So almost nearly

It was almost a complete total almost success. It was almost a successful evening in a restaurant with three kids. It was ever so nearly an incident free party for grandmas 70th full of her close friends and family. Almost.

To be fair, the kids coped brilliantly with the whole affair. It's been a long time since we've felt able to go to a restaurant as a whole family. It's not a common occurrence. It's not fair to expect small children to keep calm and quiet through a whole meal with the waiting as well. But to their credit and with some reminders from us 'we are not at home , so we use cutlery' 'restaurants are not for running in' that kind of thing, the girls coped fantastically. They kept themselves busy with balloons and trips to the toilet. Hiding under the table and behind sofas. The noise was kept to a minimum. I felt completely not stressed. I even managed to eat some of my meal hot. And my cake went down a storm.

So there we were, almost on the home run. The girls were becoming floobier by the second with cake piled on jelly beans piled on a sip of champagne. Still they were coping. They were happy. There were no meltdowns. I felt like the proverbial 'mom enough'. All of grandmas friends were suitably impressed with our deeeeelightful children. Grandma was kvelling to her hearts content. Then it happened. Disaster struck. Poor Auntie E. Bless her. She was singing to child on her knee. It was all too funny. It was all too much. Child was too tired. Laughed a bit too much. And the spell was broken. Broken in a puddle on the floor. And all over Auntie E. She took it so graciously. Thank you Auntie E!.

.

If only we'd left after the cake.

Meltdowns - a bit of a dribble

Losing the plot - nope!

Breastfeeding - in a restaurant no less!

Did that just happen!

Did I just pee, almost at the same time, my 4yr old and my 4month old back to sleep all with practically no crying, no protesting and no boob and in less than ten minutes??!!

Millie cried for me cos I was downstairs (Don't do it often because I still feel weird leaving her, even with Maia beside her) but I managed to settle her so fast by holding her and telling her she had a nappy on and made the pss pss sound and she went back to sleep within minutes on my shoulder and whilst i was doing that, i noticed that Maia was holding her pee in and I persuaded her she would need to go to the toilet. I laid Millie down expecting her to cry cos I wasn't holding her and she stayed asleep!! I then persuaded Maia to get out of bed and walk herself. No protest or dropping on floor to be carried. She must get it now, that I can't carry her that far. (Barry usually does nighttime peeing of the older girls now.) I semi-helped her but she woke herself up enough to negotiate the bed and what have you. I gave her a little help onto the toilet and I said you jump back into bed and before I could get to her, she was already asleep!!

It's taken me longer to write this than it has to pee them!!

(Ellie didn't really stir so I didn't try her. I fully expect Millie to wake again (not just because she is a baby but she has a cold and cant breathe properly) and half expect Ellie to wet the bed, she has earache)

Either they are all coming down with something and need sleep or they are knackered and need sleep or they have been swapped by clones and need sleep.

I think everyone is sleeping where they 'need' to tonight. Barry needs sleep so he is in their bed!! The girls need cosleeping connection so they are with me. I need to finish watching this comedy before Millie wakes again!

Phew nighttime parenting! What fun!

Meltdowns - All quiet on Western front

Losing the Plot - not tonight!

Breastfeeding - strangely not needed!