We played outside in the garden when we got back from the vets (Jasmine has lost half a kilo – yay!. We built a snowman and had snowball fights It was great fun actually

We came in to get warm – and Holly took a picture of Alfie washing his hands lol!

We then finished off some more cards. Alfie wanted to write his name but kept getting frustrated at not being able to join the dots I’d done for him or copy the letters. The difficulty he has is being a perfectionist he either has to do something completely right or gives up. Hmmmm I wonder where he gets that from…

We made a delicious chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

H licked the bowl out after icing the cake…..

Alfie preferred to do some artwork

Afterwards a warm bubbly bath with bath crayons (we were showing Alfie pictures of painted tribesmen afterwards as he managed to decorate himself exactly like one lol!). The children found it very exciting to have an afternoon bath and have dinner in their PJs

The day also included playing and, as usual, lots of reading

Alfie made me laugh today. He was doing his Thomas Aquadraw using the pen but H wanted to use that rather than her roller and started crying, so he swapped with her. I asked H if she’d said thanks to him (Did you say thankyou Holly?) and A replied “Thanks Holly” lol! Yesterday I was rather despondent when Alfie had a major seemingly endless tantrum (whilst H was being her usual affable self and just watching a DVD) and H said “Mommy, you sad. Sorry” and kissed me. What did I do to deserve two such amazing children lol! If only they could say thanks and sorry for themselves instead of each other – tee hee! Seriously though, I’d NEVER make my children say sorry (oh, how I cringe inside when other parents – with the best intentions- force their clearly unrepentent kids to apologise to mine after a misdemeanour) and A only occasionally says it spontaneously, but H often does. It must be my modelling of apology and repentance – much too frequently needed lol!

So, still more snow falls. Bird group tomorrow will surely be cancelled. More snowmen will surely be built lol

Onto things I can change. All I can do vision wise is survive and fervently hope and go straight back to eye A&E if I feel the need. I’ve booked a fasting glucose test for Friday morning to try and find out if the high blood sugar was just a blip or a real problem. I’ve bought some vegan multi-vitamins and minerals to try and help in the bug fighting. And I treasure my precious family.

So, yesterday. We took the children swimming which they loved. They were so happy, and confident. Then I had a lovely lunch in ASK with Charlotte and Michelle and baby Livvie. It was great to see friends and catch up. Rich and the children had a good afternoon together – and made a very strange but interesting dessert lol! In the evening I wrapped all the children’s presents. We don’t get them much, and most of it is from charity shops, so I don’t feel too guilty green wise – although I did think that putting them in a big sack rather than wrapping them would be greener!

This morning we walked down to the library and got new books. We had been invited to soft play with some friends in the afternoon but none of us were up to it really! We had a quiet day doing all the activities in Alfie’s Numberjacks magazine, baking then icing a cake, cleaning the bathroom, doing jigsaws, making red lentil and spinach bolognese.

The master cake bakers

Holly grating the cheese for dinner

Alfie and Holly playing (educational!) computer games together

There was a weird Xmas tree on the wall made out of clothes line where two members of staff were getting the children to decorate it with metal washers, buttons and starnge “stars” made out of cable ties. A recycled grotto theme. This engaged all three children for a good while, and Evie and Alfie for an amazing period. The concentration was wonderful to see. H and A enjoyed seeing Evie, and I really enjoyed catching up with the lovely Sally.

Afterwards we had lunch in the cafe bar then popped to B&M Bargains. The children had a great time doing their new jigsaws we bought from there once we were home. Alfie had a Xmas one and Holly had a 35 piece 3 years plus Peppa Pig one which she completed independently on the kitchen worktop whilst I was on the floor doing Alfie’s with him. She is astoundingly bright. Alfie finds it a bit shocking that she just sits there and counts to ten whilst he still struggles a bit with numbers. He is so so intelligent in other ways though. He works the PC really well now and is constantly wanting to look things up. Most recently have been about the planets in the solar syaten – what each is made of, what can live on there, how big they are.

We also made apple parcels and jam tarts this afternoon, and cleaned off a shelving unit in our bedroom. So a great day with my wonderful children. A much needed antedote to yesterday.

Oh, and H has started weeing on the toilet and potty a fair bit too Her nappy was dry at the Public after several hours when I went to change her so she had a wee on the toilet instead. She seems so tiny!!!!

Other than that, the children just did more of their Christmas activity books. Alfie is really into spot the differences at the moment, and very good at them Some gorgeous spontaneous sharing today too. The most lovely was when Alfie had been putting his olives out onto his plate for dinner. Holly asked for one but when he fished around the jar just contained brine. I told H there were none left and was about to get a new jar from the fridge (Alfie didn’t know there was another jar) when he handed one to her from his bowl and said she could share his

Being positive though, after a couple of horrid, shouty hours, I managed to pull the situation together by stopping trying to carry on as normal! I’d been cleaning the kitchen, trying to make up our Xmas gift boxes, put washing away etc whilst feeling awful and shouting at the kids for every little thing. Well, some of the things were far from little (Alfie deliberately stamping on the cakes I’d bought, Holly tearing one of the new gift boxes…) but shouting was still not the right response. Still, I guess I once again proved how ineffectual and upsetting to family harmony shouting is I am so not a shouty mommy usually. Thank goodness!!!!

