Adoptive Mummy

Today is my birthday. My gift from Girl, which she thought of herself, was a helium balloon. A simple gift you might think. Oh if only. Helium balloons bring out the worst of behaviour in Girl and I hate them, unsurprisingly she loves them (as all kids do).

I used to love them, all shiny and gentle with pretty ribbons, silently floating in the air but every time we have them in the house they cause chaos and I try to avoid them whenever possible. Perhaps I am being a misery-moo but I can’t even begin to describe how bad they make my Girl, proprietorial, mean, manic could be just a few of the words I might use.

I opened the box with apprehension as I knew with a sinking feeling what was going to happen the minute the balloon came out. Girl immediately laid claim to the balloon (was this a gift for me? I think not) and then proceeded to whip Boy up in to a frenzy of excitement, I consequently spent the morning having to nag her to get ready for school. The excitement all got too much for Boy and he ended up having a monster tantrum when Girl finally left for school. I won’t bore you with all the details of how our morning went following the opening of the box but by the time Girl went to school I felt like having a cry, something so simple as a balloon can represent all that is complicated in our life.

So that was my Birthday morning. A helium balloon and a box of chaos. We are now (Boy and I) sitting very quietly watching Stuart Little and I am hoping that Boy is in a better mood by the time I am ready for lunch with the girls. I will be partaking of a large glass of Chardonnay.

Oh and incidentally it is a year today that we met our special little Boy, it seems like forever and yet only like a minute!