I only like dirt and sand.

That was the response I received from Miss 4 when I asked why she was so dirty.

She was filthy. Like filthy filthy. Nails needed cutting because cleaning them wouldn't cut it. Her skin had literally changed colour.

I guess I should be thankful for small mercies. She burns easily, so at least the layer of dirt would have acted as somewhat of a sunscreen for her.

Today was a busy day. Busy busy day.

Miss 5's last day at school in her first year at school. Half a day. I'm not quite sure why she had to go to school today, but she did.

Consequently I did half a day at work. Which was good but rushed. Still managed to fit in a nice coffee though. Priorities.

My nephew turned 5 today. I had set a reminder. It went off whilst I was on the phone to someone, and I didn't have a second reminder, so that went through and out off somewhere else again, only to be remembered after an enormous day, and not until 9.30pm at night. Far from ideal, and not intended in the slightest, and I will probably beat myself up about it for the next two weeks, even though I know I have had his birthday present sitting on my dresser for weeks and will be seeing him in a few days. Still, I hate it when things don't go as I have them planned in my head. And in my head today went differently.

But I can't beat myself up about that because I can't change it. I do the absolute very best I can. Sometimes from outsiders' points of view it may seem that I have not even thought about something, but in reality I have, repeatedly, but events occur and things happen and I lose track of it.

I left the house this morning in a rush. Why? Because the kids just wouldn't listen. They wouldn't do as they were told. And I yelled, which I hate doing, and I threw my hands up in the air and I damn near cried because sometimes I just hate that I have to do all this by myself.

And I knew it was the last day of school today and there were things that had to be done and I wanted to be done and we left the house with that many stunted stops and starts that by the time I dropped the kids off at daycare it was already fluster city, and when I went to drop Miss 5 off at school I knew I had forgotten something but had no idea what.

It became apparent when she saw her buddy in the hallway and she gave her a Christmas present.

Crap.

That.

And then I realised I had also forgotten my bosses Christmas present.

Double crap.

So yes, sometimes things may seem organised and all well, when in fact in reality there is an absolute whirlpool going on underneath.

I was made to feel terrible about the buddy present thing. By Miss 5. But thankfully have a gorgeous friend who is helping me to get it to Miss 5's buddy, by way of her grade 6 child. So I am most grateful in that regard.

I had a lot of other things I wanted to say.

I can't remember them. I didn't write them down.

Oh, yes, we had the daycare Christmas party today. They had a petting zoo. It was fabulous. Truly fabulous. Mini horse, baby piglets, goats, other furry things, chickens and a goose with a sequin top and a dog wearing antlers. Amazing.

Think back.

Miss 4 was taken to the Geelong Show last year. We went to the petting zoo part. She screamed when a duck looked at her. She squawked if any animal even moved in her general direction.

Santa was at the party this afternoon too.

Last year we didn't get a Santa photo. Miss 4 was too strong by that stage.

So you can understand my surprise when I was able to get a photograph of Miss 4 with Santa, and a separate photograph of Miss 4 patting a tiny little horse.

Un. Believable.

They ate too much sugar there. I know they did. It's a party. That's what kids do at parties.

I couldn't wait to leave though, once Santa had given his little gift to everyone. Because I didn't want the sugar to keep flowing. As it was, once we finally managed to escape, there was still sugar. Because Santa gave them a lolly bag. And a book. The book I think is fabulous. The lolly bag, um, just a tad unnecessary. But the kids loved it. And, well, I won't rabbit on.

So eventually they went to bed. And then some time later to sleep.

And I have been sitting in a sort of numb stupor since then.

Because I don't have a child in grade prep anymore.

And very soon I will have two children in school.

And a year later three.

And they are right. They just grow up so fast. Hug them. Kiss them. Play with them. Be there for them. Because they just grow up so damn fast.