So 232 days ago we headed into isolation due to COVID symptoms (now fairly sure it was the dreaded ‘rona’) and then a week later the whole country headed into lockdown, so this time feels a bit different for us. For one I’m not pregnant! That does mean we have 3 children to occupy instead of 2 but one of those should hopefully be staying in school. It also means that this time we can head to 4 different shops and panic buy enough toilet paper and pasta to build a mountain with- jokes! The only panic buying we’ve done is advent calendars, a stocking for Clara and the big Christmas present haul. Although if it’s a shop you’d already booked in to do- is it really panic buying? Although it did feel very strange wandering round Tesco picking out stocking fillers while others are loading up with that magical COVID curing toilet paper and 12 loaves of bread.

We did also sneak in a visit to see Nanny & Pops this afternoon after picking up Polly from school. Last lockdown taught us a lot about what’s important and seeing the ones we love is definitely top of the priority list so that was another difference this time- we could actually say ‘goodbye for now’, with plenty of cake and a few episodes of postman pat of course!

It’s now November which means it’s completely acceptable to be actively talking about Christmas and I can definitely see the tree going up a bit earlier than normal! I mean we’ve been watching Christmas films for weeks already! I do love the cheesy ones on the Christmas 24 channel.

We did have a nice half term last week with Polly off and made a trip to the fabulous Otter nurseries garden centre- a favourite Christmas haunt of ours. We also snuck in a McDonald’s drive thru after the food shopping that then provided a tricky situation when Clara did not one but two poos so I had to test my nappy changing skills as it was raining outside!

Seb also displayed his cheeky side this afternoon when he wangled 2 lunches out of us! I’d given him a plate of goodies and was then distracted by Clara, Henry then entered the kitchen and Seb followed him and encouraged Henry into another plate of food as he didn’t realise I’d already given him one!

I do sometimes worry how much our little people are being exposed to all this scary COVID stuff- Polly broke my heart on Monday’s walk to school when she asked me “will I be safe at school?” It’s so hard to get the right balance with each child on how much they need to know versus shielding them from this scary world and just letting them be kids which is why I’m quite keen for her to stay going to school as it gives her that dose of normal that she struggled without during lockdown number 1. I’m trying to plan how to keep Seb occupied in the next few weeks now that the weather is heading towards winter and I know we’ll be in the house a lot more. At least we have Disney to keep us going!

I’ve also made a new to-do list to work through and with Henry home again I’m hoping to get bedtimes back on track and also see whether Clara will nap in her cot instead of stuck to me or in the bouncer as I think she’ll get more sleep away from her very noisy siblings! I’m also planning on some more kitchen experiments as recently I’ve been doing a lot more baking and home cooked meals (only taken me 3 maternity leaves to find the kitchen!). In the last week or so I’ve made meatloaf, cheesecake and lots of biscuits which has been fun particularly with my little Polly pocket helper.

Well, I think I’m caught up for now, plus I’d like to finish watching bake off so I’ll sign off for now. I’ll try and be a bit better at writing this time!