Jun 6, 20194 min read

My life is a circus and these are my monkeys

Morning!

Well, this has been a very eventful week. Firstly had the most nightmarish train journey back from Taunton... honestly, it was terrible. We could only just get on the train, all the seats were taken, we were packed on there like sardines.... Aurora - thank goodness - was absolutely lovely and didn't once want to get out of her pushchair, but she did keep stealing this other little girl's food! I mean who can blame her... who couldn't resist a tuna mayo sandwich! Ralph is a nervous traveller, so I ended up having him over my shoulder for most of the journey.... a journey that is two and a half hours long! That company *COUGH* Cross Country *COUGH* will be getting a complaint letter from myself because the staff were so rude, especially one member in particular that asked myself and the other family to move... safe to say I stood my ground with that one as there was absolutely nowhere to go, there was nowhere to put any luggage.... it was a disgusting way to speak to us and it wasn't at all necessary - I mean manners are there to be used. It was all just a bit of a palaver!

So after that delightful trip home.... I was so happy I cleaned my flat before we left, we came back to fresh sheets and it still smelt lovely - not that it doesn't anyway! But I do love the smell of polish! Ralph has come to stay - I stole him... with permission obviously! It is so lovely having him here, Rory loves walking him, and it is just the cutest thing watching her run around with him in the park. He has two walks a day and we spoon at night... who needs a man when you can have a Ralph! Sorry boys! The park is fun though with those two, they run around after each other, Aurora has even tried to get Ralph onto the roundabout.... that didn't go down too well! She also has this new thing, where she has a name for the swings. So she has called one of the swings "Mummy's swing" and one of the swings "Aunty G's swing" each time she wants to go on the swing she chooses which one she wants to go on! She's proper weird! I think Rory is also jealous of Ralph - I mean he and I are totally pathetic and I am well aware of this! - but she got a toy dog, whom she also named Ralph for her birthday and every time we go to the park she has bought it with her, saying she is going to take "her puppy" to the park! Bless her!

We also started potty training this week. I tell you what fair play to everyone who has already done it. I mean, she is more than happy to wear "big girl pants" and she chose them herself. Even when it comes to sitting on the potty it's not a problem, but she will not do a wee on it! I bought her a book, which she absolutely loves called "No More Nappies" but nothing. She just won't use it! I ask her if she wants a wee and she literally throws the potty at me! Obviously with nothing in it. But actually at this moment in time I wouldn't even shout if there were something in it! So we will power through and for everyone who is telling me to "stay calm"... while I appreciate that and I am trying my hardest to, telling me every five minutes is just going to make me less calm! Don't worry though, I will be sure to return this amazing advice when you have your own children!

We did however boss the getting rid of the dummies! They are all gone, I even made her throw her last one in the bin, you know because I am a lovely Mother like that! She did try and get it out though, so then I made her watch me throw the bin out in the outdoor bin. After a few minutes of tears she was back on the slide! Don't get me wrong, it took a while for her to settle in the evenings again, but we are slowly but surely cutting the screaming fits down! One positive of no dummies, other than not worrying about losing them, is that she doesn't need to keep finding them at night, so she stays asleep - most of this time.

In other news... I have found a nursery! Aurora loves it! We went there yesterday afternoon for a look around and she joined in with the two-year olds, she literally said, "Okay, bye Mummy, see you soon" waved at me and then went into the room! So safe to say she approved! So she starts nursery in September, and I have been asked if I got upset when she just went off, but honestly no, I didn't. I was just proud. I was so proud of her, especially as everyone is saying how clingy she is and reliant on me at the moment. Truth is, she isn't, she didn't even flinch when she saw me walk away to check out another room in the nursery she just stayed and chatted to the other children and played! It was so lovely to see! I think it will be good for her to have a few hours a day away from me starting in September - and me away from her!