#WIMBLEBABY

Pickle has been a #wimblebaby this week.

I grew up watching Wimbledon on the TV each year. Partly because my mum liked the excuse to buy and eat significant amounts of strawberries. Partly because she had a soft spot for Agassi.

I’ve said many times before that I’ve never really been into playing sports, but there are some that I would always prefer to watch over others. This is usually dependent on whether I understand what’s going on. I understand tennis and I’d even go so far as to say I rather enjoy watching it. It’s a good job really, as it’s the husband’s favourite sport and it was on during our honeymoon. Thankfully there was a TV in our little holiday cottage in Devon four years ago. Adventures in the morning, Wimbledon in the afternoon. I’m also rather partial to strawberries. Like mother, like daughter.

Cricket on the other hand…I have no time for that!

So, Pickle’s been watching Wimbledon with me this year. She seems to have been quite happy parked on the floor, watching the ball go backwards and forwards across the court. I’m sure at one point I heard her shout ‘OUT!’ (Wishful thinking perhaps?) Concentrating on the on-screen action seems to be helping her balance, so I justify the screen time by telling myself it’s good sitting practice. She’ll quite confidently sit for a solid 30 minutes with no support when it’s on. Turn it off and she’s down!

It’s got me to thinking about which hobbies Pickle could do as she grows up. They say with many of these things that you should start them young. I realise that 6 months is probably a bit too young to be encouraging hobbies, but it’s fun to think that she could do anything. Whilst I obviously want her to do whatever she loves and whatever brings her joy, I have been wondering whether there are any hobbies I would perhaps try to discourage her from taking up.

I was relatively musical growing up, and it’s fair to say that the husband falls into the ‘very musical’ category. I play the saxophone and the flute. He plays the piano and the French horn. I’d love to encourage Pickle to learn an instrument. Preferably either the piano or an instrument which she’s able to carry to and from school or lessons herself. Unless she’s very passionate about it, I’d probably aim to rule out the tuba… Having said all that, I should take a moment to acknowledge my thanks to my older brother, who lugged my saxophone to and from school for a me for a number of years. If you happen to read this, you’re a good one! Maybe my visions of little family music sessions are a little idealistic, but I can dream. It would be great to have something we can all enjoy together as a family.

I’m not a particularly creative person. I can crochet, but that’s about it. Maybe she’ll be artistic and enjoy painting, or drawing, or sewing. It would be great to see her use and develop some creative skills. I just wouldn’t really be able to help her with that. She’d be on her own there.

And then there’s sport. Whilst I’m keen for Pickle to follow her dreams, I’m not overly fond of the idea of being one of those parents who gets up at 4am every morning to take their child to the pool for swimming practice. I’m a devoted mum, but there are limits. I love my duvet too much. My friend has a theory that he could quite possibly be the world’s best pole-vaulter, but he’ll never know because he’s never had the opportunity to try. How do you even become a pole-vaulter in the first place? Where do you start with that? Do you just wake up one day and think ‘I want to be a pole-vaulter!’ Geography probably prohibits other sports. As far as I’m aware, the County Durham coastline is not renowned for surfing, and we’re too far from the mountains for skiing. We also don’t really have the funds, or the space other sports. She’s not having a horse. We don’t have the space, and if we did it would be too expensive. So I’d probably want to steer her away from horse riding. And we can’t afford to fly to far off, exotic locations for scuba diving (sadly).

Ahhh, but tennis. The local tennis club is just down the road from our house. If we moved to the area I’d really like to live in (unlikely unless I become a high-flying blogger…), I’d probably be able to see the club from the bedroom window. Ideal really. She could go and practise. Her tennis-loving dad could go with her. I could stay in bed; the ever devoted parent. Win win. And the perks of being a member of a tennis club are that you can enter the ballot for Wimbledon tickets. I’ve never been before, but would like to. That’d be fun. And perhaps she’ll enjoy it enough to try and make a career of it. My #wimblebaby could be Wimbledon Champion 2038…

I admit it, maybe my dreams are running away with me a little here. But the point is if Pickle wanted to play tennis, I’d be ok with that! I guess for now we’ll just have to keep watching Wimbledon each year.

Now, where are those strawberries?

Laura x