More than carers

Last week we said goodbye to someone we will all – Benjamin especially – miss like crazy. But it didn’t start out that way. I’m a proud person – I don’t like asking for help (my husband will tell you that’s an understatement). I’m a private person – I don’t like having other people in …

When life just carries on as normal

If you're a parent, you'll likely remember the feeling (how could you ever forget?) of emerging, blinking, into the light. Maybe from the hospital doorway; maybe your own front door. Maybe the very same day that precious bundle made its dramatic entry into the world; maybe one, two, or many, many days later. And… nobody …

Brave, bruised, and better for it

With apologies for the spoiler, I can hardly believe it went without a hitch. Back in the depths of winter, when Benjamin’s health appeared relatively stable, we rashly booked ourselves a summer holiday, more than two hours drive from our local hospital. Twelve hours drive and sixteen hours ferry away from our local hospital. Abroad! …

Graduation Day

Since when did nursery graduations become a thing? I'm sure I never had one, but last year my eldest daughter had two, complete with ribbon-tied certificates, gowns, mortar boards (long relegated to the bottom of the dressing-up box), and the obligatory cake. Lovely as they were, I couldn't help thinking this was all a little …

Captain Endurance and the Imperturbable Girls

I have to admit, I’m not really up on my superheroes. I understand things have moved on a bit from Thundercats (I wasn’t allowed to watch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe because it was on ITV and therefore infra dig). I’m painfully aware of the PJ Masks, thanks to my six-year-old and YouTube, …

Torn

We are just back from weekend trip to Aberdeen. I say ‘we’. I mean my husband and I, and the two girls. Our first trip away without Benjamin. I think we pulled off a pretty good impression of a ‘normal’ family on a ‘normal’ trip. Dare I say 'minibreak'? A few bags slung into the boot …

Just a cold

The males in our household have been stricken with a cold. My husband has adopted the standard attitude of shuffling around the house looking sheepish, occasionally being wracked by paroxysms of coughing that needlessly shake his entire body, and ostentatiously ironing handkerchiefs and boiling kettles for uncertain purpose. This in itself is pretty hard work …

What should a four year old be?

At four, Benjamin should be a cute, tousle-headed, tearaway by now. In and out of the paddling pool all summer; under my feet all winter. Chattering nineteen to the dozen. Learning to pee on a ping-pong ball. Spoiling his big sister’s games, and being too rough with his little sister. Big enough to be making …

Festival spirit

Yesterday, I took the two little ones to a festival – Daytripper – on my own. It’s not the sort of thing I would normally do. I’m not great at mixing with people I don’t know, or don’t know well. It’s in a crowd that I feel loneliest and most conspicuous. And with an energetic …

Therapy for two

To be honest, I’m terrible at making time to do therapy with Benjamin. A quick stretch while I’m changing his nappy. A couple of rolls when we’re getting dressed in the morning. Plonk him in his chair facing in a slightly different direction each day, give him some toys to look at and that’s about …