Bedtime!

After an extremely long day as a parent, it can come as a great relief to have your offspring tucked up and let some adult time kick in. Don't get me wrong I love spending time with my girls, but sometimes you just need 'you' time and be away from phrases like ' I don't want to' or 'Plllllleaaaassseeee' or 'can we go to the park'. Just simple quiet time that let's you remember that you are more than just a parent. A glass of wine or put your feet up in front of the telly that does not involve a brightly coloured cartoon or an adult twittering away to your child in a distinctly patronising voice. Now is my time. Bath time is finished, little miss bossy has read everybody a story and I am settling down to watch strictly come dancing with Ola and a skimpy dress. Now that's a manly yet slightly embarrassing admission! Parenthood has reduced my levels of intelligence so that I am only capable of watching such things, such is the level I now find myself at. Actually I look forward to it, but don't tell anybody! Anna has progressed in the talking stakes - 'uh oh!' being her first perfectly articulated word. Interesting choice when there are simple words such as cat around for example!

She walks the walk, no talk the talk yet...

Wiggle is everywhere. The girl does not sit still at all anymore. She adores her new found freedom on two legs, not a crawl in sight these days. Still not much coming out of her mouth that makes sense, however I do understand the angry and demanding words, even though they are not expertly articulated! She has been learning from the other two women in my house. Lucy on the other hand does not stop talking. We were treated to the sing along and very repetitive version of 'Goldilocks and three bears' in the car today. I have to say that as we approached the twentieth minute of this epic tale I had all but lost the will to live. Bought one of Lucy's birthday presents today. We bought her a Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. The surprise was nearly spoilt as on the way home as the car went over bumps, the bag fell in the boot and set off one of the buttons. All was quiet in the car and then we overheard Buzz talking in the back - 'Reach for the sky!!' and 'This is Buzz Lightyear calling star command'. Thankfully Lucy did not hear. Most hilarious part of a really enjoyable family day was my wife's imaginary cough and the songs that Lucy and I made up about it.....

The birthday girls are ordering.....

Lucy is definitely her mother's daughter. The pre-ordering of birthday presents has begun from both parties. The countdown to the most expensive week of the year in the Hammond house has begun. October will bring Amy and Lucy's birthdays in two quick days and I need to get my brain in gear. I must be on top form. I am being bombarded by ideas from both of them and I feel overloaded. The key is to pick the most wanted suggestion when it comes along and seize the day and simply go out and buy it. Otherwise the consequences could be grave. Mrs Hammond has been highly skilled in the gentle art of 'suggestion planting' for years, sometimes sowing the seeds in my brain some nine months before her birthday. Lucy is learning her craft and this morning applied the slightly less subtle approach, flicking through a catalogue that arrived in the post and telling me that she wanted everything!! The female section of the family Hammond thinks that I am not wise to this, I am and I make a formidable opponent. It pays not to organise surprises, but this year I may be bold enough to give it a go. Watch this space.......

The pink princess cat and dribble can be deadly...

Spent a really great bit of time with Lucy in the swimming pool this morning. Simple father and daughter stuff that makes you feel really good about yourself. Oh forgot, can't call her Lucy any more - she must be referred to as 'Pink princess cat'. Lucy is learning so fast at the moment, I can't keep up. She comes out with things I just did not know she knew. Today she sat in the back of the car and built a paper comet. Again, I say I just don't know where she gets these things from! Anna on the other hand is a real handful at the moment and she completely trashed my phone today with her dribble. She is belligerent and has a real hint of the devil in her, but she is really have a bad time with her teeth (five and three halves!). Must have sat her back into her chair at tea this evening some fifty times tonight! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Just cleared up poo everywhere as Anna pulled her nappy off and the fell asleep. Lovely! Despite this, the weekend is over again and we have to go back to not seeing much of the girls. This makes me sad. (Where did she get the word comet from?!?)

Never leave them unattended!

Amy and I have never read the parenting manual we were metaphorically given and definitely never paid attention to sub section 210, paragraph four which alluded to the dangers of leaving children (particularly toddlers) alone in a room with a tub of cream unsupervised. We should have indeed read the manual, behold we have photographic evidence of why! Anna had great fun this evening. Her skin is now more than baby soft and the protective layer on her legs will last her well into her twenties! She ate it, rubbed it, slipped in it, slid on it and generally revelled in getting very messy indeed. Sorry Anna, had to capture this photo as a must to show at your wedding in many years time.

I'm a pre-school girl!

Lucy is beaming with pride today and she wore a smile the size of a Cheshire cat. Lucy has moved up to the biggest room at her nursery and is taking real and unashamed pride in telling people she is now a 'rising five!' Obviously most people sadly do not have a clue what she is talking about, but this does not seem to deter her. Being a rising five means you get to play on the bouncy castle, I confess after the day I have had at work I am jealous! The girls are now in nursery full time and are adjusting well. I think they will be fine, the worst thing is the guilt that both Amy and I feel. We need to keep a roof over their heads and pay the mortgage. I know that not seeing the girls as much will make the weekends and time with them much sweeter for both Amy and I. Family time will be extremely precious for a while and to be savoured as we both are having to spend a lot of time at work. They both seem OK though, I arrived to pick them up and they both greeted me with tomato soup faces with cheek to cheek smiles....