Squelch Splash Stomp!

Oh my word, what a day.

Charley complained this morning about the fact that he *only* had jam on toast while Ben and I had cereal, so he was offered loaded spoons with weetabix on to shove into his own mouth if he wanted, and I think he did actually eat some.

Breakfast used up my last needle for my insulin so we were forced out to the surgery to pick up my prescription, and decided to head straight to the supermarket because there was a pharmacy there, and we could get our groceries while my prescription was being dealt with.

Meltdown from Ben while choosing a yoghurt treat, that was fun to deal with. Thankfully once it was dealt with he was very good company the rest of the time!

Back to collect my prescription, only the pharmacy thought they had needles in stock but it turned out their computer had lied. So no lunch at the cafe there. Which Ben was ok about, he wanted to go to the "other cafe, with cakes." So we got back in the car and drove 30 seconds to the next carpark to go to the drugstore with the smallest pharmacy in it ever. And they found a box of my needles. The last box. On the wrong shelf! Gaaah! Still, I had needles again.

Back in the car, Charley fell asleep, it started raining. And I'd promised a bike ride to this "other cafe" for cakes...

We waited as long as we could at home, getting ready for a walk in the rain, wellies on, waiting til the last minute to wake Charley and get him out of the carseat, nappy changed, and into the wrap. We were not allowed to have lunch first!

But we got out. It wasn't raining on the way to the cafe thank goodness, or I think I may have started crying when Ben suddenly seemed to realise where we were and had a meltdown because we were going the wrong way, to the wrong cafe. I spent about 20 minutes crouched down next to him, consoling him, cuddling him, trying to figure out what cafe was the "right" one, explaining that what I thought he meant as the right one was actually an hour's walk away, and was a special one we could take Grandma and Grandad to. That did not console him. I can't remember what I said eventually to get us moving again but as we approached what I'd initially thought was the "other cafe, with cakes", his face lit up because it WAS the right one!!

And then the boys proceeded to make the biggest mess imaginable.

Charley deposited cheese sandwich everywhere, and Ben joined in with the sensory play experience and decided that eating chocolate buns was far more interesting if you squished them in your fists first. I swear I thought we'd left that phase behind at least a year and a half ago. I could blame Charley and weaning but it started before we started weaning Charley! I apologised to the waitress because it just looked like a food bomb had exploded around our table.

When we finally left it was raining and Ben was insistent that we go to the beach. Hey why not. We were going to get wet walking home anyway (the phrase "there's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing" came to mind) so we went to the beach and picked up a couple of pretty pebbles and stood in awe of the sea which was pretty near and looked like it was at high tide.

It drizzled and rained all the way home and Ben LOVED IT. He rode through each and every puddle and stomped and splashed through as many as he could. We hunted for the big puddles so he could squelch and stomp his way back and forth. He laughed and shrieked and sang and shouted. He and his bike got thoroughly soaked. Charley fell asleep eventually, only a fraction of his face peeking out of the wrap and cover getting wet.

Home and into the bath for Ben. Chips for tea (sweet potatoes and maris piper) - which Charley enjoyed but was very tired by the time they were ready. Steve went out for pub church and after dealing with the second biggest poo ever of the day from Charley I took the boys up to bed - and fell asleep!

I feel like I have earned a HUGE amount of Lovely Mummy Brownie Points today. But, in all honesty, it has been far from easy. It has been hugely stressful dealing with all the little things throwing me off course, but to say I've made it to the end of the day without losing my temper, and resolving all the meltdowns somehow, I'm happy with that. (I'm also hugely grateful for Charley not having meltdowns at the same time as Ben. That has been amazingly helpful!)

Anyway. As I fell asleep, and my photos today have been taken on my phone, you can have an iPhone montage beauty for today's picture.