gifts....

regular wednesday drop off (indirect contact) this week.

girls very happy to get - peppa pig's house and littlest pet shop house.

they had written to their father the week before to request these after he had delivered peppa pig figurines. well, i had urged them to write, but in the end they said theywere "too busy" so I said - look dictate to me, and then sign. which they did. I do not discourage contact but they are not overly keen on writing/drawing for him. not without a push. which I try to strike a balance between urging them to do so (when they know that I do not keep contact myself? perhaps is confusing.)

L age 8 said:

"mummy, if you had not sep-a-rat-ed then we would not now be getting these nice presents, would we?"

perceptive....

she always says the word sep-a-rat-ed like that. sep-a-rat-ed.

wondering if her young mind recalls the times he used to say (shout, stamp and scream) "the children got too many Christmas presents"? (they were not overly spoilt compared to friends). "there are too many toys in this house".

or the time a few years ago when he decided they had too many toys, just after Christmas, and scooped up half of them - without consulting which were old or new! - and took them off to local hospital.

who were indeed grateful...

I have constant clear outs for charity/other friends' children (especially the more special needs oriented toys), but still reel from returning home to find the expensive baby doll bought by the (favourite) nanny had been given away with no consultation.