I admit I was concerned about how Chris would cope with a tempermental toddler. It could go two ways, either he would scream for Mummy the whole weekend and be a devil, or he would be fine. They flew out on Thursday morning. Chris had been awake all night with a bad dose of man flu, and considered calling the whole thing off as he felt too ill to travel alone, and certainly too ill to supervise Ben. After a good breakfast, sweet tea and combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen he felt well enough to sit upright. I waved thehm off at Luton airport after paying to fast track them theough security (it took two of us to entertain Ben in the check in queue, the idea of Chris in a zombie like state amusing Ben while they queued for security was laughable) and left with my eldest sons cries ringing in my ears.
Such an upsetting scene (I left the airport after kissing them and before I could start to cry or give Ben another hug, and another one etc...) needed McDonalds. I parked up in Luton and decided that retail therapy and fast food would restore me - and it did. Once they landed in Belfast I had the all important phne call to set my mind at rest.
1. Ben cried for less than five minutes and then stopped asking for me;
2. Ben loved looking at airplanes and had a big sandwich in the departure lounge, he was also given chocolate as a reward for good behaviour;
3. Ben didn't want to wee or poo until they were waiting to Board. He held on long enough to be the first person in the airplane toilet.
4. Ben loved flying - he particularly enjoyed unlatching and playing with the fold down tray in front of him. Eventually the family in front put their little boy by the window so that he could be jerked around by Ben playing with the tray and could turn around and play with Ben.
5. Ben loved seeing his Ninny Sue and Grandad Eddie
Mind at rest I went to the Nursery to get little Ciaran. This was his last day in the baby class, from January I need to take him to the little boy class (I hope I remember!). We got home and Ciaran looked suspiciously at the nice toys laid out in the lounge, played with the farm and asked "Daddy? Beeez?" I explained that Daddy and Ben were on holiday and would be back in a few days. Big kisses and cuddles for my little boy who seemed a little confused at being the sole object of my attention.
On Friday Ciaran was feverish and snotty (damm man and baby flu) so I decided not to go into town with him and we sat at home keeping warm and made a sausage and cabbage hash (it was more of a casserole really, little man cleverly found and ate all the sausage and potato and left the cabbage and leeks). We had a little panic as Belfast City airport shut due to heavy snow and wondered if Daddy and Ben would come home on Sunday.
On Saturday my nose was blocked and the bone aches started (damm man, woman and baby flu). We got ourselves up and ready. Once wrapped up I decided to brave the cold and take Ciaran to the library to return my books.
Ciaran was wearing a vest, T-Shirt, fleece, wellies and Ben's old coat with a little hat to keep his ears warm. He sat happily as the first few flakes of snow drifted down. On the way back we walked past Tesco, it looked busy in there so I decided that I could always walk down later with Ciaran to get some cheese, milk and a card. Ciaran had fallen asleep and it was nearly lunchtime so we pressed on to get home. The snow started to get a little heavy and was settling. Ciaran had performed the Heaney boy trick of losing a welly but I wasn't going to retrace my steps all the way back to the library in the snow.
By the time I had reheated the sausage hash / casserole there was a couple of inches outside. After Ciaran's nap we went next door in the now thick snow to make gingerbread biscuits and have a gossip. After a few hours playing we went home through the 4-5 inches to a dinner of beef casserole for Ciaran (pearl barley casserole with a few scraps of beef may be a more accurate description) and a cheeky lamb kofta kebab for me (the neighbours were getting kebabs and offered to get one for me too!!). Bed for both of us.
Today we've both been very snotty and miserable with our colds and the cold weather. So we've gone for trashy food to restore ourselves. Cranberry Drop Scones for breakfast and I am cooking a coke ham for our lunch (made more festive and medicinal with cinnamon, cloves, garlic and star anise). Hosework has been a doddle with one child to supervise instead of two and I have had more cuddles from my little boy than I get in a month normally but I will be happy to have chaos restored.
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