I never thought I'd be the one to say it, never thought I'd be THAT mother who actually wants her 3 boys (and their little sister) to be at home every day for 6 whole weeks. I always thought I'd be the moany one, grumpy one who stands by the school gate and kicks a stone when the final bell tolls. But (and I'm so glad about this), I'm not! I'm getting that bubbling feeling of excitement just thinking about that last bell, the moment when I can open my arms wide to the kiddies and they will run from their teacher and jump on me, flattening me and bruising my eyes but I won't care because everyone around us is smiling and saying "how sweet", and they might even cry because they wish their kids had done that to them, given them a black eye out of love; and then I'll be crowned mum of the year and the dads (or the stronger of the mums) will pick me up and throw me on their shoulders and there'll be a parade, all in my honour...
Even as I write this, however, I feel obliged to tell you that I have a long way to win mum of the year because just this week, I forgot to pick son #2 from beavers, (he got dropped off by another mother), I sat down in the shade instead of watching out for son #1 so he walked past me and walked home on his own, and I laughed loudly at son #3 because he got hit in the eye by a water balloon. (In my defense I didn't realise he was hurt...and at least I wasn't the one to throw it). And don't even get me started on the girly, the amount of times she's fallen over because I wasn't watching...
Still, I love my kids an awful lot. They are really fab, and I laugh so much when I'm with them. Yes I make mistakes, and yes I shout (especially when I'm hot, sneezing and wielding a fly swat), but I love them and have a sneaky feeling they still love me.
I can't wait to wake up and have a leisurely breakfast every morning.
I can't wait to take my time and not clock watch.
I can't wait to not have to do the lunches every night before I go to bed and worry because I don't have enough healthy stuff yet again, so I end up putting a bag of crisps in.
Thing is it's not easy having 4 kids home for the holidays. It's hard entertaining children of different ages. But it's fine cos I'm aiming for mum of the year and when you have a goal you'll put up with anything.
Now I'm going because there are so many flies in this house I'm beginning to think someone's died.
