The Toddler Diaries 'Only children'

Nice but busy day on Saturday. I had applied to my accountant earlier in the month for a budget for summer clothes. Haven’t got any so thought it was a reasonable request. He came back with a very favourable reply, so Wendy, Caleb and I spent the morning clothes shopping. My new strategy to clothes shopping, to limit my selection to one shop, worked extremely well. I detest trailing around shops looking for clothes. My advice is: find a shop you like, that has a good selection of clothes that suit you and don’t bother looking anywhere else. That’s unless you really like clothes shopping. We hardly noticed Caleb was with us; he sat in the buggy and looked at himself in the mirror in the changing room. Bethany went shopping with Daniel to buy some sandals and Joshua went out with my parents to his favourite charity shops. I think it’s good for kids to get individual attention every now and again. It’s a completely different dynamic and helps you get to know them as an individual. It also makes you realise how easy it is with only one child!! Although annoyingly, when I only had one I didn’t find it that easy. It’s all relative!!

In the afternoon we headed off to Ruislip Lido, minus Daniel who was left to enjoy some peace and quiet (second weekend in a row, last Saturday he went to watch the new Star Wars). We all had a lovely time eating ice cream, messing around on the sand and in the park and then finally a trip around the lake on the train.

After dinner, having rediscovered my feet for the first time this year, I decided to paint my toenails. Of course Bethany, much to her daddy’s horror, had to have hers done too. This is the girl who when I lost her in Boots last week shouted, “it’s OK mummy, I’m just looking at the makeup, I love it”. How old is she?! I thought Joshua wouldn’t be interested in nail varnish, but when he saw that Bethany, auntie Wendy and I had it on and he wanted to be included too. Wendy painted his big toe hoping that would be enough but he just looked at her indignantly, “What about the other toes?” and when she had done that, “ What about the other foot?” When she had finished he looked down at his purple nails and smiled “I don’t think I’ll wear socks in bed tonight mummy”! At least it’s better than lipstick.

Sunday we had a lazy day. We went to church in the morning and disagreed with the preaching on predestination, and then spent the afternoon relaxing. Tonight we are attempting to get Joshua and Bethany to sleep without nappies. They’ve spent the last half an hour shouting down the stairs “ I need a wee, I need a poo” a great tactic to get us running upstairs. I’ll let you know tomorrow how well it goes!!