Monday 24 November 2008

Welcome to the naughty step

Rowan is becoming familiar with the naughty step, mainly due to his refusals to apologise to Finn. Poor Finn has been subjected to a barrage of shouts of "NO FINN!" whenever he goes into see Rowan first thing in the morning, or when they are sitting at the kitchen table or when he tries to play with Rowan. It isn't one-way antagonism as Finn is still prone to winding Rowan up and taking things off him, but Finn has been trying really hard to be good to Rowan whereas Rowan has just been a wee tyke in return. They do have moments of fun together, like yesterday when they were carrying on around me on the couch, but until Rowan learns to be a bit more compliant (he will often refuse point blank to do what he is asked in a very loud and definite attitude), he could find himself on the naughty step quite frequently.

Sharon and I had a quiet anniversary meal last Tuesday, tucking into steak and chips once the boys were in bed. It hardly seems like eight years since the grey day in Roslin was lit up by Sharon's smile but then you look at the photos of us as each child has exacted its toll and you start to feel like it's been twenty years!

I had an AC/DC dance night with the boys on Wednesday as Sharon had bought me the new Black Ice CD and gone to do a show down past Castle Douglas so we had free rein to crank up the volume and have a good expulsion of energy session. Left me out of puff! At the weekend we took the boys into town for their tea at Bar Italia, having failed to find a swimming pool that was open. For once they behaved and ate up well, bolgnese and calamari and garlic bread consumed with gusto. I'd taken them out to Lesley and Stuart's in the morning, to wish Lesley a happy birthday for yesterday. They had a picnic lunch on the kitchen floor as they were eating croissants and it seemed like the best option to contain the crumbs.

Yesterday we did manage to go swimming at Loanhead, with Sean still getting frustrated at his lack of breaststroke progress and Finn continuing to impress. Even Rowan seemed quite at ease in the big pool with his armbands on. It was a cold day but the snow held off, much to Sean's disappointment. He's desperate to see some. I took Sean and Finn to the library in the afternoon, a pleasantly peaceful spot compared to the house, then future in-law Paul O'Sullivan came round for a fine lamb shank dinner cooked by Sharon. She was on good cooking form over the weekend, with a tasty jerk chicken and parmesan-polenta-parsnips served up in front of Strictly Come Dancing (her essential viewing) on Saturday night. These are definitely some of the reasons I married the girl!

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