Thursday 20 September 2007

It's a simple life

Life, at the moment, is a fairly simple affair for me. I sometimes wonder if I should be doing more; if life is perhaps ‘passing me by’. But then I remind myself that my children are small and that everyday brings a stage in their lives that will pass and never return.

I wish I could remember each of their little misunderstandings that make us roar with laughter. Like Rosie yesterday saying (when I brushed something off her ear): “Don’t touch my ear! That’s disgusting!” Me: “What does disgusting mean Rosie?” Rosie: “Don’t know. But don’t touch my ear, that’s disgusting!”

Rosie, who is three and nine months, has just started school and, after initial angst on both sides, has settled in well to the routine of going in the afternoons. Hannah, five, is enjoying her role as the big sister who ‘knows’ about school and, in the car on the way home yesterday, was trying to explain to Rosie about the end of the school day rituals. Rosie didn’t like putting her hands together under her nose and closing her eyes.

“That’s prayering,” said Hannah, knowledgably.

“Don’t like it,” says Rosie.

“Yes,” adds Hannah, “It’s prayering, like Amens.”

One day I will explain that ‘Amens’ are usually called angels, but Hannah’s word is descriptively better and it doesn’t bother her at school because I expect she knows the correct term in Welsh.


This morning, in lovely warm September sunshine, Rosie and I planted the seeds which will hopefully turn into cabbages for next spring. Then Rosie picked an armful of sweet peas which are now spilling fragrantly from a vase in the living room. The sweet peas are just about in full bloom production; they’re a bit late because the first batch of seedlings were cleared overnight by a plague of voracious slugs (is there any other sort?). It is rather lovely to have them flowering so enthusiastically at this time of year. It makes the house smell like summer.


The ducks were allowed out to roam around the garden in the warm sunshine dabbling for slugs and taking it in turns to splash in their ‘pond’. ‘Pond’ gets inverted commas because it is the girls’ old baby bath. Three ducks can fit in it alongside each other, while the other three look jealously on. I wonder if I should offer them some soap and a loofa, or possibly some white fluffy towels for after their dip?

11 comments:

  1. what a lovely blog - i like amens! i have sweet peas going nineteen to the dozen too. ours sulked for ages before deciding to grow so are full throttle now. lovely picture. definitely dont think life is passing you by - think you are living it!

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  2. You are wise to make the most of this time with your children. It passes so quickly. I think too many people mistake 'busy'ness for a fulfilled life and you recognise what you have.

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  3. Love the ducks! I love sweet peas too. My favourites. I think your life sounds perfect. I'd swap!

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  4. My sweet peas are just about over now, sadly. They have been gorgeous.
    I can just imagine your ducks muttering 'Move over, it's my turn now!'

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  5. You know everyone will say to you to enjoy every second of your children because the time flies past. I remember thinking . . .don't be ridiculous I have years and years ahead of me with them. Wildchild is now 20 and Robot Boy 19 . . . .where DID the time go . .I blinked and missed it.

    OOoo love the sweet peas - I am going to have a go and planting some next year.

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  6. So nice to hear that you are really enjoying your time with your wee ones. WW is right - the time zips by, and before you know it they will have flown. Enjoy every minute - and remember that the moments that seem ordinary are worth millions!

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  7. Gorgeous ducks, gorgoeus sweet peas and gorgeous sayings from the little ones! I so know what you mean about that feeling that life is sort of happening without you - I get that feeling too, I think it's normal when you're at home so much. Despite it all, like you, I treasure the times with my children.

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  8. Beautiful sweet peas pic. I echo ChrisH's comment, so very true. Oh just read thr rest and they are all saying the same.........
    Treasure every moment because although at the time you think their childhood will last forever, it doesn't, it flies.
    Caitx

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  9. Really lovely. And gorgeous sweet peas - there's no smell quite like them.x

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  10. A lovely blog, and you are so right to indulge in and treasure your childrens childhood as you can never get those years back again!
    Ducks look lovely, definately soap and a loofah!

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  11. Lovely ducks!!!
    Sometimes you do feel like life is just passing you by, but those moments with the children, hearing and remembering those sweet things they say, are priceless.

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