1.  Treasure

2.  Biff and Beaujangles

3.  Countdown

A friend came with her son, aged 2.75.  She’d made Son 1 aged 4 a treasure chest for his birthday, and was setting up a treasure hunt in the back garden so he could find it.  She came round as I was putting Son 2 aged 13m down for his sleep… and while Son 1 had fallen asleep while watching telly upstairs.  He was hot and bothered when he woke, but recovered after Calpol and a drink.  Son 2 woke, and all three boys went outside. Son 1 found the clues, found the treasure chest and has gone to sleep with it under his bed.

The elder two boys started ricocheting off the walls after too much treasure chest chocolate and marshmallows.  We all walked into The Town, said our goodbyes to our friends and went to the dinghy park to watch the crane lifting boats out of the water.  The Man knows how to show a girl a good time.  We had coffee looking over the marina - hence Biff and Beaujangles.  Back home I played peekaboo with Son 2 round the high chair while Son 1 - who really isn’t feeling well- laid on the floor upstairs and watched telly.  Son 2 clearly asked for “na na” when he saw one.  He stuffed his face at teatime; Son 1 ate almost nothing.

We put the boys to bed.  In a manner of speaking, Son 2 is still going down on the double bed and crying every time he wakes up without a grown up beside him.  I am cutting back on the bedtime feed, with a view to stopping entirely in a week or so’s time.  I feel very strange about it.  Pleased I’ve managed to feed him this long.  Sad that we’re leaving that special him-and-me thing behind.  Proud I did it - it’s been crap.  But the fact is I won’t feed another child.  And I would of course love to.  Anyway.  We are indulging Son 2’s need for an adult while I move him off the breast.  Then we’ll leave it a week or so and get him back in his cot.  Somehow.  And of course that will be as easy as it sounds.  

I got out for a run tonight, and it made me feel much better.  The moon was nearly full, so I ran up to the top of The Headland. Not all the way round, in recognition of the fact I haven’t been out for more than a week.  But it was a lovely evening, crisp and cold, with The Town full of life as I ran through.  There are street lights only half way up the Headland, so about 400 yards was in pitch black.  It was harder running in the darkness - even with moonlight - than it used to be because there are some very bright lights from the docks which are too far away to light the path, but so bright they stop your eyes adjusting.  I really must defeat my Inner Robbie and Just Go, four times a week.  I have such a good time when I’m running, I sort out all kinds of stuff in my head and, in principle, it will get the weight off too.  Although on the way back I called in to The Spar and bought chocolate and crips.     

1.  Dancing, Glasses

2.  By George, She’s Got It

3. I Fought The Law

Son 2 aged 11m was asleep. Son 1 aged 3y 11m and I were in the kitchen dancing.  I high-kicked over his head; he ducked.  Laughing and laughing.  Then we tried it the other way round.  Me limbo-ing and Son 1 sticking his leg out.  Joy bubbling out of him.  Son 2 woke up and we could not keep him out of Son 1’s chokeable toys.  Son 1 was getting so tired he was squash-balling off the walls.  We gave them lunch and pushed them to The Square.  Son 1 fell asleep in the pushchair.  Son 2 didn’t.  The Man and I had coffee and played with Son 2, us putting sunglasses on, him taking them off.  Son 1 slept.  He missed a Fire Engine, a Diving Suit, and a Bouncy Castle.  I longed for him to wake up.  The Man prayed he wouldn’t.

Cauliflower cheese for tea.  The Man added bacon.  Son 2 ate two mouthfuls, and some garlic bread.  But he was wiped out with tiredness, and fussed, and fidgeted and cried and shrieked.  I gave him milk from his Doidy cup.  He drank a bit and then blew bubbles.  “He always gets the bubbly cup!” cried Son 1 in delight.  Son 2’s been off the Gaviscon for about a month now, but watching him fuss and yell, I said: “I think I might get him some Gaviscon.”  He lit up, bounced and bounced, and clapped and clapped his hands.  Ah.   I can add that to the list of words he understands.  As he’s heard it at least four times a day for 90% of his life I don’t know why I’m surprised. 

I went out running with The Man’s new iPod.  The Story of the Clash.  I ran round The Headland, which is four miles - my usual route is three, so I’m pretty pleased about that. There’s a half mile steep incline to get up to the top of the Headland.  Straight to Hell.  Matching the deep breathing.  It was easy.  It must be well over four years since I’ve run to I Fought The Law: “I left my baby and it feels so bad, I guess my race is run.”  It took me back to the days, six months pregnant with Son 1, when I ran up there and felt my heart hammering in my chest, ears and throat like it wanted to get out. IPod product review: very clever. I can see why people like it.  But I might leave it behind next time. I don’t know that I got to watch the light or the sea or the people as much as usual.  ”I don’t believe in sitting down, saying how bad my luck is.”