So, positive stuff

- Looking at all the Xmas stuff in Asda

- Lunch in Asda cafe

- The children seeming so much better

- Making a start on our gift boxes

- Making chocolate crispie cakes

- Playing lots of fun and very educational games on the computer – learning about the world, maths skills and practicing Alfie’s ever improving mouse and keyboard skills. Plus co-operation – Alfie helping Holly with games and turn taking.

- Singing Xmas songs

- Recognising that this is a temporary grump and that my kids still love me despite it. Some people are always like this lol!!!

This morning we popped out to the post office and pet shop for more Jasmine food and litter, then Julie and Evie came round. It reminded me of what it’s like having other children round with a 2 year old! Every single thing that Evie picked up, Holly snatched off her. “Mine!” I remember Alfie and all his friends being like that at 2. She preferred it when Michelle popped round with Livvie at lunchtime. Livvie is only 3 months old and no threat to her toys lol! It was great to catch up with both Michelle and Julie.

After lunch we met up with Tracey and Sam, and Maxine and the twins for a play at the Wylde Green playzone. The place is an absolute dive but the children had a good run round and play. Even grumpy H managed a few laughs and a few gos on the slide, and at least it stopped her watching Peppa Pig constantly lol!

We had our picnic back at home in the warm! This afternoon we also prepared a roast dinner, made an apple crumble, watched Peppa Pig, played shops with the play food and till, completed the secret but fab craft project started yesterday and did various household chores. the only downside was nipping to the shop with Alfie for some custard and the shop being invaded by vile 10/11 year old boys causing havoc and telling the poor owner to F off. Lovely for Alfie to see and hear! A good basis for a little chat on respecting others on the walk home though

I was heartened to see both children eat a good dinner. The “chicken style” vegetarian roast is always a winner with them both, and even some veg snuck in lol! They had a good giggle in the bath too

Last night Rich spent from 11.30pm-4.30am in H’s bed with her. She had come in with us at 10ish but just wasn’t settling so he took her back into her room. She was happy once she realised that Daddy was staying with her, not just dumping her back in her bed, and slept, but at 4.30 said “want Mommy’s milk please” so came back in the big bed It was so guiltily nice to have the ebd to myself and actually get a bit of sleep! Poor Rich ended up in A’s bed for the last hour too! So I got up with them and gave him another hour and a half in (our!) bed.

This afternoon was the height of excitement for the children as Grandad, who they hadn’t seen for several weeks due to him helping Matt with his house move, arrrived. You’ve never seen such enthusiasm and excitement! Alfie helped him to fix our cloakroom hooks back on, then they played whilst I did yet more chores!

We also did Holly’s birthday cake although she wasn’t too sure about blowing the candles out and Alfie had to help lol!

Back home we had our picnic indoors (again!) then Nanny had to head home. We did a few chores – me finishing cleaning the kitchen, washing the nappies, disinfecting the buckets and putting away a big load of washed clothes; Alfie and Holly sorting their toy drawers out. The children did some magic painting.

We then made some cupcakes decorated with green icing (grass) and farm animals. Alfie made a great mentor for Holly, explaining to her how the process of making cakes went and helping her out

Holly wasn’t keen on the sound of Alfie using the electric whisk!

Whilst we waited for them to cook we used the PC to find out about slugs. Alfie had asked what is inside their bodies so we found out this and much more. He can now tell you more than you ever wanted to know about slugs, particularly their mucus, their need for water and how they stop drying out, their purpose in life, and what eats them! He particularly liked the bright yellow banana slugs We also played some games on the Fisher Price website and looked up coral reefs (at Alfie’s request again). It’s just such a shame that they don’t get to “learn” due to being unschooled isn’t it?

This morning, after another night of very little sleep due to Holly’s frequent wakings and feeding (teeth???), we went to bird group. There were loads of new people there, but a lot were very small children and even babies who weren’t really interested in the crafts or walk to the bird hide. I don’t know whether they will continue to go. Alfie and Holly really enjoyed it as usual, although the first half hour of playing with the toys was more limited than usual due to so many children. Holly only pushed another child who wanted to share a couple of times this week thankfully. In fact, the one time she pushed a little boy who had just deliberately swept all her cooking stuff and the tea cups she was pouring into from the toy teapot onto the floor, so I sympathised really. If people there expect me to force her to say sorry or use other pointless and damaging punishments then they’ll have a long wait I just explain to her why we don’t push – because of it’s consequences for the other person not her, of course – and say sorry to the other child myself – modelling. Most of the parents/grandparents there seemed nice enough though to be honest, barring rather a lot of “good girl/boy”s Both children really enjoyed making the Halloween masks. Alfie particularly enjoyed putting it on when we got home to run into the conservatory and scare Daddy who was trying to work lol! Dingle dangle scarecrow was also a hit as usual during the singing

After lunch, a DVD and some fuzzy felt creativity, we went to Costa to meet Tracey and Sam. We walked to the play area behind the shops, which all three children thoroughly enjoyed, particularly plaguing Tracey When Tracey is there neither of mine want me anymore lol! It was great to see her and catch up anyway, and the kids loved playing with Sam. After a lot of swinging, climbing and playing, we popped into the pet  shop for cat litter and a new collar for Jasmine (and to see the rabbits and fish of course!), then headed home for Cbeebies website followed by falafels and cous cous

Just a note for the records, Holly has suddenly entered that wonderful 2 year old questioning phase. I get a constant “what doing?” from her. I’m sure the infamous “why?” is on its way any day now lol!