If you look for them, the day can be full of fist pump moments. You know, those tiny little wins that make you want to pump your fist in the air while the theme song from Karate Kid is playing in the background.
Todays fist pump moment was when Miss 14 and I cleared the shark tunnel at Sydney Aquarium seconds before a class of 10,000 (ok, slight exaggeration, but public school teachers are striking in protest at the potential increases in class sizes…) very excited 8 year olds.
We looked at each other, raised our fists in the air and broke into song “you’re the best around…nothings ever gonna keep ya down…”
Whilst we did do a little victory dance, both of us grinned at just how much the kids were enjoying the sharks, the rays and “oh look…it’s Dory!”
Miss 14, from the lofty heights of teenage-ism conveniently forgot that she too used to find it all so wondrous- the under sea stuff…the colours of the reef fish, marvelling at the grace of the giant rays and angel sharks, the muscled strength of the resident grey nurse sharks, the weird primitive cuteness of the platypus…
I first took her to Sydney Aquarium when she was still in a pram- and have been taking her regularly since- to any Aquarium we can find. Back then she was fascinated with the touch pool and the colours. Now she is more into the environmental and conservation message…but we still like to eyeball fish through the glass. Unfortunately we are yet to take decent photos at the Aquarium. Fish are not well trained and tend not to pose prettily.
Soon after, at Madame Tussauds, we again beat a class of excited kids- this time to the drum kit behind John Farnham, and to be the first to pick up the ringing phone at Obama’s desk.
Miss 14 had been concerned that because we were visiting the Sydney branch of Madame Tussauds, she wouldn’t know any of the “stars”. After all, it’s not like they would have Justin Bieber (although she tells me that he stands proudly in all his waxed glory in New York) or One Direction. But then this is the girl who thought that Michelangelo was that dude who played football with the Roosters.
I was pleased to note that the school fees have not been entirely wasted- she recognised all of the celebrity models and most (or at least had heard of) of the public and historic figures…even Truganini and Mabo.
That gave me my own little fist pump moment.
And Anyways... 
Sounds like a fab day!