It’s that sort of time again, here it is- 24 hours in my life, this is Wednesday 23rd June 2021….

23:40- Ok this is actually Tuesday night but this is the time I crawl into bed after work, and accidentally wake Clara in the process, to start my 24 hour diary. She comes in the bed next to us and has a couple of feeds during the night. At some point Polly bundles in the bed too.

6AM- I wake up thinking it’s time to get up, it’s not. The same thing happens again at 6:49!

7AM- Alarm goes off. We have some cuddles and a chat.

7:12- Out of bed, let’s go and get Seb.

7:15- Make the kids beds and head downstairs.

7:18- Discover the washing machine didn’t go off over night- great! Set it off immediately.

7:19- Bye bye Daddy, off to work he goes.

7:23- I head into the kitchen and make up Polly’s lunch while getting breakfast ready, it’s honestly like being at work as the breakfast orders are all different and these little non-paying customers are prone to last minute changes of mind. Today is chocolate spread waffles all round but Polly would like some coco pops too.

7:35- Sit down for breakfast. Seb gets a maths lesson from Polly counting out pieces of waffle. I Discover someone has biro penned all over the table and a book- no one is owning up.

7:56- Everyone dressed. Get pjs ready for later for everyone.

8:04- First tantrum of the day- Seb after arguing with Polly over who gets to throw Clara’s nappy in the bin (can’t wait to remind them of this stuff when they bring partners home).

8:08- All clean teeth. Polly sun tan lotion. Polly hair in plaits.

8:20- We read one of Polly’s story books from school.

8:30- I impulsively hoover downstairs as Clara keeps finding bits to eat that are not edible (I swear I’m hoovering every day at the moment!).

8:36- Shoes on, Clara in the carrier, Seb in the pushchair.

8:40- Out the door for the school run. Hear from Polly about her 101 bunnies stowed away in her book bag who are coming with her- all with their own book bags and lunch boxes that she’s packed up for them.

8:54- Home. Little play with the little 2.

9:05- Clear the draining board in the kitchen from yesterday’s washing up.

9:07- Trip on a toy that’s been hurled across the room by the baby- curse and wonder if I’ve actually broken a toe.

9:12- Set Seb up with babysitter Blippi and head upstairs for Clara’s nap. Read while sat on a pillow while she settles down.

9:25- Head downstairs now she’s asleep.

Get Seb a snack. Wash up, clean the cat’s bowls out, give the fridge a quick clean, recycling outside, wall paint tub away from yesterday (long story involving Polly and non washable paint and a hot air balloon!), go on a sticker hunt after these jokers emptied a sticker book round the house, the stickers are everywhere- the TV, windows, the sofa.

9:56- Sort out the girls birthday cards. Tidy the table- a major task on its own!

10:16- Washing on airers and outside as it’s actually sunny!

10:30- Cuddle and a chat on the sofa with little man ❤️

10:41- Seb asks to play with the oats and his trucks.

10:49- I pick up my book so naturally Clara wakes up. She comes down and finishes Seb’s cheddars while he carries on with his oats and I can sneak a bit of This Morning in!

11:13- Do a shoddy job of clearing up the oats so the hoover comes out again! Seb ‘helps’ with the toy one.

11:22- Sun tan lotion on, hats on and off to Lidl we go. We walk through the byes, play Pooh sticks, watch the bees at work, Seb blows a dandelion in Clara’s face which she finds hilarious. Seb picks out a pink donut and is a bad influence on me too, we head to the park to eat our treats and have a play.

12:38- Home. I get straight in the kitchen to make some lunch.

12:54- Sit down together for lunch.

13:15- Seb is doing some etch a sketching and Clara is crawling around destroying everything!

13:28- Time for another Clara nap. Seb is still etch a sketching. She’s a monkey going down so I end up finishing my book while popping down to give Seb a ‘please be quiet’ snack.

14:10- Sit with Seb, we have a little play and take turns drawing on the etch a sketch which seems to be the ‘toy of the day.’

14:48- Clara awake. Bad nap. Needs a breadstick to adjust to being awake as Seb jumps all over the sofa!

15:01- Shoes on again, school run time again.

15:16- Home and an immediate declaration of starvation- snacks are provided.

15:20- I start cooking tea.

15:24- Polly reading time.

15:44- Bluey makes an appearance, so does a second snack while I try and get rid of the Picasso masterpiece off Polly’s leg curtesy of her friend.

16:05- I decide I want to wear shorts to work so realise I need to get rid of my bear legs in the sink. Get dressed for work.

16:15- Get the washing back in and fold it up.

16:30- Sit down and eat my tea while fending off a rascal baby who wants to eat whatever she can get her hands on.

16:43- Henry home. Quick catch up chat.

16:49- Shoes on and off to work I go. It’s a food running shift tonight so plenty of steps.

23:35- I get a lift home. Henry’s awake after a nudge so a quick chat on the sofa. I shove my apron and cardi in the wash- there was an unfortunate ketchup incident just before I left work.

23:53- I jump in the shower and decide to wash my hair too but I can’t be bothered to dry it so plait it up out the way.

00:05- Check on the big 2 and give them a kiss. The other day Polly asked me to make sure I always do this even when she’s asleep, I told her not to worry, that it’s part of my bedtime routine.

00:08- Crawl into bed and of course hear Clara wake up 🤦‍♀️