How Maisie's Crying Jag Made Our Day Perfect

A screaming baby and very little sleep delivered the most lovely day to me today. Ah yes, I hear you say. She has finally cracked. We've seen it coming for a while now, and she's finally lost the plot completely. And while you wouldn't be entirely incorrect, let me explain before you judge my sanity...(or lack thereof)

Last night was our third in a row without Daddy. I was in a dead sleep when the Mouse woke at 4.10am, bellowing as though there was a knife being twisted in her bowels. My shushing and patting was absolutely useless, as was her pink seahorse - she screamed "Dadda! Dadda! Dadda! Aaaaaaaaah!!!!!" for over an hour, pausing only to heave great racking sobs of baby sadness. It didn't take long for Jack and Phoebs to join me in the big bed, and I think we all nodded back off at around 5:30. I had surreptiously turned the alarm off, and when Mais woke Jack and I around 7:15 with gurgles of delight, I told Jack he wouldn't be going to school.

"Oh Mummy," he said quietly. "I'm glad to stay home. I've missed you very much this week and I'm very tired. Can I stay in my pyjamas and can we watch kids' shows?" He didn't need to squeeze my heart like that to convince me to put ABC Kids on the box. Phoebalina rose around 8:15, and we all stayed in our jarmies until way after decent o'clock. Yesterday the girls and I had made a 'home corner' with dollies' cots and Phoebe's little cupcake oven, and the doll's high chair and even the tiny ironing board Phoebs received from cousin Yvey at Christmas (how excited am I to pass the ironing torch?? How young is too young??) Today, we extended the "house" to include a bedroom under the dining table, complete with blankets over chairs to make walls and a mattress on the floor; a potty for the toilet; and the area in front of the telly was the "park" where we had a picnic for lunch.

I found two huge bags of assorted teddies under my bed, packed when we left Pakenham and therefore, brand new today! My three little monkeys spread those soft toys all over the house (not hard when we live in the one room), playing all sorts of imaginative games. Maisie had a lovely time just bouncing on her knees and then flopping into a huge pile of woolly teddies. Since it was pouring outside, we had Ernie, Bella and Daisy inside too, so there was an added edge of hysteria to the games when the pets got in the way!

When everyone got a bit tired from all the teddy-fuelled fun, we snuggled on the couch and watched 'Tinkerbell' under blankets. Once revived by fairy dust, the big kids spent some time drawing and 'writing' at the table while the Mouse had a nap. Jack was very pleased with his drawing of Santa and himself - although I am a tad concerned that we may peak a little early if he's already thinking about Christmas? My mum arrived just as the kids were finishing their dinner, and being an angel in disguise, she helped me bath and dress them in clean, warm pjs.

I can't tell you how nice it was to have a cuppa with my mum when the kids were so happy and relaxed that our biggest problem was hearing each other over the shrieks of joy (and that was just the Mouse!) Teeth were brushed, stories were read, Mais had her special Mumma cuddle, and they all went to sleep. Just like that. I was so taken aback I kept tiptoeing in to see who was playing funny buggers with me...but it would seem I have underestimated my chickens. I expected a rather average day with tired, cranky kids and a helluva bedtime, but instead I got a cruisy, happy day with kids content with their own company. I had fun with my kids today, without screeching at them or getting even close to using threats or the naughty spot...in fact, now that I think about it I didn't even pull the cross voice out today! And even when we got to the notoriously tricky end of the production (aka bath time), I had my mum for company and a second pair of hands.

Today was far and away the best day of the week, and I can honestly say it will be the sort of day that keeps me warm when I'm an old lady and my kids are middle-aged with mortgages. The type of day that makes you proud to be a mummy of such happy, cuddly kids, who blow kisses to their Narnie and snuggle in when you do the voices of Meg and Mog. And tomorrow, when my beloved returns exhausted and rough from his week camping with the Year 8's, we will all be so happy to see him. I know how much the kids have missed Christian this week, and he them. So he should have no problems at all taking them all out somewhere lovely on Saturday morning, to enjoy their company and hear their lisping stories. And me? Well, I plan on rejoicing in my husband's return home by closing my eyelids and dreaming for a very, very long time. Probably with a little snore every now and then. Mmmmmm.