I've survived!

Well the day has finally arrived! My parents get back from their 2 week holiday late tonight and I have just about survived.

Despite:
My OH doing a week of nights (which meant getting in from work AFTER son had gone to nursery and waking up in time for dinner but leaving for work before the BATH and BEDTIME arguments).

A trip to my BFF's for her daughter's (my god daughter's) 3rd birthday party. 5 hours trapped in a car with son with no other adult to entertain him - and no knitting to keep me same because I was driving. I experienced the fact that my son's behaviour deteriorates directly in proportion to my desire for good behaviour.

My OH finishing his night shift and GOING FISHING! - OVERNIGHT - FOR 3 DAYS. On the final day he was summoned home after I told him if he stayed away a second longer one or both of us would be missing when he got back.

My reward - son hasn't left his dad's side for 3 days. Has been displaying all his bad behaviour traits (that I was 'imagining') and added demands for cuddles at 3am.

The bad side - husband has expanded his childcare repetoire from sticking him in front of the TV to buying him a Thomas the Tank Engine PC game and sticking him in front of the computer so they still haven't left the house to let me get on with some work.

My parents don't know it yet but we'll be on their doorstep as soon as nursery finishes tomorrow.

Children Say The Funniest Things! (2)

Last weekend I attempted a 4 hour drive (each way) and a weekend stay with friends without my OH!

The 4 hr drive turned into 5 hours with 1 hour spent travelling only 6 miles of the M5 - thank goodness we'd just stopped at the services for a comfort break. However that hour was spent listening to my son shouting repeatedly 'Go mummy, go round the cars, tell them to get out of the way' (hmm road rage in the making).

We had a delightful weekend even though he tried his best to corrupt his godparents little girl by behaving atrociously (I told them it was a compliment and they didn't hesitate to put him on the naughty step). It was a weekend filled with trips to the park, a birthday party and generally causing mayhem.

At the dinner table there were two little gems:

'Mummy, they don't call you Auntie Dougalfish for nothing!' - delivered with the correct intonation and a straight face!

Then to his godparents daughter (14 months his junior)
' _______ I love you more than ice cream' (they were eating ice cream at the time and it was just too cute though her parents looked worried when I said that was tantamount to a marriage proposal!).

Emotions at Weddings

RB commented on my last post that toddlers at weddings are quite cute - I give you this:

This was before the wedding started when we'd managed to get him (almost) into the suit and he was protesting about having to put shoes on. At this point in time I'd been up and running around for 7 hours, had been trying to get black coffee down the best man's throat (the morning after the night before) and biting my tongue at my mother in law and the original sister in law who'd just turned up and decided to get ready when we needed to leave for the church. Actually you are right RB toddlers are quite cute - at least they can get away with meltdown.

p.s. the svelte lady in pink in the background isn't me ;-)

New in-law

Last Thursday we attended the wedding of my brother-in-law and the love of his life and for the first time in 11 years of marriage (and 16 of knowing the family) I felt that I was part of the family - the happy couple had asked me, as well as my sister-in-law, to do a reading as part of the service.

Because I didn't want to let them down - and as I only received the reading on the Monday night - I practiced the 5 lines at every available opportunity. The reading went without a hitch and I was able to convey meaning without my voice quavering or my cheeks flaring red. Later in the day my OH took our son to the toilet where he gave a perfect rendition of 'Love is always patient and kind, it is never jealous ...' they really do take everything in.

I asked for suggestions on Facebook and Twitter on tips to keep him busy during the service. Unfortunately he wasn't content with drawing or colouring so did a body surf up and down our pew for the majority of the service (which was a catholic one) asked for the toilet twice and embarrassed us with his declaration that he needed a 'poo poo' (he didn't). He posed for photographs and was charming to the great aunts and was really better behaved than we could have hoped for.

If anyone is organising a wedding we now have great tips for keeping kids quiet during the long wait before the meal starts and during the speeches - play dough (though only if you don't have to pay for the tablecloths to be cleaned as it gets messy) and bubbles. Instead of favours our bride and groom had special rock made with their picture on the label and their names and the date running through - apparently our son made the toasts with his stick of rock (I missed that as I was videoing the speeches).

So I now have a new sister in-law - one I hope will be a close friend and ally in the battles with the MiL (I think she will as we've already compared notes several times). I'm also hoping that she will produce another grandchild to take the pressure off us a bit - though, unfortunately I don' think she can do that by Christmas ...