Sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiide :D

Back-Blipped


I was almost tempted to use this picture of my mother-in-law (it's a lovely picture mum!) but decided not to :) Steve's suggestion to blip it, mine not to!!! "I turn my computer on every morning to get my daily Ben fix, I don't want to see raspberries and daffodils!!!"


Well we made it to Manchester, set off an hour and a half later than planned (i.e. 8.30pm rather than 7pm) (blame swimming, not packing properly, food taking longer than expected, guilt from not being able to spend time with Ben and rushing around like headless chickens instead) and arrived at Steve's parents' house at 1.30am. They were awake (or at least, Mum and Ruth were), just. Ben had woken up at various points en route and every time we paused, he would sit up and ask, "Grandad?" and then sort of go back to sleep ish. We had stopped at Cherwell Valley and as Ben woke up we took him inside and had cake and a drink, then he didn't really want to go back to sleep of course...

Anyway. Arrived. Ben found toy cars. Ben and Ruth played with toy cars for an hour until I gave up and went up to bed. Everyone else came up to bed. Ben didn't want to go to sleep. Ben kept saying "miaw, miaw" for some reason. 3.30am finally got to sleep. Ben woke up 8.30am and thank GOODNESS he was happy to go and wake Ruth up. We got an extra hour and a half asleep while everyone else sorted Ben out with breakfast and morning entertainment! Steve's dad had been up in the attic and dug out a load of Steve's old toys: Steve was regressing, and Ben was in toddler heaven.

Ben had his first proper shower with me (rather than a bath), and then after lunch we went off to the park. This is the big slide in the older kids' play area (For children between 8 and 16 years of age only. Do not let younger children use this equipment.). Ben and Ruth climbed up - twice - and slid down the slide. Ben wasn't so sure about the slide after the second time round. Thankfully we found the kiddie play area after that...

Ben fell asleep on the way home, and went back to sleep once we got into the house, and carried on sleeping when I gave up and deposited him on the sofa and went to get some dinner. Ben missed dinner. He did wake up after we'd done the birthday cake (it was Ruthie's birthday last week, hence our trip up north) and Ruth and her girlfriends had all come downstairs all dolled up ready to go out on the town (oh grief I felt old!!) - he woke up only when she kissed him 'bye! Anyway once awake he had lots of birthday cake, and eventually after more playing with cars and helicopters and planes we decided it was time to move on to our next bed of the weekend at my parents' house.

Yet more playing there, and bedtime eventually at 11pm.....

Lots and lots missed out of this account of the day but it's half-past midnight very early on Monday morning and I want to go to bed some time soon!!