This afternoon we had a very happy couple of hours in the garden - Izzy playing with Mia in the pod and Abi and I weeding the path (a cathartic but constant task). While we weeded we had a long talk about Abi's burning desire to be a farmer / shepardess, and how this is different to what her friends want to do. We talked about the fact that if everyone wanted to be the same it would be both boring and competitive, and she needs to be confident in her choices and ability to achieve what she wants in life. Abi often lacks confidence and so it's good to have a pep talk - she's at that age when it would be really easy to start to lose her self confidence and with it her self esteem. It was a really good discussion and she came away all buoyed up by the concept that 'this girl can'. It obviously stuck as in bed tonight she made herself an inspirational poster, with lots of encouraging words to make her feel she can do anything she wants to - that's my girl!
This afternoon we shot down to Swindon hospital today for a flying visit to see Lesley, Glenn's sister who is in after surgery to have a tumour removed. Thank goodness its non-cancerous and she's in good form. The kids were hyper on the way back - nothing to do with having eaten most of Lesley's sweets while in the ward - and so were bickering in the back seat as is the norm. By the time we got home we'd both had enough, not least that it became clear on the way home that Abi had not only her science project to finish but Latin homework as well. Luckily it wasn't too much work but enough to add to the general fractiousness. Abi got out her books, Izzy got out her reading book, I went upstairs to do the beds and Glenn started the ironing, only for 2 mins later to hear him swearing and for Izzy to arrive in floods of tears as he had managed to melt her games skort. Deep breath everyone! We managed to rescue the situation - she can always wear her shorts and we can get a new skort ordered - and peace was restored.
We spend so much time talking about Abi's future career path. I realised I have no idea what Izzy wants to be - I've asked before and it hasn't been conclusive but I wasn't sure if things had moved on. It appears not - when I asked this evening she smiled a big smile and said "Mummy, I want to be lots of things!" Good girl - long may it continue that you don't feel tied down to a single career or talent. If you'd asked me at 3pm yesterday I'd say she definately wasn't following in Glenn's footsteps as a tree climber. The weather was horrible but Abi wanted to go to the Go Ape in Southampton so we decided we would brave the rain and go regardless. We set off and drove through a torrential downpour which miraculously cleared as we arrived and we then had bright sunshine right up to the moment we left, when the heavens opened again - perfect! Abi hates heights but has done this before and despite it challenging her she loves it. Izzy was all bravado until she got to the first tree bridge when she burst into tears and said she couldn't do it! I managed to coax her across and she got braver and braver until the zip wire where we almost had to throw her off, only for her to zip down screaming gleefully all the way! After this there was no stopping her and the two of them raced round multiple times using up every last moment of their allotted time. Izzy enjoyed it so much she has requested we go again next weekend with one of her school friends as it will be just the two of us - Abi and Glenn are off to Somerset. Lets hope we have the weather ordered again!
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