Look what I made! (I was feeling good until someone asked if I used mashed Pumpkin to ice it!)	A clock mud cake for Aiden (complete with little Mickey model)			Donald's application picture for an Extreme Makeover
Thanks for the great presents Aunty Georgie!	Opening presents with Nanna and Pop	Pushing each other on the swing	"fixing" Kate's drawers	Painting! (If by this stage you are wondering why they never wear normal clothes, you obviously don't live with 3 year olds!)
Craft Time!	Printing	Handprints	A picnic	Reading with Pop (The jury is out on whose wine that is)

Tuesday August  10th 2004

We had to have our cat Looney put down as she was ill. We haven't yet broached the subject with Kate and Aiden as I am unsure of what to say about where she has disappeared to.

I just want the statement to be one that gets the least questions asked and doesn't result in years of regurgitation. An online friend suggested I say she went to a farm where she can run and play. Only problem would be the questioning (can you tell I am suffering from question burnout?) "Is Looney on THAT farm? Is she playing with the cows? Can we go and see her? But where is the farm? Who else is on the farm? Who lives at the farm? Is Looney running?" All of this said without a breath in between.

Also I am too logical so if I said she went to heaven which is in the sky does that mean they will spend endless hours looking at the sky trying to find Looney?

Maybe I will just keep pretending she is in a different room from the one we are in. Perhaps they will just forget about her eventually! (RIP Looney, please forgive me)

Alternatively perhaps she is just 'on holiday'. I know I won't win any parenting awards but I think I lost any chance ages ago!

Excerpts  fromThe Kate show:

Daddy came home the other night and Kate wasn't too interested in greeting him so he went off to the bedroom to change. Suddenly Kate had a change of heart and took off running down the hall yelling, "Daddy, Daddy, hello Daddy!" With a tear in his eye and a warm heart Aaron crouches down with his arms outstretched ready for a big embrace. She stops suddenly, short of her target. "Are you going to give Daddy a hug?" says Aaron, hopefully. "No fanks," she says and turns and walks away.

She comes running to me the other day, "Mummy look, I've got cranky eyebrows." 

Kate is very keen for Aiden to toilet train (she isn't alone on that point, in fact the only one who isn't keen is the little man himself). She goes up to him gently, puts her arm around him and leans in closely to look into his eyes. "Now Aiden you tell me when you want to do a wee and I will take you to the toilet, OK?"

We were supposed to go to a party but I was unwell and it was also raining. I explained to Kate that we couldn't go to the party because of the rain and that I would take them to McDonalds instead. She sets off towards Aiden, puts her arm around him, leans in closely to look into his eyes, yet again "Aiden, we can't go to the party because it is raining and the lady says we will get too wet but we are going to go to McDonalds instead. Ok Aiden? That will be nice."