And relax

What a night.

Glad I didn't fancy any of the alcohol we had available, I don't think I'd've survived the night.

Ben woke up at 11.30pm as I was trying to settle Charley and came down with Steve.

I had to swap children and take Ben back up to put him back to bed, then of course he wouldn't settle. He could hear Charley screaming and kept saying Charley wants his beebee. Then wanted our bed - ok, so we moved beds. Then the fireworks started and we had to have a look see if we could see them. Then Charley had to come up because he was screaming, but he wouldn't settle on me either. Eventually we swapped children again and I got Charley wrapped up on me, skin-to-skin, and he settled almost instantly. Ben was cuddled off to sleep by daddy - I'm almost grateful for the tantrums now, it's meant when we needed Ben to go to sleep with a cuddle from daddy we've not had to endure a massive tantrum.

After a long time and a failed attempt at getting into bed I ended up sort of sleeping propped up in bed with Charley still wrapped up on me. Three hours, we managed, of broken sleep. Steve bless him took Ben downstairs in the morning and after changing Charley's nappy I put him back in the sling and went down for my own breakfast. I was so tired I found myself waking up - not a good place to be, so Steve sent us back off to bed. Charley still attached. We slept propped up for another 3 hours or so, and although I woke up still feeling really poorly, after a bath I felt a lot more human rather than sleep-deprived grizzly mama bear.

Steve lasted until about 3.30 or 4pm when he realised he was actually shaking from lack of sleep so he was sent off to bed too. I've since been fighting off sleep, but now Ben has (somewhat miraculously) gone to bed without any kind of battle at 7pm this evening we can almost relax, have some attempt at dinner, and go to bed early! Charley has been a LOT more settled today and I hope he remains so overnight.

What a way to see in the New Year - almost as if our kids were reminding us that it's just another day, just another night. Nothing to get all excited about: just another number to remember when writing the date!!