Very rushed today, because half an hour before bedtime, yes, it's that parenting cliche, Item remembered to tell us that tomorrow is 'bling up your bike' day for Children In Need, and while it's optional, there is no such thing as optional when it comes to Item and any activity that involves cutting, sticking or WINNING.

So The Boy rushed out and bought some wrapping paper and balloons from the corner shop (he'd tried for tinfoil, but they had none), we skipped bath time, and the bike is now wrapped up, festooned with balloons, and sporting a giant cardboard gold-sprayed T (for Item).



It's another running day today, so here's my slightly-more-interesting-than-running-gear nightwear. The t-shirt is allied to Peter Blake's travelling bus, which came to Brighton a couple of years ago in the festival.

The PJ bottoms are a birthday purchase from that maddest of all shops, Anthropologie. I mentioned on day 7 that I was on the lookout for another pair of comfortable and attractive flannel pyjama trous, and there they were. In case you can't tell, they're decorated with a bunch of cartoony horses.

While I'm on the topic of clothes, I am the proud possessor of a new, flourescent pink sports bra. Came with this bit of copy on the label. Now, I'm a right cynic when it comes to obvious marketing guff, but, this speaks to me. Well done that copywriter.



A surprising thing about children is that, after a while, they develop minds of their own. Item and I rarely have major disagreements over clothes - I'll sometimes remind her that a black velvet dress isn't the best choice on a hot summer's day, or that party dresses aren't for school wear, but it's not often a big issue.

Anyway, she had pretty strong ideas about what she wanted to wear for the school photo. I let her try it on and.. it kind of worked. Which often happens with the combinations she suggests and which I think are going to look crazy.

So she went off to school in a Mini Boden summer dress with a purple long-sleeved t-shirt and purple tights under it to keep her warm, and this smart grey (jersey fabric) blazer over the top. It looked ok.

The dress is red gingham for the bodice and then it has a very full, long skirt with a cowboy/ranch motif. When Item saw it at the boot sale, she went, "Mummy! Mini Boden!!" and I was slightly mortified at my creation of a child who recognises labels.

I think for the first time since these drawings began, she wore her green Mini Boden boots. They're a size bigger than the blue ones. I got them both at the same time, in the middle of summer, because they were ludicrously cheap. They've been excellent.

Tomorrow should be, ah... interesting. As well as blinging up your bike, the kids are invited to 'dress in bright clothes'.