What are we letting ourselves in for

We met up with more relations today, we are trying to see as many as possible before child 4 arrives just in case we have to disappear off the face of the earth for w few weeks. Fortunately, the weather held for us. Brilliant sunshine with occasional cloud cover. It was an interesting mix of children ranging from 2 to 17.  The teenage boys of 14, 16 and 17 were with us under sufferance, not that I blame them really, picnicking with the parents and two very small children (2 & 7) can't really be that enticing! Although not one of them complained they just got on with it.

For us though a day spent with a 2 year old was a definite eye opener as to what our life is soon to become. My very rose tinted memories of 2 year olds are cuddles, holding hands to wander down the road, explorations in the garden, stories, songs and tickles. I am right there are all of those things but there is also the tantrums, the running away, the refusing to hold hands,the exhaustion.

It was interesting to see how child 1,2 & 3 dealt with their 2 year old cousin, child 1 loved it, in fact she carried her cousin around quite a lot, child 2 spent his time making sure she didn't climb the steps to quickly or run into the road and child 3 was really glad that we weren't adopting her cousin because she wouldn't play with her or do as she was told. A little bit of the green monster I think.

By the time we got home all I wanted to do was collapse and drink a steaming hot cup of tea. As I sat with my steaming hot cup of tea the realisation struck me that our 2 year old will be coming home with us and will want his tea, his bath, his milk,a story and a cuddle before hopefully settling to sleep which is no doubt when I will finally have the opportunity to drink that steaming hot cup of tea!!!!