Shakedown Cruise

I am going back to work soon. This means that I will have the logistical challenge of dropping two kids off at nursery before driving ½ hour to work. Silly me, thought I would give it a trial run today, aka shakedown cruise

Getting two incessantly wriggly and niggly kids dressed was a marvel, only outdone by my inventiveness of shutting all the doors in the hallway to stop any escape attempts whilst I put my coat on. Upon realising I was actually still wearing my pjamas, I retreated for a quick change that any model would be proud of. Whilst I changed, they were in the living room, fighting over a crumpled bit of cardboard. Apparently the lack of playing time with cardboard hurt my toddlers feelings. Cue major hissy fit. The only option was to promise him that I would take it to the car, so he could enjoy the “toy” for the journey to the nursery.

Gather Madams bag, my handbag, boys rucksack, baby in one arm, toddler loosely hanging onto the other hand. Out we shuffle. Upon reaching the end of the driveway, toddler announces he needs a wee. Tell him I will take him back to the house. Apparently this is not good enough, he wants to do a wee in our flowerbed. I have no objections to this. Having told toddler to wait whilst I put baby in car seat, he then proceeds to run down the street. Put baby in car seat. Run after toddler and retrieve him.

Apparently, it takes the boy A LOT longer to do a wee outside. So for about 5 mins, I am holding him, whilst singing to the baby, who sternly objects to being in the car seat and not actually going anywhere. So wee finished off (with obligarory clap) put toddler into his car seat. Start to reverse car out then realise baby is not strapped in. Rectify my folly.

Toddler mangles cardboard on the way to nursery, whilst I sing and make actions to all the nursery rhymes in my repertoire, for the baby, to try and keep her awake.

Once I park up, it transpires that toddler does not actually want to go to nursery. Cue 10 mins of cajoling and negotiating, all the while I am parked illegally in a tow away zone.

Once baby is safely in pushchair, I decide that as toddler is really not playing ball, I will have to man handle him. Cue me running across to the nursery with toddler thrashing and screaming under my arm. Luckily he settles down (apparently he did not hold a grudge as later when asked what makes you happy, he replied “my mummy” – aaah!). I had to put on oscar winning performance of being calm and serene, so as to be able to leave baby with her key worker for 3.5 hours. This is the first time someone outside our family has looked after her during the day.

By the time I leave the nursery, I am dreaming of crawling into any old storage cupboard, rocking back and forth. Shakedown cruise result – managed ok, room for improvement, thank god I did not pay full price!!!