Reason No. 20

I love Seth more than I did yesterday because we went to the park this morning and, despite being a bit afraid of heights and other scary things, he went on the zipwire and would have gone on it again and again.  While he was waiting he kept up a constant narrative "I'm not going to be afraid at all and I'm going to hold on tight and everything is going to be fine".  And it was!

I love Amelie more than I did yesterday because she has no fear at all - at the park, she climbed up every bit of the obstacle course, smiled all the time and never flinched.

Today was one of the days when this blog is invaluable to me.  It's been a day when it was very hard to find anything positive to say as my lovely clever smiley daughter turned into a bit of a kicking screaming monster.  Coincidentally we watched The Incredibles with the children this afternoon and she reminded me very much of the baby who explodes into flames and then turns into devil baby near the end.  But I'm focussing on the positive, so holding on to her fearlessness and smileliness this morning and feeling much better!

Reason No. 19

I love Amelie more than I did yesterday because on the way to her swimming lesson she said to me "I'm never going to stop loving you Mummy, even after I'm dead" - not as depressing as it sounds but due to the fact that last week I recited to her my favourite poem, Sonnet 43 from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning ("and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death").

I love Seth more than I did yesterday because we went on a 'bear hunt' up Stanage Edge this morning, and when we found footprints, we tried to guess what they came from. Seth's first suggestion was not a dog, sheep or cow but a unicorn (definitely been watching too much Dora The Explorer)!

And here are some pictures of the family up Stanage Edge - beautiful sunny weather, virtually no-one around, and only the church bells from Hathersage in the distance.

Reason No. 18

I love Seth more than I did yesterday because he stayed home with me while Amelie and Daddy went to a birthday party and we had a lovely time together. He behaved fantastically and was upbeat and happy all afternoon, and didn't seem to miss Amelie once.

I love Amelie more than I did yesterday because every night when I go up to check on her before bed, she's thrown all the covers off and is lying there with her bare bottom in the air. Don't know where she gets that from - I like to be well wrapped up in bed. But she swears blind that it never happens because she always wakes up with all the covers around her!

Reason No. 17

I love Amelie more than I did yesterday because she had an argument with Seth over tea when he told her he wasn't her friend and she said "No you're not my friend, but you are my brother".  That told him!

I love Seth more than I did yesterday because he had an argument with Daddy and said "I do not want you to ever say anything like that to me again!".  Which sounds horribly familiar!

This makes is sound like a very argumentative day, and it hasn't been really, but I do find that the children both say the funniest things when they are angry.  Sometimes, I can't help but laugh (bad Mummy!) which either leads to a full scale tantrum, or completely stops the argument when they laugh too!

Reason No. 16

I love Seth more than I did yesterday because I loved seeing the look on his little face when I turned the corner to pick him up from school this afternoon - the best thing in the world after a hard day at work.

I love Amelie more than I did yesterday because this morning she promised me that she would look after Daddy on her school trip today and would make sure that everyone knew not to hurt his poorly finger again.

So Daddy did his first school trip with Amelie and her friends - which he seemed to enjoy - and Amelie had her first play date - which she absolutely loved.

Reason No. 15

I love Amelie and Seth more than I did yesterday because when I got home from work they were cuddled up together on an armchair watching TV, giggling together about their feet and not fighting!  It makes me realise how lovely it is to have twins and how lucky they are to have each other.

We never had that dilemma about whether to put the twins in the same cot when they came home from hospital because they had been in separate incubators from birth (during the 7 weeks that they were in special care).  And when we finally took them home, I remember Seth looking at Amelie sitting on my knee as if to say "that's my mummy not yours" then reaching out and grabbing my hand away from her.  And although they still compete over whose turn it is to sit on our knees, they definitely seem to have a bond now beyond the normal sibling bond which is lovely for them and lovely for us!

Reason No. 14

I love Seth more than I did yesterday because I haven't seen him all day but the only  things he said to me (or rather, shouted down the phone to me) was "I love you Mummy" (repeatedly).

I love Amelie more than I did yesterday because she is already organising Daddy and Seth when I'm not there including getting clothes sorted before and after school.

So another long day in London made worse today by a train strike on my line which meant it took much longer for both journeys.  But I'm home now, and tomorrow I'll see my babies a lot more.

And here's a photo of Amelie at her party on Saturday, with butterfly face make-up and a snake!