23Nov07 - Home Alone

For the next few days I have got the children all to myself. I woke this morning to the normal school routine of kicking Joshua and Lucy out of bed, getting them dressed, making sure their teeth are brushed and sorting out breakfast. Typically I didn't give myself enough time, so it was all a bit of a rush but I actually enjoyed being around to do it. Lucy is such a darling in the mornings. When she wakes up, you wouldn't know that she had cerebral palsy at all. Just like anybody, she stretches her arms right over her head and has that look on her face that says, "Aah Dad do I really have to get up now, just give me a few more minutes". She is half asleep when you get her dressed and we have found that this is the best time to brush her hair because she hardly complains at all. It was all the usual panic, realising that she didn't have a school shirt and rushing downstairs to iron one, struggling to put clip in her hair to make her look respectable for school, running out of time to shave, but I am not always around in the mornings and I didn't mind a bit. Joshua was brilliant and was downstairs eating his breakfast before I had even got Lucy's ready. He always acts so responsibly when he knows it is important to help out. We had a good chat on the way to school about what video game would be the best to make and what it would be like. For the first time in ages I took Lucy to school on my own which was also nice. I always get such a good feeling walking into her school. It is just such a friendly, warm place where everyone is always glad to see you and never short of time to stop and chat. I explained that I had got Lucy ready and had done her hair and of course they said straight away that they could tell but were very nice about it. I guess I can only do my best. Lucy had been sleepy in the car and still looked like she wanted to go to sleep but I am sure that her teachers had other ideas. When I read her report from today she had been on the trampoline and then gone for a swim. In her book it said, "She set off with a kick, then got so relaxed that she had a snooze". She was still tired when I picked her up from nursery and it was a real struggle to keep her awake after her bath to give her supper. This is what I had to deal with after her bath!!I managed to be loud and jolly enough to keep her awake and she finished all her weetabix supper before passing out in my arms. I really love it when she does this not only because it makes bedtime so easy but it is just the feeling of her asleep, happy and content in the last cuddle of the day. I am looking forward to another good day tomorrow.