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Give me strength!



Arghhhh! I cant say how many times I've wanted to stick my head in a bucket and scream - more times than I can count certainly. I seem to have spent the entire weekend chasing around making everyone else happy and after 2 lovely days away making glass, my patience as a parent has been stretched to the limit.

It's world book day on Thursday so I came home on Friday to Izzy wanting to make her outfit from scratch. What it is to have a craft mad child... She wanted to be Harley Quinn who I've sort of heard of, but only in a context that I'm pretty sure is inappropriate for a 9 year old. I looked her up and sure enough I doubt the picture of a blonde in multi coloured bunches, hot pants, ripped t-shirt and stiletto boots wasn't quite what the school were thinking off! Apparently though it is a thing for girls of her age to dress up in a more age-appropriate version and Izzy had found a YouTube video of how to make the t-shirt so Saturday morning was spent looking for the basic materials of a white t-shirt for us to customise. You'd be amazed how difficult it is to get a plain white t-shirt - they all have writing on them - but in the end we found one. The video suggested a range of materials to paint the t-shirt, only one of which we already had was acrylic paints so that's what we used - taking most of Saturday afternoon. Following the instructions diligently we were all quite impressed with the outcome, that is unless you want to wear it. It looked great but was really stiff... not what I'd want to wear all day! All this to then go round to a friends today and find they have the whole outfit and we could just borrow it... arghhh!

I asked Abi what she was intending to wear and she said "Easy, I'm going as one of the riders from Canterwood Crest, so jodhpurs and boots!" - brilliant, one I don't have to work so hard on! I guess I spoke too soon. After all the time spent with Izzy I then had Abi asking if she could ride Sunday morning so I agreed she could. She also asked if she could go to Robinsons for some new riding boots given I'd spent money on Izzy's outfit. I did the standard "It doesn't work that way, just because one of you gets something, the other doesn't have to as well - it's either riding or Robinsons."

Sunday morning - 2 hours at the stables with both of them (with Izzy even jumping on for a quick ride after being bribed by Abi). As we headed home Abi asked again about Robinsons. I didn't immediately close it down so she asked again after lunch. I said No, to which she burst into tears and started with "It's not fair, all that time spent on Izzy's outfit and you haven't done anything for me!" This went on as she worked herself into a state, saying I hadn't taken any notice of what she wanted to do for a costume. When I pointed out she had already decided her response was "You are my Mum and you should have known I didn't have all of what I need...!" Of course, amongst my many talents I'd forgotten I'm supposed to be a mind reader as well as general house maid and personal slave. Turns out the new boots weren't just because hers are (apparently, well not really) on the small side, but because she wanted them to finish off her outfit! It was my job to know this and to have asked her so she didn't have to tell me. Oh and to tidy her room AGAIN. Cue more guilt as we dumped Izzy at a friend and headed to Basingstoke. Such a bad parent.

After a weekend of non-stop craft, Izzy has now decided that she didn't want to be Harley Quinn after all (quite pleased at that) but also wants to go as a rider, but can we make her a badge for her jacket to replicate the School Crest from the book. So that was this evening's job. Now they are in bed and I think I'm going to follow - roll on the working week, at least I feel I'm more in charge!

The finished article...for what it's worth!.

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