Spinning

Charley enjoying a spin on the ladybird.

Funny old day today. Up and dressed early (for us), television got turned off early, laptop put away, was determined to try and be a bit more "present" with Ben this morning. I think it worked, I think I was able to be in his world a little more! Just before it was time to go to school in the afternoon he was pushing a big toy car around and the car stopped (up against an immovable cable on the ground) but Ben carried on and ended up flying over the car and landing on his face. He was not happy. It took many cuddles to make that better.

Even so, he was happy enough to get ready for school, even put his vis jacket on because it was quite a dull day, and decided he had to put his gloves on as well because they have a light in them (apparently). Some cars were carefully chosen and put into his backpack along with an old photo album, and off we went. While we were waiting for the doors to open I got down for a chat, to explain that today we were going to have a kiss goodbye outside, and then he was going to find his peg by himself. He replied, and you'll be back in a little bit? Yes, I'll be back later. So I got a kiss straight away! Had to pull him back once the door opened to say 'bye and get another kiss, then off he went.

Just like that.

While he was playing at school I was at a funeral, for a friend's dad. It made me sad. Charley had had a total of 3 minutes sleep so far in the afternoon, he fell asleep on the way home from dropping Ben off, so he was tired and awake at the service. He made lots of happy tired baby noises and my friend's husband said afterwards that it was nice to hear him, to hear new life. That made me happy a bit :) He had a sleep during the service but woke up as we tried to get him back into the car... We were meant to go back for refreshments but as the traffic was building up and it was getting ever closer to 4pm and I had to pick Ben up at 4.30pm the friend I'd got a lift with and I decided that we really didn't have time to go for the refreshments (that's what I'd been baking for yesterday) so went home instead. Felt bad about that, but Charley thanked me when we got in and settled in the wrap for a good long sleep.

Ben had a great time at school, told me who he'd been playing with, that he'd been outside to play, that he'd played with a shark and a tiger. (Need to write that email about the funding this weekend.) Was hungry when he got in so got his tea on the go (thank goodness for cheese sauce in the fridge), and when daddy got in I discovered that the little talk we'd had yesterday about life and death actually did go in! He remembered whose daddy it was who had died, and apparently had been talking to Steve about it. I'd let him feel my pulse in my wrist, and explained if that stopped, that I'd die, and that's what had happened to my friend's daddy. And that's what he told Steve. Funny how you don't realise all this stuff really is going in until much later. But Ben always has been a bit of a sponge, soaking all the information in. It doesn't always look like it's gone in, until he comes back out with it, having obviously processed it.

Like this morning. He was playing some game with his cars that was actually freaking me out quite badly. Big Lightning McQueen Car was the mummy, and the Little Lightning McQueen car was a little girl, and a shape sorter box was a naughty man who kept catching and taking the little girl away from her mummy. The mummy always went and found and rescued her little girl but still it was a horrible bit of imaginative play to watch! I guess it's his way of going through scenarios like that and processing them and dealing with them, it's kind of nice to know how much faith he has in "mummy", in me, but it was still really unsettling to watch.

He's gone to bed happily tonight. We played around quite a bit after tea, lots of tickling and chasing and climbing. I got to be the climbing frame / trampoline for a change, lucky me! My goodness but that boy has sharp bony bits. Charley was being a monster baby, walking (with help) around the place, and Ben was going mental, laughing and shrieking that Charley was coming to get him! SO funny to watch! It ended in tears at one point when Ben fell over something and hurt his side, but a quick booby cuddle and he declared his ouch was all gone. Just like that! It was a very big ouch though, he fell and smacked the top of his leg into the shape sorter box that had earlier been the naughty man.

I fell asleep putting the boys to bed.... Steve fell asleep on the sofa so no casserole has been made! At least it's all ready to be assembled tomorrow though.

Bedtime now. Swimming tomorrow!