1.   Noise

2.   Toys

3.   Boys

A quiet night from Son 2 aged 14m.  Fireworks this morning though.  The Man brought the boys up their snack - banana and apple pieces.  “I want grapes,” said Son 1 aged 4y 2m. “We haven’t got any grapes,” I said.  Son 1 grizzled a bit.  Son 2 grabbed his tub, peered in, tried throwing it on the floor… grabbed Son 1’s tub, flung the banana and apple on the floor, snatched his own again and succeeded in throwing the contents out… and then hurled his Doidy cup of milk across the chair and mirror.  It was a spectacular piece of tantruming, just because he didn’t have grapes in his tub.  He was dumped back in his cot and left to stew.  Well, boil would be a more accurate description.  Jaysus if he’s like this now what happens when he’s had time to practise?

Getting Son 1 to Nursery on time was a Good Thing.  We left late, the roads were awful, and I decided to try another route which was ok until we ended up in a long stationary queue.  I’m usually pretty patient in traffic, but we’d already been late twice and I really felt like Flinging My Tub. We got there on time though, and I even saw the teacher for the first time in a week.  I like the way Son 1 goes into Nursery now.  Eyes darting around to see what the others are doing, checking out all the different toys out in all the different places… his brain really switches instantly to What-Am-I-Playing-With, rather than I-Want-My-Mum.

Back home after The Office Son 2 reached and shrieked for me as soon as I walked in, and then, once he’d clamped himself to my shoulder started looking round for the next bit of action.  I did some books with him and got him in his bath.  Son 1 went in the shower, Son 2 sat at the plug end playing with the bubbles, the Winnie The Pooh squirters and some plastic jugs.  Son 1 was cleaning toys and polishing the shower screen.  They were both enchantingly engrossed in their own games.  For two minutes, till Son 1 “accidentally” poured soapy water in Son 2’s eyes.  Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhh.  It was hard settling him again, but we made it.  Six weeks since I stopped feeding him, and I think he’s now happy with milk from a cup and water from a glass.

1.  Call Guinness

2.  Notice

3. Apples

Son 2 aged 10m slept through until Son 1 aged 3 y and 10m, and I woke him at 0650.  The Man is away. I got downstairs at 0620 without waking either child, which gave me chance to get Son 2’s lunchbox together.  And a coffee.  A wraith in white pyjamas appeared: “Mummy I can’t wait till my birthday.” ”Hello darling.  Where’s Son 2?”  “Fast asleep.”  Son 2 doesn’t do fast asleep.  He does light sleep, dog dozing, cat naps, power naps, 40 winks, WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING? and COME BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK.  I pootled about for a bit, and then my nerve failed me.  I went up the stairs,  worried sick about what I’d find in the cot.  He was, indeed, fast asleep.  And then two big dark eyes snapped open.  

The jolly nursery nurse is free on Son 1’s birthday afternoon, so she’s booked.  I gave his month’s notice today - he starts at the Posh, Outstanding, Inconvenient Nursery next month.  Pang.  It doesn’t seem a minute since I stood there, clueless, in a skirt suit, four months pregnant and booking my back-to-work childcare.  A small child crawling on the floor handed me a toy.  “Oh thank you,” I said.  “A stripey hippo.”  “It’s a Fimble,” the nursery nurse said.  And now I  know the names of all the Fimbles.  And their toys.    

The Man wasn’t back in time to get the boys, so I collected them.  I went in, said a cheery hello, and then heard a familiar banshee wail.  Son 2, disintegrating at the sound of my voice.  In the car, Son 1 rifled through the shopping bag and snaffled an apple.  Son 2 stared, smacking his lips.  So I nibbled off a side of skin and gave him one too.  But the reason Son 2 likes apples is he likes biting off the skin and spitting it out down his top.  And he’s not quite there with the tongue control. All I could hear in the back seat of the car was him gagging.    Two stops later I got him home alive, vowing not to do that again.   And The Man got back for bathtime.