Litte Ones 2 Daddy nil

At just after 5am Girl decided we should all get up. I tried to get them to go back to sleep either side of me but who was I trying to kid.

At just after 7am we had gone past the shouting and were now in the not talking stage, particularly Boy and I who had had a big fall out over a bib and oats. I thought I was chosing my battle well but actually I was tired and being an idiot.

I mainly blame myself but also the playmobile American Footballer I gave Boy yesterday (for good sleeping skills) who seems to have his ball removed drop his ball ever two seconds which them brings in a request of "Man!", "Ball!" ever five seconds. In the time it took to make breakfast I easily reloaded his hand to ball over 60 times and by then the little bit of plastic joy had done my head it. Added to this the standard constant demands and moans took their toll.

At after 9am we had all reconciled with them both and had dropped a tired Girl and a tired and a very clingy Boy off at nursery.

On leaving to collect the little ones I was approached by a neighbour over the road. It turns out she will be Girl's teacher at school next year. She is going to be a hedgehog. Girl that is, not the teacher.

Boy was still as cuddly on the way home, after having a bad nursery day and demanded to be carried all the way back. It was not until we saw the Christmas traffic cone did he crack his first smile. Girl was already smiling at the thought of being a hedgehog.

The tiredness really showed at bedtime as they both went off to sleep well. I am really pleased to have managed to get them both off before 8pm each night whilst Wife has been away. This however is a hollow victory as today they really did a number on me. Mondays are always tough but solo Mondays are another world particularly when they start so early.

In fact if it was not for the cup of tea and the curlywurly waiting for me after bedtime I think they would have completely destroyed me today.