I am not sure if I can pinpoint the exact moment my life got too busy to blog. In a way its probably good, less time on the computer more time for... children... housework... reading... but what I have found is that I don't always have much of a chance to wax lyrical on a topic of interest. To have a discussion about it. Naturally Dion and I discuss things (you would hope seeing as we've been married for 10 years) but during the day my audience is less interested in Mummy's new ideas about the current educational standards or government or the environment and more focused on important things like whether the honey sandwich is sufficiently crustless or whose turn it is to choose what to watch on the television or where the red ball has gone from the ball popper. So maybe this will help. Even though I would like to know where the red ball is as well.
So where am I at now?
Well I have three children. Enough said. People tell me three is a lot of children. I am not convinced it is a lot of children really but it can get a little busy. Its a busy-ness that is always changing though. The children grow up so fast that once you've got a handle on one stage they've gone and moved onto another and then its all go again. At the moment its busy because the moment my back is turned A is getting into something and keeping tabs on all the 'stuff' that we've accumulated over 5 years of parenting seems to take up a lot of time.
So what about these little people?
D is 5 and is at school now. He is going to be a fire fighter when he grows up and he is going to live in the fire house. Apparently we are all going to be fire fighters when we grow up and live there together although C decided last week that she wasn't going to do that. D has blue eyes, brown hair and a big dimpled smile with a gap from when he ran headfirst into a door and lost his front tooth.. He's pretty small and skinny for his age. When he is not being a fire fighter he is playing Buzz Lightyear. When he is tired or sad he likes nothing better than to snuggle on the couch with Woof and suck his thumb and watch telly if Mummy is feeling nice. Daniel likes nothing more than to hang about and chat chat chat chat chat about his world. He loves lego as well, particularly his fire trucks and when Daddy makes up all of it so he can play.
C is 3. She DOES NOT WANT TO GO TO PRESCHOOL but she does go twice a week and has a lovely time. C has blue eyes, brown hair that falls across her face unless we can get her to wear a hair clip and a dimple in her left cheek. Caitlin is Daniel's sidekick most of the time, either "Penny" the fire fighter from Fireman Sam or "Woody" from Toy Story. When she is on her own she likes to play with little people type toys, help Mummy do the dishes and read stories. She gets a lot of joy out of helping. It seems to give her a sense of identity and belonging. When C is hungry or tired the world is a difficult and frustrating place. C prefers to do things she wants to do and it is a challenge to get her to do the things we want her to do but somehow we manage ;) She shows a lot of initiative which is great but means I have to keep a step or two ahead.
A is 1. For the first year she was a relaxed baby who just went with the flow. Since turning one she's discovered her inner personality and that with two older siblings, you've got to be heard somehow! She has (and spot the theme here) blue eyes, brown hair and the smallest dimple on her right cheek at the peak of her smile. She's just started to walk and is into everything. If it can be opened, examined or flung then it is! She loves phones and will put them to her ear and go "hi" or "bye". A is a snuggly wee thing and loves being in the centre of things. She gets very upset if she is left to 'fend for herself and particularly when Daddy leaves the house. A has been such a delight this past year and is adored by her siblings. Mostly ;)
So that's us. We muddle along with working in school and preschool and playgroup and church. I admit I don't "do" as much as I used to when Daniel was a baby, when every day had a particular activity. Somehow just keeping up with the washing and drying is mission enough (the folding pile speaks for itself haha) and trying to put tasty and nutritious meals on the table while stopping World War Three from breaking out and keeping tabs on our little Destructatot as she discovers another drawer to unpack keeps me entertained. Dion is busy with his work at church and so I am the sounding board, the sermon proofer and the person who can't help but wait up for him so we can talk about what's happening in our worlds. I am also the person who thanks God that Dion is happy(ish) to get up to the older kids overnight, feed porridge to them most mornings and do bath most nights. He's particularly selfless about weekends, always happy to have the little people tag along as he goes about his jobs and errands even thought they are, to quote "lots of help but not much of an asset".
But when I do have a moment I still love to read. And I spend time on the computer. And I am very deeply interested in matters of faith, theology, the environment, politics, education, justice and all those things that get me thinking outside the minutiae of daily life. I find I need that kind of stuff to think about. As much as it can consume my headspace, keeping all the things in my head around feeds, meals, pick up and drop offs, naps and potential illness doesn't feed the thirst of knowledge and reflection and understanding I seem to have. I like thinking about other stuff. I like to reflect on various states of the world. I like to see what my place is in it.
And maybe this is what this blog will be for.
