Betty started school on Tuesday, and survived the week without a hitch. She even picked up a little certificate in the Praising Assembly on Friday for 'her enthusiasm about school life and being a pleasure to have in the classroom'. And while Betty was very cool about it, I was jumping up and down with uncontrollable joy and insisted we went out for a celebratory dinner. I had to stop myself from framing the certificate (it is now stuck on the fridge instead).
However, I felt a neglectful mother, because during Betty's first week at school, I went to London to attend the Gurgle blog awards on Thursday, which meant I wouldn't be around on Thursday afternoon/Friday morning. Again, Betty was very cool about this, but I was not, and I thought about her constantly while I was away. I couldn't wait to get home and see her and Dolly. Tom told me later that Dolly had taken my absence pretty hard and asked him a couple of times 'Where's my best friend mummy?' Which just about broke my heart.
But, the Gurgle awards were great fun. I took one of my best friends, who lives in London, and we had a fab time. Having gone for dinner in Pizza Express, we wandered up and down Dean Street in our ridiculous shoes, and could not find the Soho Hotel anywhere (which is where the awards were being held). Finally we rocked up, about an hour late, sweating like pigs, just in time to down some wine and miniature burgers. And before the ceremony had even begun I had no choice but to change into flip flops which I happened to have in my bag, much to my friend's combined disappointment and embarrassment.
We met the lovely Gurgle team and Mothercare staff, and some lovely bloggers. I wish I had got to meet more bloggers, but it all seemed to go so fast. I was absolutely thrilled to win the 'Mothercare Loves...' Gurgle blog award, but I was far less thrilled at having to stand next to the lovely Myleene Klass and have my picture taken. It really knocks the confidence, standing next to someone so immaculate, beautiful, thin, funny etc. When I got home I tried to do a bit of tinkering on Photoshop to make the photo look better - I changed it to black and white for a start, to disguise my red shiny glow, and I tried to get rid of my double chin using some blurring out tool.
Anyway, all in all this week has been very emotional, nerve-wracking, hectic, and fantastic. Now we are about to go to an Onion Fayre, which I am told is the place to be, of a grey drizzly Saturday, and I get to spend some quality time with my girls.
11 comments:
I missed your post about Betty's first day of school, so I've just read it.
And how I've laughed, and how many times have I said 'oh yeah, me too'. Not the driving thing, because I don't drive and we walk to school (which is fine, it's only a ten minute walk).
It is hard work. Each and every day. My least favourite part is when teacher hunts me down to 'discuss' something. Usually something totally unimportant, but my heart sinks each time. On the plus side I now get that Friday Feeling,when I know I've got two days off from sorting out the uniform, finding out if she wants packed lunch or hot dinner.
My biggest gripe is that I seem to be one of the oldest mums. And fatter. I always stand and chat to a really lovely lady, who is probably half my age, and definitely half my size.
Glad you enjoyed your time in The London, but can understand the guilt. I'd be the same.
x
Congratulations on surviving that first week and the award! Maxine xx
Congrats to you, Elsie!
Hi Sadie, yes weekends really do feel like weekends again - a couple of days off from the sorting and organisation... x
Hi Maxine and Iota, thank you! x
I really have to go back in time to try and remember those first days of school and the excitement at awards won by the kids and feeling so gosh darn proud. I'm sure I was the same as you and wanted to frame every one of them.
Congratulations on winning your own award and don't you worry one bit about what you think you looked like. It's all a matter of perception and that is very often skewed. It's never as bad as we think it is. Besides, it's our personalities that count and that come shining through.
Sadie, ps I would love to be able to walk to school! x
Hi Nora, i hope you are right about perception - because i felt like a big red blob! thank you for your lovely comment :)
That's great news to hear about Betty's first week, such a relief.
And well done on receiving your award. I imagine Ms. Klass was frantically trying to hide her blemishes, too. I bet you looked amazing.
CJ xx
Hi CJ, i am going to invest in some really expensive make-up :) x
Congratulations to Betty on such a wonderful first week at school and earning her certificate in praise assembly. Big congrats to you too on your swanky award. Very well deserved!
Congrats on the award! Where's the pic??
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