1.  Howlround

2.  Clash

3.  Bump

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht. Alles schlaft. Until Son 2 aged 2 started SHOUTING FOR MUMMY. I sprang out of bed to get to him before he woke Son 1 aged 5, sleeping next to him, scooped him up and put him in the Double Bed between The Man and me.  Granny is in the Big Bed upstairs, and The Man and I are next to the boys. I checked the time on a clock downstairs.  4am. The little beggar.  He tossed and turned and wriggled and writhed. At 0445 I gave up and got up. On the Bright Side. I copied dates from 2009 into the 2010 calendar. I cleared out the mess in my bag. I paid a bill which had been outstanding forever. I ordered school photos. I made the lunches.

Son 2 wasn’t impressed with being left at home, Son 1 was Perfect Child. A long drive in this morning because of the rain. I dropped him off and had another Hard Day At The Office.  I have muddled up Son 1’s Parents’ Evening. I thought it was today, which I could have left early for.  It isn’t. It’s next Tuesday, and already my whole day is jam-packed.  The Man will have to go without me.  Bright side: I bought a new dress from TK Maxx.  There is an Important Office Do on Thursday night.  I took it round to the Godmother for a second opinion. She approved, and provided pashmina and handbag.

When I got home, Son 2 chortled, giggled and clung.   Both boys were excited… there were two plastic bags resting on top of the water in the Fish Tank. Granny has bought four more fish.  Son 1 has carefully considered, and named them Fluffy, Floppy, Zizzy and Sulky.  Friends for Flossy and Coupon.  An instant shoal.  They seem to be getting on ok.   In Son 1’s bag there was an apologetic note from his class teacher. We can’t have the time we asked for his Parents’ Evening appointment. She’s happy to do another day and time if it would be more convenient. Oh all right then.   As you’re unable to fit us in, we’ll re-schedule.  No, no, don’t mention it, we don’t mind at all.

1.  Red Flag

2.  White Flag

3.  Chequered Flag

We finished washing up at 0130 last night. Both The Man and I must have drunk about a bottle of wine each over the course of the evening.  In our Youth that would have been a warm up.  This is not our Youth.  Fortysomething, hungover, sleep-deprived and with two under-five boys on a wet Saturday.  It was a slow, difficult day.  Son 1 aged 4y 9m and Son 2 aged 22m woke up in the same room for the first time. “Mummmeeee!”  and then, from Son 1 “Boo.”  It was 0630. I scooped them up, put them in the Big Bed and put CBeebies on. They lasted till 7. “Can we have some food?” asked Son 1.  Downstairs we went.  They cruised on fruit and breadsticks, and then didn’t want breakfast. Fine, I thought, I’d do lunch early if necessary.  1030. They wanted breakfast. 

We rounded up library books and headed out with the Big Pram and the Buggy.  Son 1 insisted on going in the Big Pram. Son 2 wouldn’t go in the Buggy. “Walk. Walk.” We went to the library and changed the books.  To the bookshop, to buy a pirate book for Son 1.  Who woke up screaming last night and had to be carried down to see the guests. “I was completely scared of the people I didn’t know.” Then to the fishmonger for salmon for tea. Son 2 slept. Son 1 didn’t.   It rained and rained.

When we got back we all piled upstairs on the Big Bed. We had The Cat In The Hat on the DVD. The Man on one side, me on the other, the boys inbetween. The Man and I were both trying to snooze. Son 1 was bashing seven bells out of Son 2. Son 1, over-tired and off the impulse-control scale, couldn’t be quiet, sit still, stop pestering Son 2, or obey any of the other commands I barked at him.   Nanna came round and gave them their Adult Attention Fix while The Man and I got tea.    We love our boys, but bedtime was a blessed relief.