An unexpected request from the five year old show pony.

So, now we've returned to 2012.  Thanks to all who followed me on that little journey back in time.

My baby goes to school next year.  She is five, so not so much a baby anymore.

But she's my baby.

This term, as with her sister and brother before her, I am allowing her to pick a few activities she'd like us to do together, as it's her last term for 17 years with any type of day off scenario.

Plus, she's my baby and I just can't get my head around how much I'm going to miss her.

And yes, she does drive me bonkers most of the time.

So on Tuesday I said to her, 'darling little child of mine who is going to school next year and who I am putty in the hands of, what would you like to do today?"

I thought she'd say, the zoo, maybe minigolf, perhaps sushi for lunch.

No way.  Without a moment of hesitation she said "Rockclimbing".

I said "...."

The older kids immediately went nuts, citing unfairness and too youngness and all sorts of things.

I said "...." some more, wondering if (hoping against hope) I'd misheard.

But I hadn't. Apparently someone from preschool does it "all the time" and talks about it "all the time" and she wants to go.  Presumably so she can do the same.

Fearless. Overconfident. Terrifying.

And without much of a reason to say no, I said yes.   As long as I didn't have to rock climb.

Cue raging jealousy from the older kids and the eventual extraction of a promise to take them on a weekend very soon.

She may have gone higher, but the wall stopped.    

So we turned up at the rockclimbing place, expecting to be turned away because she was too short, didn't weigh enough, had to be 6 or something.  But no.  They set us up, taught me how to belay, took my money and showed us the three easiest climbs and the ladder, and off we went.

If anyone needs any belaying done, just let me know, I'm your woman.  I can belay. And I like the word.

So, for photographic evidence of my 18 kg mini monster climbing to the very top of the wall and then abseiling like a professional to the bottom, please see below, and above.  And we are now one week closer to having three kids at school.  Which, the way I see it now, is one week closer to the day my heart will break.

Coming down was the most fun she said.

Coming down was the most fun she said.

I think I might need to set up some counselling for Feb 2013.  In the meantime I can't wait to find out what she wants to do next Tuesday.