I’m writing this on my phone in the back seat of the car between 2 car seats on the way home from Suffolk in the rain, full of KFC and feeling bad for Henry in the front by himself! We’ve had a great week up in our old stomping ground seeing family and friends, introducing Seb and listening to how much Polly has grown- she really has in the 3 months since we were last up. We were planning on the trip nearer the end of June but our house needed some TLC and was booked in for a full rewire so we scarpered to give them the chance to do it quickly.

Polly has had a blast. She’s been to soft play a couple of times, Seb wasn’t so keen apparently and found it a bit boring- see photo attached. She’s also been spoilt with lots of birthday presents and just generally with plenty of cake and biscuits! They have been long days that have left her asking to go ‘night-night’ by the end and have also resulted in her sleeping like a log each night even with all 4 of us in one room. We stayed with Henry’s nanny which was really nice, Henry lived with his nan during his teenage years so it’s always nice for him to spend a chunk of time with her, and the dog of course! Also staying with Bear (the dog!) seems to have helped Polly’s sudden dislike of dogs which surfaced a few weeks ago which is a great bonus.

The general consensus from everyone is that Polly is wild and so full of energy I was asked every day “how do I keep up with her?!”. In particular she loved playing with her Godmother Michelle’s little boys, Eli & Niall, they had great fun at the park and always make us laugh. She also had great fun at a family BBQ on Friday afternoon with Uncle Bob chasing her round the house while she stole all the dogs toys and hid them in her bed, this was after plenty of laughter at the table with Auntie Carla who she has a real soft spot for.

Sebastian thought it amusing to book end the trip with well timed poo’s. Ironically we left at just after 4pm to come home after setting off Monday morning at just past 4am and each time with a loaded up car the boy thought it a perfect time to let one rip! The face of innocence in the following photo as he literally didn’t give a shit! I’ve also discovered he likes to have his face held when he’s sad at the fact that we are stuck in traffic and he calms down when I sing various nursery rhymes- a few hours ago old McDonald ended up with a very creative farm including crabs, snakes and a frog.

We finished our week with a picnic at Fram castle (aka the castle on the hill) with G-G (great Grandma) and uncle Oli. It’s strange taking your children back to places where you grew up, I mean it makes you feel old for a start! But it’s funny watching Polly running up a grass slope that you drunkenly rolled down several years earlier.

The week leading up to our trip was full of fun too with Polly turning 2! I can’t believe my big baby is 2! Henry last minute had the day off so we organised a last minute trip to soft play where she had lots of fun with some of her little friends- bad mummy didn’t take a single picture all day apart from the balloon dancing video before breakfast. I of course got emotional later on in the day while looking at old photos of when she was born- is this just another ‘Mum thing’ that I’ll cry every birthday?!

Seb and I had a little mother son date earlier in the week when we headed to the local church hall to watch the greatest showman with one of our mummy friends and her littlest one. They both did great and us mums even enjoyed hot cups of tea and cake! Oh and it’s just become my favourite film as it really is that good. Lastly a little anecdote as this really has been a long post! I took the little ones for walk in the byes last week, Polly was back in the pushchair after lots of running around waving at everyone and everything and Seb was asleep in the carrier. 2 older ladies stopped us when we were 2 minutes from the house and started cooing over the children when one of them took Seb’s hand and came out with the craziest thing anyone has ever said to me…. “oh he feels very cold, are you sure he’s still breathing?” And no she wasn’t joking! I flustered something about him fidgeting a moment before as I couldn’t believe someone would ask such a thing (dam you brain for coming up with the good comebacks once we get home). She then outdid herself by asking me “are you sure? Could you just check?”. After deeming that my baby was still alive under his sunhat she felt assured enough to leave us be. I’m still dumbfounded a week later! Why can’t people just say congratulations and move on!

Well time to sign off and publish as Seb is now stuck to my boob (again!) while I’m still wedged between the car seats and Henry is protecting our hot chocolates from a Polly monster sitting in my seat- just to clarify we are now at the services on the m4 not still going round the m25!