Games Day

We had our first family game of scrabble today, it was rather chaotic!! 

It started off just Barry and I, as we foolishly believed we wouldn't be interrupted much. We used to play loads pre unable-to-concentrate-or-focus-on-anything days. 

Millie was with us pottering about, but the minute she noticed the game on the table she wanted on my knee and on the table and eventually on the board. Then Maia came in and joined us, I tried to pass off that she only needed one tile to play thinking she would not stay that long anyway and one or two used tiles wouldn't disrupt the game too much. This worked for a few shots until Ellie joined us, she must have disengaged from her Saturday TV viewing fest to notice that she was sitting on her own! Once Ellie had all seven tiles it was harder to not give Maia the same. So, now its Ellie's turn and it's way too long for Maia to wait her turn, so she ends up on my mobile.  Meanwhile Millie has disappeared to the other room and I realise its too quiet and find her in Maia's porridge bowl face first, I leave her to it. Maia takes her turn, I leave her to it as well. She has her own way of playing. It's best not to get involved. 

I didn't think things through and now Millie has returned smearing porridge all through the house!! I'd asked Maia to take her bowl through earlier, so I decided that was natural consequence enough and handed her a wipe asking her to take the bowl through now and clear up the porridge. To my amazement she does but that takes her back in the room with the computers, so she doesn't return to the game (except once to state she did not want her tiles moved AT ALL and that she wanted to play a game she knew how to play, which I said we would)

By now, Millie is not a happy camper and is crying to be lifted up every few minutes but as soon as she is up she is all over the game as a reachy, grabby, wanting to be involved baby so I put her down again. She gets even more upset at that wants milk for comfort which revives her and she goes for the game again, so Ellie gives her the tile holder which amuses her for a few minutes but them she wants up again... AD INFINITUM!!! 

By this time, both girls are in the other room.  Maia is running in shouting "have you finished yet?" and Ellie is running in shouting "is it my turn yet" every other minute. Hubby's done a runner somewhere and I'm sitting at the table feeding Millie unable to concentrate focus or move and I'm wondering how I ever thought this could work. But you know, it kinda did!! 

(It wasn't till a few turns and mayhem later, that I realised my error, can you spot it!!?)

All in all for a first family game of a grown-up game it went reasonably well. No meltdowns. No plot losings. Lots of breast feeding!!

Twister was more fun!

Maia's words are along the bottom!