No Ordinary Friday

When the doorbell rang and I opened it and found this:

I knew I was in for a treat. Look carefully and you might spot a glimpse of one of my favourite visitors, just peeping round the corner. When the rest of him appeared he said hello, as always, with his own sticky, one handed salute. It was Little E! And he'd come to stay for the night!

When I was expecting The Small One, friends said, "don't worry about loving your second baby. They bring a lot of love with them." Which is right, of course. And good. But no one warns you about the stuff. All babies bring stuff. And that bit, like labour, tends to wear off as the years pass. So the luggage came as a bit of a surprise. In fact, as we hefted it into the house, my sister and I, I wondered if I'd got it all wrong. Was he here for the month? Was he being offered as some kind of early Christmas present? But no. "Don't forget," his Mum said (slightly out of breath, I thought) "We need the whole lot back tomorrow. Oh, and his car seat. You have to have that too." And she hauled it across the driveway, spraying toast crumbs and bits of apple as she went.

So, in he came. And much fun was had by all. The Small One got back from school. Still dressed in her Games Kit, still ready to play. And Little E smiled and saluted and danced his special sideways, rocking dance. Then The Tall One arrived. And I watched as my big boy flicked his great shock of hair in a casual man-to-man greeting; folded himself onto the sofa; and gently lifted his baby cousin onto his lap. And it came to me then that all those weeks and months and years of singing and rocking, listening and nodding, playing and teaching..they were all meant for a moment like this. I couldn't think of a single thing to say. So I just watched.

Today I'm Loving..This tutorial from Gigi Kennedy. Recycled wax crayons. Beautifully wrapped. Perfect for a Christmas Fair.