t E on camera today. After a late night the words "Mum I've got a nose bleed" were not the start I had anticipated to the day but so it goes with motherhood. Today has felt strange as a Tuesday without Grandma, our normal pattern and rhyme broken for the second week in a row. We have stayed home today, as we woke late and as The Daddy One wanted to use the bus for transporting large allotment related items, and baked. Nigella's apple cake, pear crumble and a risotto. I am not sure why we have cooked up such treats as I really haven't the activity level to justify such calories but they sure smell great.

All of my smug organised Mummy feels have evaporated today. I had been feeling very pleased that all of the gifts for the three upcoming November family birthdays were ordered, delivered and in the cupboard. Until today. When I learned that we have a new seeker in the family. Never before in nearly 7 years of motherhood has it even crossed my mind to hide gifts as I know that S would simply never consider searching. It is totally my own failure to read the situation and the personalities correctly and I should have recalled the difficulty E has with handling excitement. Anyway, short story long he now knows what two of his birthday gifts are but he has assured me that he will pretend to be surprised on the day.