#19 When extraordinary becomes ordinary

We have just finished travelling & visiting for 6 weeks on the other side of the world.  We've stayed in numerous hotels, slept in planes, in an apartment in London, at family & friends houses, and even in a cabin in the woods. You've taken going to sleep & waking in different places in your stride. We've coped with jet lag, being ill, acclimatising to hot weather when we've been used to winter at home, and then piling on the jumpers again when the weather turned.

We've been on planes, trains and automobiles. You've met new faces & faces you only remember from iPad calls.  We've been living out of bags, you've had nothing but small portable toys to play with and you've become a tele addict as a consequence! But you have had few complaints and lots of smiles.

6 weeks is a long time to Daddy & I to be away. For you it's almost enough time to make you forget about home. Extraordinary became the ordinary for you and you have been an absolute star and the perfect travelling companion. Thank you for making my trip home even more memorable.

#18 A bad start to the holiday

We arrived in England on Sunday 3/8 and you soon started with sniffles, then a temperature, coughing, sneezing and so on. I then came down with it, then Daddy. The doctor said you have tonsillitis and gave you antibiotics.

You have been so ill, but you've stayed smiley and good natured and you have been an absolute star. Thank goodness for Cbeebies! It has been my saviour, and yours. The sickness, coupled with awful jet lag, has left me with absolutely no energy to entertain you, and when you weren't just lying on the sofa you have been quite happy to watch the tv and discover lots of new cartoons, you've never seen before.

This is your poor little face when you are feeling so ill and sorry for yourself. All I wanted to do was hold you and make it better. But you are so good natured you keep asking me if I'm feeling better and telling me you love me.

It's taken a week, but we are finally feeling like we are getting better. We're still sniffling and coughing, but we actually made it outside today to get a change of scenery. Even you have had enough of the tv now and you don't want it on. Now that is saying something!

#16 Sunshine on a rainy day

After 3 weeks of near solid rain, and gale force winds for the last 4 days, we woke this morning to blue sky. I had to blink and look again to make sure it was real, it's been so long since we last saw a patch of blue.

So as soon as we were all dressed we went to the swings and slides so you could have a good run round after being caged inside for so long.

"Higher, higher! I want to go higher!"

Into the cave to find the bear.

Jumping in puddles on the roundabout.

See Saw Magery Daw

It started to rain again soon after we got home so we were glad we made the best of the few hours of sunshine on a rainy day today.

#17 Our new family room

We have moved things around in our house recently.  Daddy has moved his office downstairs and we have changed what was his office into a family room. We have moved all of your books and toys into the room and it's given us lots more opportunity to play and relax.

We found we just weren't using the living room downstairs and didn't have anywhere comfortable to sit and play.

You love it and you're quite happy to go in and play by yourself whilst I am cooking or otherwise busy.  You keep getting confused though and keep trying to go downstairs!

#15 The grass is always greener ... Isn't it?

There's this feeling we all get at times that the grass is always greener and I sometimes find myself longing for some ME time. I'd like to laze in bed in the morning. I'd like to read the news, Facebook and catch up on the blogs I follow in one session, without interruption, or little fingers trying to swipe the iPad screen to "Find the clock!". I'd love to have a leisurely shower, or even a long hot bath. I'd love to dry my hair without feeling guilty that the noise terrifies you and knowing that you are cowering in the living room pretending to watch tv, but really you are just listening to the noise.

I rarely get any Me time, but this is fine, honestly. I love being with you, going to activities, having adventures and reading books. But sometimes a bit of Me time is necessary. However it's always a double edged sword. 

I look forward to being able to go out to the shops by myself, then find myself checking to see where you are or reaching for a hand that's not there.

I look forward to being at home by myself when Daddy or Nana take you out for a while, but find myself starting to tell you something only to realise you aren't there. And wandering around the house, aimlessly, wondering what to do until you get home.

You make a mess, you steal my food, you always "want an up" when I'm trying to cook dinner and don't have any spare hands. But when you look up at me with your beautiful blue eyes, smile your infecticious smile and slip your little hand into mine and it fits so perfectly, I never want to be without you. I feel lost if my Little Duckling isn't by my side!

#14 Teething, snotty noses and being Two!

Being your Mummy is the best thing I have ever done and it's also the absolute hardest thing I have ever done.

Sometimes events conspire and things become really hard, for both of us. At the moment you are teething, you have your last 4 molars coming through, and it is really painful for you. It's making you chew everything in sight, dribble uncontrollably, and your temper is extremely short. You also have a cold. A horrible snotty nose, you feel like rubbish and your temper is extremely short. And you are Two. You are leaving babyhood far behind. You are realising your sense of self. You want to do more yourself. And your temper is extremely short!

You don't know whether you want to sit down, stand up, be picked up, be left alone, have a cuddle or play with your toys. Or maybe you just want to do all of these things all at once, and you can't. Which makes your temper extremely short.

Now I'm not known for having much patience myself, so at times we just rub each other the wrong way. I try so hard to keep my temper because I know you are only shouting/screaming/whinging/whining because you are in pain, you feel awful, your nose is running and you can't do what you want to do because you are only Two. I don't always succeed. Which usually ends with both of us getting annoyed and upset, and then I feel incredibly guilty because it's not your fault, it's mine.

I hope as you get older you can see that I really am truly trying my hardest and doing the best I can to be your Mummy. To give you what you need and make you happy. I don't get it right all the time and I'm sure that's not going to change however big you get. But being your Mummy is the best thing I have ever done, the best experience of my life. I hope I can be the best Mummy for you.

#13 Sharing breakfast

Did I say sharing? I meant pinching!
Every morning I ask you what you would like for breakfast and every morning you answer porridge. You love porridge! However, over the last few months if I sit down with you to eat my breakfast as you have your porridge you more often than not demand I get out of my chair, you climb onto said chair, and say "mmmmmm Mummy's breakfast" and proceed to eat the lot! I get left with your porridge! Now I like porridge, but I also like Corn Flakes and Bran Flakes and other cereals too. You won't eat these cereals if put in your bowl, but if it's in my bowl it's fair game! You're a cheeky monkey!