The toddler revolts...

Lucy does not like her daddy at the moment. Quite simple. This has been going on for days. She is kicking back and trying for a reaction with nearly everything we do together. I have to say I find it quite upsetting. I bumble around not knowing how to handle it and just find myself getting frustrated and annoyed. She will not do as she is told, but no female in this house will and is probably not likely too. Amy says that I must not react and respond positively, but I am struggling. I will keep going and hopefully things will get better. Tomorrow I have a grand day out planned with her. We are going on the bus to go swimming and out together for the day. I am hoping us spending some quality time together will help cement our bond and stop all the fighting. We are both strong characters and I suppose it is inevitable we will clash. If only she knew how much I love her and then we might live a bit more in harmony. Time will tell.

Sunday is a family day...

Sunday is indeed and always should be a family day. Lucy woke up this morning with such excitement realising that her cousins Evie and Tilda were coming to lunch. She has been on cloud nine all day. They have played, giggled, jumped, run, made mess (and lots of it!) and eaten us out of house and home - pretty good day if you ask me. We had a fabulous meal cooked by Amy with the most amazing Orange and Rhubarb cake for pudding and all the girls were brilliantly behaved. It was lovely to have so many smiling children at our table. Anna has not fared so well today. She is teething and really struggling. Living purely on a diet of drugs and cuddles. Sounds good to me! Family days such as today do have consequences. Lucy was shattered and grumpy beyond belief this evening. I'm shattered - all that mess in my anally tidy world can be very stressful. I now have a plan - children in bed, kettle on, telly on, watch slow paced Sunday evening telly such as antiques roadshow and hopefully be asleep on the couch by 8.30pm at the latest....Lucy as you can see is already one step ahead of me!

Damn that knackered computer...

I have not been able to blog recently due to a computer related incident that involved a cute and not entirely innocent three year old named Lucy. She may well have contributed to us having to buy a new computer, hence a gap in how things are going for the family Hammond. Oh it's only money. Both the girls are much better and I have not been at work. We have had a lovely time and especially enjoyed our day out at the sea life centre. Anna is becoming a real movie star. Captured on video nearly crawling, but hilariously farting for England. Bless her - for one so young she really did let rip! Their bond continues to grow and grow. Lucy is really becoming a good big sister...

Still poorly and still smiling...

This week has been about supporting the girls through feeling poorly and the nightmare that is juggling children and work. Anna has been remarkable - a heavy cold and conjunctivitis and she is still smiling. She may just be showing us her resilience and personality and I look forward to more of that calm and passive nature. Plenty of cuddles needed this week and she got them, and more and more, and more..... Looby however, when she feels poorly takes weeks to get back on track - she can be bossy, grumpy and then loving and clingy all in the same minute. God knows what she will be like as a hormonal teenager. I will worry about that in a few years. You simply can't escape fate!! Despite a difficult week, it has been lovely to be able to help them both through feeling poorly and simply trying to be a good dad. Amy is amazing and calm with the girls and shows me up for the novice I am. I don't know how she does it. Anna has had eye drops this week and has screamed when we put them in - I could not even bring myself to help. I hate things being put in my eyes, ears and mouth. I simply bottled it with the eye drops. I know a parent should put their children first, but in this case I draw the line....Sorry Anna. At last my genious wife has worked out how to put a video on the blog via utube. Enjoy - it's fantastic.

You have got to take the rough with the smooth..

Being a parent is a twenty four hour job, you don't get time off for good behaviour and you can't return your kids for a refund. We have been up since 3am with Lucy who has been coughing like a 40 a day smoker. In the end I just gave up and brought her downstairs so that she could cough in front of the telly! I'm knackered and would love to go back to bed, but you can't give them back (and I I would never want to). Poor Looby chick. This winter has just been one long round of colds, coughs and not feeling good. Anna has a stinker too - how can so much snot come from one so small? An unanswered question that I am not sure even Darwin or Einstein ever cracked....Then she stops coughing after going to the doctors and goes to nursery as if nothing happened. AHHHH!