My Love My Life 8/12 - Reflection

The topic Reflection when photography related, usually suggests pictures of subjects seen on reflective surfaces like windows or water.  I decided to be a bit out of the box this month and make mine reflection on a life event.  Daisy's first day at school.

It’s August 2014 and it feels like the last five years has been put on fast forward.  It's hard to get my head around the fact all this time has flown by.  We get caught up in the daily grind of life and it doesn’t leave much time for fun.  Now, we are here, at the school gate.  I seriously thought I would cry on her first day at school, but surprisingly I held it together.  She looked so grown up.  I think my biggest wobble was actually when I got the leaflet before summer telling me who her teacher was going to be.  It hit home then. I felt a little emotional buying her school uniform.  I know normal school shoes are usually black but I so love the traditional red patent shoes, she had to have a pair!  I kitted her out in a Cath Kidston bag, pencil case and stationary.  After all, this is a monumental time in our life together and the perfect time to indulge.

Three little friends from our street started school together and I couldn't be happier.  Although they are not all in the same class, they will see each other at playtime and lunchtime.  Daisy will be going to what we are calling the "school cafe", which to everyone else, is school dinners.  I really enjoyed that part of school since I was a traditional eater.  I wasn’t really interested in sandwiches, fruit and yoghurt, which is usually the kind of thing you would expect in a packed lunch.  Ok, I had the odd plea to my mum to have that but in most cases it was just curiosity on how the packed lunch kids spent their lunch hour.  We always want what we don’t have but the reality of getting it usually isn’t that great long-term.  For me, eating a hot school dinner with my fellow classmates was a social occasion and I'm hoping Daisy will appreciate that time to dine and chat with friends.  

School has been a positive experience so far.  We’ve had PE and homework.  We’ve managed to remember to put a snack in Daisy’s bag for break time.  We’ve even been to the school nurse when she fell and cut herself on her third day.  We are on our last week of half days and next week she is going to be in school all day.  I worry like everyone else with children starting school.  I worry if she will manage to fasten her shoes on her own as I still give help at home when she says “I can’t, it’s to difficult”, but she can do it.  I’m surprised she is able to carry her school bag, as it just looks so big compared to her body.  She doesn’t really chat much about what goes on in school during the day but make no mistake she doesn’t miss a trick.

I’ve met two really great girls since moving, who as well as being my neighbours they are also friends.  There’s never been any nervousness about the whole school event because our girls have played together in our almost cul-de-sac street for sometime.  I'm glad Daisy and I moved house and met new friends.  After all, nothing is scary when you share the experience with some great friends.

Please pop over to Sarah's blog on Reflection of her photography journey.  I love Sarah's photos, they always have a mystical feeling as well as creating the impression you were there.

Flying High and the Charity Walk

You are growing up so fast and I don’t know where the time has gone.  I feel constantly rushed off my feet because you are into everything.  I feel like tiding up is completely pointless because you just trash the place faster than I can tidy.  One day I might miss the mess but at the present time I’d like a fairy to come and clean it up.  I think all mums would LOVE a cleaning fairy, wouldn’t they?

The other day we went to the park, again!  However this time it was an organised event with nursery.  You were taking part in a sponsored walk, which was raising money for your nursery and they are donating a percentage of the money raised to one of the big children’s hospitals in Scotland.  It had been raining and I wasn’t so sure it was going to be a great day.  I packed extra clothes into the car so that when I met you and Daddy there would be plenty to choose from if it got bad, because it was going ahead rain or shine!  We waited for about half an hour for everyone to arrive and you were running about playing with the children that were already there.  Daddy had brought you a little packed lunch and the two of you were getting stuck into the sweeties before the walk had even started.  Daddy kept asking me if I wanted some but I said no three times before reminding him that I need my tablets if I eat anything.  You’d think after TEN years he would actually remember by now; he does have a short memory.

You had to walk two laps around the park footpath, which is approximately one mile.  The park is starting to come together as it’s had some lottery funding to bring it back to how it looked in the Victorian era when it was first opened.  The past couple of years have seen it go downhill and it will be brilliant for the city when it has its open day later this month.  You were a bit slow going round the first time and kept asking to be carried.  Too much running about before the start that’s what was wrong, funny you wasn’t tired going to the slides afterwards.  On the second lap you got it into your head that it was a race and that you had to go faster and you did.  Eventually you crossed the finish line first and were so pleased with yourself that you were first.

After the walk we went down towards the park with the big slides and out the corner of my eye I spotted an old friend of ours.  Daddy and I stopped and spoke for a few minutes, and then he went to the park with you while I continued to catch up on the latest gossip.  I then joined you two at the park and you played while Daddy and I sat and chatted for a while.  We then got you to come and eat your little picnic, as you would probably be very hungry after the morning you’d just had.  The rain looked like it was going to start so we made our way back to the car.  Mummy was going out in the afternoon anyway so it just all fitted into place.  Back at the car I gave Daddy the macaroon I told him that I’d made the day before, you both tried it and Daddy said he couldn’t believe how good it was and it looked just like shop bought. 

Whilst we were in the park you and Daddy were messing about. He kept throwing you up in the air like he used to do. I snapped a couple of images of the two of you having fun. I kept thinking of all the times Daddy used to do this to you and I was sure that I would find some in my large archive of memories, which are called photographs. It is at times like these you wish you had a fool proof filing system on your computer; mummy must get better at filing!  It’s wonderful looking back at memories we have made.  I know I should start looking through my old photos first of all because I am better at spotting a good photo but also because of all the memories every image holds. There are expressions there that make me think of how you were back then and it makes me realise how much you have grown.  

I’ve gone through an extraordinary amount of emotions in the past few years but you always make my smile.  Of course, the smiling I remember the most is usually when I check you are sleeping.  I look at you in your bed and think you are intelligent, funny and a little crazy at times.  You don’t realise it now but you are a lot like me, you have my personality.  Some would argue that’s a bad thing, however I see it as a good thing; you are going to be one tough cookie to crack.  I know in your lifetime you are going to experience an extraordinary amount of emotions too, but I plan to be holding your hand every step of the way.