Like hell I will

BM bash 2009 continues:

Friday night at 21.30hrs we get a telephone call from Charlie, telling us that he has a football match on Sunday. Not really sure why he called as there is never an issue with us taking him to football. During the conversation I remind him that he will have to make sure he brings everything he needs on Saturday, as there wont be time Sunday to run round picking things up from Cruella's.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon. Mr M picks the boys up, I get home from work and I unpack their bags. When I get to the football bag I am greeted with a shirt, shorts, socks and shin pads. Just as I start to rip into Charlie about forgetting his stuff, he begins to explain.

It turns out that the football boots that Cruella bought him (after returning the ones I had bought him) don't fit. He also has no warm gear or waterproofs. I ask him what he has been wearing and he replies 'I've been borrowing stuff from the other boys, but I've been told that I've got to have my own from now on'. We had no idea that the kit he has used before was borrowed, we (wrongly) thought Cruella had provided it.

The penny drops - I am expected to go out and buy him new boots (again), new training top and trousers (warm kit) and new waterproof kit.

Like hell I will. If Cruella thinks she can manipulate and dictate she is in for a shock!

So today he has gone to football with the boots he uses for school, make-do warm kit and waterproofs (that will remain here) and I have told him that after the way his mother behaved last time, any new kit required for football or other sports will have to be provided by her - from the child benefit payment that she recieves monthly and we don't!

Up yours Cruella - like you said, you don't need me to buy things for your son! - what goes around comes around!

Our day with Charlie

Today we took Charlie to visit his favourite Football Club - a late birthday gift as Cruella would not let him come over last weekend....
Anyway, Woody stayed with Cruella (another tale for another post) whilst Lola and Dora stayed with my mum.

So off we tootled this morning, just me, Mr M and Charlie. We had breakfast out, were able to have a 3 hour car journey without having to stop to use the toilet, pick up something that has been dropped or change a stinky nappy - heaven!
We arrived at the stadium and were able to look around the museum, trophy room and stand without having to negotiate a double buggy, listen to 'I'm bored 30 times', listen to 'Can I play my DS?', stop to use the toilet, pick up something that has been dropped or change a stinky nappy - heaven!
We then drove to the Docks and were able to enjoy hot chocolate and cakes without having to negotiate a double buggy, find a clean highchair, find a table big enough to take 6 + said highchair, listen to 'can I play on my DS?', have numerous visits to the toilets/changing room, repeat 'sit down Lola and est your cake' 30 times, having to avoid the glares of those on the next tables because Dora is just so loud - and Lola has to be louder! - Heaven!!

All in all, we had a fantastic day, Charlie smiled all day long and has never stopped talking about it. I honestly think we need to make more of an effort to spend time with the children on a 1:1 basis, as much for me & Mr M as for them.