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Twins

Pease porridge cold


Posted in: Twins, Youngest Child

The only foods Michael will eat are as follows:

Crisps
Tuc crackers
Cream crackers
Rice cakes
Cold porridge
Cornflakes
Cold pasta with pesto, olive oil and parmesan
Pizza
Yorkshire pudding
Pears
Some kinds of chocolate, sometimes
Cheddar
Juice (apple)
Liga (spotty only not the one with the teddy bears)
Milk
Baguette
Fried fish

If his food is warm, he cries. Is this normal?

Also he must now be accompanied to bed by doudou, nounours, Ingeborg, Rabbit and Elephant. It’s getting very crowded in there.

Further arguments against employing parents


Posted in: Twins, Work, Youngest Child

Michael had diarrhoea last night. Every hour or so he poked me awake saying, “I want to go to the toilet.” “Can Daddy go with you?” “No.” I know it was worse for him but he got to stay home in bed but I had to come into work where, frankly, my employer did not get full value for its expenditure on my salary.

The Economy


Posted in: Ireland, Middle Child, Princess, Twins

The Princess came down to watch the news last night. “Oh no, not more about the money we all owe, they’ve said it already, we know it.” How true.

Meanwhile, Daniel announced to me that “Parnell Square is where we march”. It is indeed. This will be a useful piece of information for you, should you wish to avoid traffic restrictions when in Dublin.

Dressing up


Posted in: Ireland, Middle Child, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

Me (to the boys): This is your sister’s school and you two will be starting there in a while.
Daniel: Will we wear a uniform?
Me: Yes, you will.
Daniel: Like our sister’s uniform?
Me: Yes indeed.
Michael: Hurrah, I will wear a skirt!

When we got home, I changed into jeans, runners and a fleece, and trotted out to cut the grass. “You look cool”, said my daughter. I fear that prolonged exposure to Irish fashions has not improved anyone’s dress sense. And we were already coming from a low base. Sigh.

Finally, I have got all my hair cut off. A nice Lithuanian lady gave Daniel and me the same style. It cost us 28 euros in total. Pleasingly economical. I am quite happy but the complete absence of comment other than from my children and that, frankly negative, is a little disturbing. Kissing Michael goodnight he said, “I don’t want you to kiss me, you look like a boy, you’re not like my Mummy”. When I went to collect them from Montessori school, the teacher took one look at me and said, “Ah, that is why the boys came into school and told me that their Mummy is a boy, now.” Sigh.

Empathy


Posted in: Middle Child, Twins, Youngest Child

Daniel has recently developed a slight rash on his arms coinciding with a spell of renewed cold weather and Michael’s continuing difficulty with his colouring assignments.

Me (rubbing on cream): Are you worried about something sweetheart?
Daniel: Yes.

Michael has gone up the stairs to the bedroom where he is swigging down his bottle (no comments please, no one is more aware than I am that the boys will be 4 and starting school in September) and getting into his pyjamas. I decide, in Michael’s absence, to see whether Michael’s misery is affecting Daniel.

Me: Are you worried about Michael?
Daniel: Yes.

My poor child, anguished about his brother and his brother’s misery.

Me: Why are you worried about Michael?
Daniel (loudly): I’m worried he will take my bottle.

Chinese whispers


Posted in: Middle Child, Princess, Twins

Me: What do you want for breakfast?
Daniel: I want some lego.
Me: You can’t eat lego.
Daniel: I want lego you can eat.
Me: There isn’t lego you can eat.
Daniel (fretfully): Yes, there is.
Me (fretfully back): No, there isn’t.
Daniel (weepily): I want lego.
Me (crankily putting it on the table): There, are you happy now?
Daniel (crying): No. I want white round lego with butter.
Me (mystified) to Princess: Have you any idea what he wants?
Her: Yes, he would like a bagel.