I'm telling on you!

I have been waiting for this phrase to rear it's ugly head as the sibling dynamics in my house evolve as each day goes on within our family life. Please do not get me wrong, Lucy and Anna adore each other, but they do like a good scrap and fight like cats and dogs at times. This usually happens after a bit of rough and tumble and one of them gets hurt by a whack in the face. This happened today and Lucy ran into the kitchen uttering those cursed words 'I'm telling on you!'. Anna ran in shortly after, uttering the same words, having very quickly picked up on the phrase used by her big sister.

Living with all these women, I do feel that my role will regularly take the guise of peacemaker and referee of arguments. Any day now the door slamming will begin, I already have much experience of the 'it's not fair' tactic. Fear not, I am a skilled listener and negotiator of female arguments ...

Caught in the act!

Anna and I have both been caught in the act this weekend and there is potential blackmail and photographic evidence to prove it - neither of us have a defense at all. I am pictured undertaking my proactive approach to parenting at lunchtime today and I simply have no argument to put up.

One of Anna's favourite phrases this weekend has been 'I am only borrowing it'. She has swiped one of her sister's toys and things from the house to add to the hoard she keeps in her Toy Story rucksack as well as two crisp five pound notes from her mummy's purse which I found this morning in her things! She feels she has the freedom of everything in the house at present and it is proving very difficult to teach her boundaries and understanding about respect for other peoples' belongings. Here she is pictured having 'borrowed' her sisters prize possession - her DS. What can I say, she was born with much curiosity! The flip side is her wonderful generosity in sharing all that she has with anybody...

Things that make me shudder....

Parents have a duty to overcome any concern that they have for themselves or things they do not like to support their children, bring them on and educate and protect. I have to say that I just don't do teeth and Lucy knows this and exploits it every day. I shudder when she wobbles her loose tooth; the more I ask her to stop, the more she delights in continuing! There are several more loose ones on the way that will cost me an arm and a leg from the mythical tooth fairy that is my endless pocket and continue to give me the creeps.

Great weekend - (started badly very early on Saturday morning as Anna and Lucy had a massive row in their room waking us up) - then peace was made - family time and good food. A walk in the crisp winter air at Sandringham, Pizza express, chill out time by the fire and finished off by roast beef next door today. Very convinced now that the Disney channel contains subliminal messages as Anna repeated to Amy when choosing a film to watch 'it's even better in HD on the Disney cinemagic!' A bit worried my kids watch too much TV?

All hail the magic trousers!

Anna has bravely entered the world of going to bed without nappy again and she is a super star. Pleasingly, about ten days ago, she decided that it was time to try again and insisted she give it a go. Armed with her will, fighting British spirit and what we have told her are magic PJ trousers she has been dry for most of the last ten days. She is entering a new phase in her life of more independence and control and I am so proud of her that she took the bull by the horns and decided to give it a go again and is doing so well. Left to Amy and I am sure we would have delayed it till at least 2013 as we are quite simply knackered and did not relish the thought of getting up in the middle of the night. Keep going Anna - I still think the trousers are the contributing factor!

Year by year.....

Another year as a parent has flown by and it has been full of truly rich experiences, amazing times, stressful, tiring and hard work, a steep learning curve, hilarious moments, touching and amazing moments but I would only ever describe it as fantastic.

It has been a hard year as well, as I have spent less time with Amy and the girls because of my new job and I have found that really tough indeed. I know it brings them lovely things, provides more stability and I am doing the right thing for my family, but days away from them all sometimes does not make sense. Sometimes I just feel I can't get that time back and I wonder whether it is worth it, but I quickly change my mind when Lucy tells me a very bad joke on the phone and tells me about her day or the welcome back Anna gives me when I get home and she won't let go of me in the tightest cuddle known to man. The girls are growing up so fast and I just don't want to miss a bit of it. I was listening to the radio in the car the other day to a programme about the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and the parents spending months away from their kids and in some cases missing their births and then I pull myself together, get on with it and remember how lucky I am. I am sorry I am not always there girls but I work so hard for you, you may not realise but but I want you to be proud of your dad and what he does and have everything you need.

Best moments this year - too many to mention. If I had to pick a few in a pressure moment I would probably go for den making in Sheringham Park, Wiggle and her goggles, everything that Lucy has done at school and how proud I am, Anna's birthday 'bridgewater' day out, the evolution of Lucy's drawings - I love the anticipation of what the next picture will bring, October ice cream weekend and the memorable 'Prats of the cranbeen'!

Thank you girls for all the joy you give me. You light up my life with every moment as your dad. Happy new year!