“Schoo-o-o-o-ol’s out, for .... erm ….. winter!”

Poor Missy – I collected her from nursery and she did not look well, apparently having burst into tears for no reason, moments before I arrived.

Home, take temperature, rush for medicine and spoon, strip to underwear (Annabel, not me) to cool down and leave to doze on sofa. She wasn’t herself at all. So much so in fact, that I stayed home with her the next day, keeping her off school. I could tell she really was feeling poorly as it was the day of her end of term Christmas party and she would be missing it by staying home.

Anyway, stay at home she did and we just slobbed on the sofa watching films while I made her soup and drinks throughout the day.

That evening she was back to herself so this morning, back into school she went, albeit briefly (the nursery broke up at 11am) and we had 3 hours to waste before Joseph’s class also came screaming out of the school gate for the Christmas break.

As a surprise, I had loaded her new(ish) bike into the boot of the car and I took her over to the common for a short ride. The look on her little face was worth the effort as I lifted her down from the car and she stood looking at her bicycle.

"Are we gonna ride my bike Dad?" she enquired, still not sure as to why we were at the common.

"You betcha, my love", I replied, beaming probably a little more than she was. It was only a short ride as it was cold (and lunchtime) so we packed up and went home.

As always, it was during something fairly ordinary that made me realise how little one-on-one time I spend with Missy. Sitting having soup, talking about not much in particular and laughing together, reminded me once again.

And although being reminded makes me a little bit sad, we always have a smashing time when we do get the opportunity.

It was way back in May 2006 (see here) that I first referred to Annabel as Foghorn Leghorn.

How things have changed.

My nickname for her now is Sweet Pea, admittedly a much kinder pet name. Not after Popeye’s offspring but after the flower. The flower’s a pretty little thing too.

Tonight we printed out a picture of a sweet pea and stuck it on her wall to remind her when she sees it that she is:

a) my sweet pea and

b) as pretty as one.

Sweet dreams Missy
xx