A more positive tone...

Well after my annoyance at losing the entire "Time Flies..." post a few weeks ago it took me more than a few days to get back to trying to write it all again.... and naturally that process kept falling by the wayside with other things to focus upon... work, work, work and occasionally the family!

I've decided to drop that post from mind and blog for now, as it was rather weary in tone and basically consisted of a mini rant about how work continues to consume far too much of my precious family time. Which is true, but I'm not sure it was going to come across as anything other than a whinge, and nobody likes a whinger after all, so today I'm going to reflect on some positives and remind myself of how lucky a blighter I am, generally. As a normally-positive person I think I should show that side off instead.

Family wise things are super; my wife tolerates and loves me even when I'm being a right pain in the neck and spending far too much time on work stuff, and the kids just humble and delight me every day.

My eldest, Gummisen, beat me in an across-the-car-park race this morning when I dropped her off at Kindergarten. She remarked, after I had been soundly beaten let her win, that "you are EVEN slower than Flisan (who is two...) at running Daddy". To hammer the point home, she switched to German, which has become her wont of late, and said "Du bist soooo langsam, alte Mann" (you're so slow, old man). Clearly, wearing work shoes and having had a late night which included a big steak and a brandy yesterday meant this was no contest, and the rematch will result in her being shown a clean pair of running shoe heels. In the meantime I will stock up on sugary carbs by eating all of her advent calendar chocolate tonight as a punishment for beating me.

Flisan is rejoicing in her role as the middle child. Loves her big sister like the hero figure she truly is, and shares toys with her on the understanding that Gummis has the ultimate power of phsyical and mental superiority anyway if it comes down to it. First words from her mouth most mornings are "where is Gummisen?" which brings a gladness to my heart that I can't quite explain. To see my children rejoicing in each other's company and attention hits chords inside me I didn't realise I had.

Flisan's older sister role, to Gubban the all-eating all-exploring "baby" boy (he's about the size of a 16 month old, at 10 months...) is less simple. When he was a younger baby and therefore not mobile or able to investigate things quite so actively, he was seen as the cute baby brother, to be stroked and occasionally cuddled. Now, he has suddenly gained the ability to move and hence crawls about at light speed, finding things to play with which might be, in Flisan's opinion, hers. Or at least, she may have earmarked them for playing with at some point in the next day or so. Hence a quick "Nej nej nej Gubban" ensues and a rather quick grab of said item, which then elicits a yelp of frustration from Gubban who, it must be said, is soon going to be big enough and strong enough to hold his own in any tug-of-war contest among the kids. Deep joy. I can sense I need to brush up on my conflict resolution for kids skills. Lucky I work with so many children :) So Flisan is in a strange spot, where she wants to keep liking this cute little brother but can't abide by his downright cheek and thiefery when it comes to toys. Hopefully only a phase!

Gubban is just in that "wow look at THAT" phase about everything. This is quickly followed by the "can I eat it?" question and exploratory nibble / chew, and if this test fails the "can I make a noise with it?" issue arises, followed by clonking said item on the floor. Not ideal if he's just found your mobile.... He is also really enjoying being able to communicate a bit more, and is a non stop babbler with lots of "daddapappamommayehyehyeh" combinations that make me wonder if we have the first Swenglish rapper in the making here...

It's Non Farm Payroll day today, when the USA tell us how many more unemployed Joes there are over there. Traditionally the busiest day of the month and one that has got my trading juices flowing a lot over the years. Today though I just want to get through it and get home to see what the kids have in store for me tonight, followed by a 5-month-delayed joint birthday party for the girls (Gummis fell from a climbing frame the day before the last party was planned and we spent a night in the hospital as a result...) . I do wonder what Gubban is going to make of 20 sugar-dosed 4 year olds wanting to play with him :)