and with strangers.

Breaking News: I love everybody

I found this in Tilly's bag. I've no idea why she's drawn it, what it is about or in response to. However, given all the utterly  awful news that this year has brought so far I think we should all live in Tilly's version of the world in 2015.

New Beginnings

2015

We are only 10 days into the New Year and it has already been filled with horrors. Plane crashes, boats capsizing, terrorist attacks and more. All the news is depressing.

I found a drawing from Tilly, I've no idea why she'd done it or what it was in response to but it is so beautiful.

I give the girls a hard time sometimes but  only because I want them to grow up with respect and manners.
I absolutely adore my girls, I can see glimpses into the ladies they will become, bright, talented, funny and beautiful. Any parent would say the same but although I don't always show it, my heart often bursts with pride.

Tilly is very excited as she has her first wobbly tooth. Everyone else in her class has lost at least one, some in reception have even lost theirs, so she is desperate to lose hers. Of course the loss of teeth means that she'll really start to look even more grown up than she does already. Those awkwardly large teeth have a habit of totally changing faces.

Mima is funny and FULL of character. She makes me laugh daily, especially when she does one of her belly laughs and can't stop giggling, which may well be the best sound in the world.
She is also full of stubborn, a character trait that I know in myself all too well and that is difficult to see in the girls. She knows what she wants and these days it is very much no seams in her tights (or socks). Seams are the bloody bain of my life at the mo, every day is made longer by their sheer existence. But when we've magicked them we can continue and she is back into the normally cute kid that I know and love.

Mary Poppins

I have always loved the film Mary Poppins. I'm not sure there has ever been a time that I've managed to watch it without crying. When I was little it was always the moment that Mary Poppins left. Since being a parent it is always a little bit earlier. The scene between Mr Banks and Bert after the Chim Chimeny song, I think the lyrics

"You've got to grind, grind, grind
At that grindstone
Though child'ood slips like sand through a sieve
And all too soon they've up grown
And then they've flown
And it's too late for you to give"

As the tears rolled down my face, both girls stared at me and questioned why I was crying. Mima got tissues and wiped them away.