There's a poo in the pool! And other stories

If you had asked me 12 months ago what I would be doing a year from now, looking after 3 (and a half) little monkeys is the last thing I would have said. However, here I am and somehow I seem to have found something that I might even want to make a career out of!

The most amazing thing about children is how the things that seem everyday or that we take for granted are so exciting and outstanding to them. They make you think about something in a totally new way, challenging your perspetvie on things. Kids laughter really is the best medicine, and they find hilarity out of the most mundane things. Jack is currently obsessed with me flicking myself on the cheek and pretending it really hurts. It's the small things!

We are currently in the process of potty training Charlotte, and she is SO proud of herself when she does wees in the potty that she wants to show everybody (and promptly spills it everywhere!) and even did a number 2 the big toilet which was the proudest moment in her 2 1/2 years. I say 'in' the toilet but I actually mean all over the toilet seat. I was horrified, and immediately called for Lori's assistance, neglecting to recognise that it is a big deal for her to be doing that without any assistance! However, her being a potty training superstar does mean that you have to remind her every 5 minutes to wee in the potty, not her underpants. It's exhausting and makes trips to the park so much more stressful because I'm so scared she's going to do a number 2 whilst hurtling down the slide. Nightmare! Oh, and yes she did do a poo in the pool. Fortunately she was wearing a water nappy, and the other two didn't seem phased by the fact that they were swimming in their sister's fecies. Oh to be young and care free. However, now I have dealt with poo in the pool, I feel I can deal with anything!

So here we are, me spending my precious hours off reading baby manuals and subscribing to parenting websites, whilst Googling activites such as how to make beads out of play dough. Im learning to channel my energies into creativity with the kids, with many successes (building forts being a personal faveroute) and unfortuantly, many failures (stress balls made with play dough and balloons, the most horriffic mess, just no)

Now the kids are off to the dentist, I am off to catch up on Gossip Girl and revel in the peacefulness of an empty house... xxxxx

I know it's been a while...

Life as an au pair down under

Its been a long time since ive actually written about my life in Australia, but I guess it's pretty obvious from my Facebook status' that I absolutely love my life out here. I apologise to those who are getting weary off with my gloating about the wonderful weather and more improtantly, the wonderful kids. If it makes you feel any better, it's been drizzling all morning and the kids are running wild today! However, it's my afternoon off so I can shut my door and ignore the world for a few hours. Hold that thought, Charlotte is banging my door down...hard to ignore the little monkey who defiantly has me wrapped around her cute little finger.

So as we are approaching the 4 month mark perhaps it is time that I assess my experiences, good and bad, what I've learnt and what has been the biggest changes for me.

Looking back over the past 4 months has been one heck of a journey. I am so darn lucky that I have landed with a family who I can honestly say, have exceeded my expectations of life as an au pair and have made me feel so welcome. I do refer to them as my 'Aussie family' and it makes me feel pretty teary eyed when I think about having to leave them. To know that Charllotte (2years) probably won't remember me in a few years time is horrible. To realise that I'm a temporary feature in their lives breaks my heart. I won't get to see their big milestones in life, but I have been so lucky that I've been able to know them and learn so much in the process. And we are only half way though!

Of course it's not all been plan sailing. I'd be lying if I said I am enthusiastic and happy all the time. Life isn't like that. There have been days when I really can't be bothered to give piggyback rides all around the house, or days when I am short tempered and moody with the kids. But then there are days when we have so much fun doing wheelbarrow races or playing chase that I can't imagine what I'm going to do without them. And when Annabelle says something like "I really love you Georgie, I don't want you to go ever" something tugs at my heartstrings and I know I am so, so lucky to be where I am.

One of the main things I have come to learn, within the past few weeks really, is to take a step back and relax. I don't have to be perfect 100% of the time. The amount of times I've messed up (laundry being my biggest failure, how hard can it be to try not to shrink baby Ben's clothes!?) are probably off the chart. But then as Lori constantly reminds me, I've learnt so much already, and I've gone from looking after number one, to being thrust into the deep end with 4 kids under the age of 6. It's enough to challenge even the most organised and responsible human being!

I have so much more respect for mothers, and in the first month or two I was constantly emailing my mother saying "how on earth did you do it?!" Its true, motherhood is the hardest job imaginable. But also, the most rewarding. If becomming an au pair was supposed to give me more ambition to have a "real career" then it failed miserably. I'm not saying I'm going to rush off and have a billion babies ASAP, I am certianly going to enjoy my independence for as long as possible, because once you have a baby, you lose ALL sense of independence and selfishness for sure, but when I do become a mother, I know it's going to be bloody awesome!

For being the youngest of three, and very much the spoilt one, it's been one massive shock to the system looking after 4 kids, and it's not been easy, but I feel like I'm learning a lot about myself, about kids, and basically finally growing up a bit! If I'd done this before university I don't think I'd be up to the challenge. I'm learning responsibility, selflessness and above all, patience. Probably the three things that are my weakest qualities. I am incredibly proud of myself, and whislt there are days when I beat myself up over the small stuff, and not so small stuff (losing Jack in the park was possibly the worst day of my life out here), if I take a step back and look how far I've come, I'm doing pretty well really.

So as I finish off this blog, I'm feeling pretty happy, blessed and I think I might go and give Annabelle a big bear hug. Xxx