An ordinary week in an ordinary life

Everyone had fun at our first EI playgroup for the year. All the kids were a bit taller, had changed in different ways and all were a bit wary at first - until they got back into the swing of it. Kit and Hannah did their best to impress the special ed teacher (she has just returned from mat leave so hasn't met them before) by pushing and shoving and 'crying' over who got to feed 'baby' in her high chair and tehn over who got to push her in her 'pram' etc - luckily the spec ed teacher has 4 kids so I don't think it was anything new watching my two toddlers behave like the brats they are! Hannah jsut loved the singing in group time and kept wanting to stand up and go to the teacher to point at different things or to hold the picture card she was using.

She stood at the vestibulator and kept pointing up to the where the hammock swing should have been until the OT gave in and got it out for her to swing in - she loves that activity. The OT was very impressed when Kit who has refused to go near it (to the point where the OT has asked if he likes the swings in the park) said "My turn" and he loved it too.

Then I foolishly but in desperation took them (sans twin pram) to a white goods store in search of the cheap but good front loading washing machine because ours was dead. They squealed and chased each other around (Hannah does a good chase for a kid who is just getting the hang of this whole walking business - hands up for balance and away she goes!). Kit was turning all the knobs on the machines - it was the quickest major purchase I have ever made in my life. No haggling required - the salesperson was a woman who obviously empathised with my situation as she pretty much took me immediately to a wonderful little machine just what I was looking for and then just gave me a good deal straight away without my having to ask for 'best price'. Thanks Whitfords!

Hannah's child care seem to have greatly improved and they have been investigating support options for staff and her. The teacher in her room this year seems good although she hasn't had time to really develop a good rapport with Han she was asking me which signing system we use and she had obviously been talking to the inclusion support worker who was involved last year and who is pretty good. Hannah is still loathe to go but luckily the wonderful carer that she had last year is usually on in the mornings and she has a lovely relationship with Hannah so that it doesn't feel so bad leaving her there upset.

Each afternoon when I pick them up they are usually outside playing. I greet them and then chat to the workers for a bit then go and sign us out. The twins always wave bye to 'Ella" (the name of the child care centre) as we leave. Today Kit ran down to the gate of the outside play area to say his goodbyes and not long after Hannah did her funny walk down there too and was waving like a champ - a couple of the kids and the staff all enthusiastically called out "Bye Hannah". It took quite a bit of time to finally get everyone out the gate and into the car to come home.

Then there are the downsides of life. We got a new company car - it is lovely - a stationwagon. I knew that P would find it hard to give up but realisticlaly given my chaffeurring of the twins it is logical that I get it (such a pity - NOT!). So being the kind wife I am I washed and vaccuumed and air freshened the old sedan - to make it easier for him to hand over the stationwagon. I was parked outside my house having lunch with the twins - when someone backed into the old car. Now the boot won't shut properly and rego is due soon so we have to hurry up on getting it repaired. Then today - I had parked the lovely new stationwagon out front of my home (in a cul de sac) when - yes - another neighbour backed into it!! Lordy - I like an ordinary life but really this was a bit much for me. Luckily there was very little damage this time just a few scratches to the paintwork.

SO as you can see - a typical boring but never dull day. I had a couple of meetings at work (classes resume next week), did some cleaning, played with the brats and dealt with an array of administrivia that makes up an ordinary life. I did have a couple of those magic moments though - watching my children wave bye at the child care gate this afternoon - so happy to be coming home after a fun day and then watching those same brats play in the bath tonight. They love pouring games at the moment. Hannah makes me a 'drink' - tea I think as she blows on it I presume to cool it down! Kit makes me tea and Dad coffee. They are a constant source of wonder, frustration, mundanity and pure joy.

No new photoes to post - I'll see what I can do - cos the twins are pretty cute. Tomorrow we are off to the growers markets in search of some goodies so I had best go to bed early.