Page 16 - link magazine

DAY IN THE LIFE
16
PETS Doing everything in threes pud - and forget the mess it entails.
Afterwards whilst Oliver settles
himself down to Sesame Street with
AT HOME• Linda Thompson of Shaw reflects on the hard a Coxs Orange Pippin, Katherine
Sheila Mitchell work and fun of bringing up triplets comes upstairs with me, a duster
and the vacuum cleaner, leaving
Perhaps you won't believe it but Today, being a Friday, Nigel is out my mother with the ironing board
would like to it's been very difficult to find the by 700am to commute to London ably assisted by Natasha and her
time to write a day in the life of a leaving the four of us to our tea and toy iron.
wish all her mother of triplets! I don't think biscuits in bed. Then its up and Housework finished it's time to
Nigel or myself realised the amount shake out the crumbs and decide take Nanny home and join the
customers a very of work involved in raising three what to wear for the day which is grandparents for tea and a few
children simultaneously but this normally left to Natasha, who moments rest. Three messy, tired
Happy month, as Katherine, Oliver and seems to be a very fashion con- but still energetic children (where
Natasha reach their third birthday, scious 3 year old. does all this energy come from!)
Christmas we can look back on three very
hard years, but also three most
and a successful rewarding ones.
The day for us starts at about
New Year 6.15a m when the first to stir acts as
an alarm for the rest of the house.

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Service from 8am - 9pm Summer scene, Linda with (from the left) Natasha, Katherine and
Oliver at the West Swindon Under 5's Festival Teddy Bears picnic at
Lydiard Park
We're downstairs, washed and are then taken back home for a
WIN "WAN U134L5b
ILL dressed by 9.00am and there's bath, which they are fast outgrow-
breakfast to prepare. Meanwhile ing together. Leaving bubbles,
an argument has started about water and talc everywhere, not to
•
whose turn it is to feed the pet fish, mention the toothpaste which has
rabbit and guinea pig (as if we been pushed behind the radiator
didn't have enough mouths to when I wasn't looking, it's pyjamas
Refurbish Your feed!). Cleaning the weetabix off and dressing gowns on and off we
the table, walls and floor generally go to the Station to collect Nigel
Kitchen in 1 Day! takes longer than consuming it, then with fingers crossed that the good
its coats on, strapped in and off to old Inter City 125 isn't suffering its
Yes! In only 1 day your Nanny's house for a quick coffee - usual Friday night delay.
old kitchen can become load up again this time taking Finally back at home, we have to
Nanny and Grampy forourweekly frantically search for Katherine's
your Dream Kitchen expedition to Sainsburys. Today favourite special dolly and then its
without the usual mess. there's a disagreement about who time for tucking in, a goodnight
For less than half the shops in whose trolley, but after kiss and Nigel is left to read a couple
diplomatic activity Oliver is off with of stories about the current hero,
price of a fully fitted
Grampy to the cat food whilst Postman Pat, whilst I start our
kitchen we will make and
Katherine heads for the carrots with dinner.
fit new door and drawer Nanny and Natasha and I are left Peace reigns on the house at
fronts to any size, trying to remember what we need 7.15pm and its time to sit down and
in solid timber or lami- (why don't lever remember list?). eat and catch a favourite soap op-
Isn't it funny how children can era before heading for bed our-
nate. wait until the trolley is full and selves to catch some sleep prior to
If you need extra units, you're first in the queue then the nocturnal rumblings. Luckily
new worktops, sinktop, demand the toilet. Grandad is we have Katherine who sleeps all
called for and despatched with night, but two who don't - I sup-
appliances, we will supply these too.
Oliver and Natasha and instruc- pose it could be worse!
OR, if you prefer, we will completely tions on unclipping their braces. We thankfully have three very
re-design your kitchen. Shopping complete, Grandad is healthy, happy, but extremely
dropped off and Nanny comes back exhausting children who have al-
home with us. tered our lives and values com-
There's the lunch to prepare. As pletely. Over the three years we've
usual its difficult to cater for all conquered new (for us) seemingly
tastes. Katherine is the closest to a unattainable heights of weaning,
vegetarian I've yet met, whilst Ol- teething and toilet training in trip-
or see us at British Gas Show Room iver is a positive carnivore, and licate,and now Playgroupand their
Regent Street, Swindon Natasha will eat everything or first independence looms in Janu-
A Designer is there every Saturday nothing depending on her mood. ary. To quote a well used phrase
Thank you to the person who dis- "Thanks Mum" - we couldn't have
covered microwaves, let's have the done it without your total commit-
unanimous favourite - spaghetti ment, and have a Happy Christ-
bolognaise followed by chocolate mas everybody - we will.