This Week Has Been Absolutely and Extremely the Most Exhausting Week of Ever

Harriet's face in this photo says it all really. She's buggered. Completely.

We've been going to swimming lessons in the morning all week and I had no idea just how much it would wear us *all* down. Swimming is just not something that happens with a modicum of enthusiasm - it is an activity that is embraced with gusto. The physicality of it has no half measure, it is something that can only exist with Harriet throwing herself over and over again into the pool, kicking, swimming, yelling, diving and laughing. There's barely time for any sort of pause for nourishment even - it's just go, go, go. But the lessons have definitely been worth it as far as her skills go. On Sunday she could jump in the pool if coerced. This morning she was diving (read: horizontal belly flop with straightened arms) into the pool and, with face down, blowing bubbles, kicking and dog paddling for a few metres after hitting the water. It's so great to see.

The main drama was with goggles. Oh my goodness the GOGGLES! On Monday I bought her a pair of goggles as we walked through the gate from the front reception area of the pool. I bought the pair marked '6-14yrs'. Safe, yeah? Well, since you're reading this blog you would therefore know of our family's genetic predisposition for planetoid sized craniums. This pair of goggles was waaayyyy too small. Harriet is five. There is no refund on goggles, of course, so I went out and bought an adult pair. Great, they fit! $18 for the first pair, $22 for the adult pair = $40 for a pair of goggles. Ok, not the greatest of scenarios but I'll wear it (or not, as the case may be. At this rate Ted will fit into the first pair of goggles in a year). Then on Thursday morning we gather together the bags and realise - no goggles. Anywhere. Argh!!! I then purchase my third pair of goggles for the week at reception but say to Harry not to open the box until we've asked at Lost and Found. She's running late for her lesson, the lifeguard needs to wait to find someone to cover her so she can show us the L&F and meanwhile Harry's teacher is calling her in to the pool. Can anyone spell aneurysm?

And guess what? I believe my years of dutiful L&F returns paid off in the karmic circle - the goggles were there! And now I feel guilty about deciding to take that container of L'Occitane body wash left in the family change rooms last year.


On Wednesday afternoon Nana and Grandpa flew down from Brisbane where they'd left their caravan for a week-long side trip to Sydney. Harriet, of course, was just a little excited. Miraculously, she managed to sleep the night before they arrived (thank you swimming lessons) and she even managed to be calm during the morning before their arrival. Of course when they arrived it was on for young and old (literally). Poor Nana and Grandpa were exhausted within fifteen minutes of Harriet's whirlwind play I'm sure.

Grandpa came up with a great game called 'Being Asleep'. Harriet took that on board as well as she could - see photo for her interpretation of sleep. Nana and Grandpa took her out for the morning and she returned with a new swimming costume! Tomorrow she is taking them to the Homebush Aquatic Centre where she is VERY excited about showing them the big bucket, the rapids and...THE WATER SLIDE! She is now able to go down it (you have to be 120cms) and oh my god does she love this slide or what?! I can only imagine just what levels of exhaustion will have been met tomorrow. We spent the day at home doing nothing in anticipation of her mad day tomorrow.



Harriet found this hat at Kmart and fell in love with it. Who was I to argue? We were in there because I had a skirt packed to wear after the pool and...well...I failed to pack underwear as well. So on a particularly gusty day I made a beeline for the nearest store that could fulfill my modesty requirements and the hats are (inexplicably) located near the underwear. The last hat she loved, chose and wore was this one she's wearing on the trike. So she obviously has great hat taste.

For some reason she is very focused on poverty too. She is using her hat here to be a 16 year old who is begging for money because she is poor and is an orphan. Don't ask me, but it's cute and strange and very Harriet all at once.