Does 4.35am count as I lie in I ask myself?  After the week I’ve had the answer is yes!

Daisy slept quite well until 1.40am  when I heard the heart sinking rattles of the bed rails as she shook them for attention, I watched the monitor beside my bed for a few seconds to see if she would settle herself but no, she started to strip and so in I stumbled, refusing to greet her and in usual automated mode  re-dressed her, rammed a dummy in her mouth and gently lowered her to the pillow (and if you believe that you’re an eejit!)

Back in bed, I lay watching her as the lights of the monitor flickered, f**k I want to throttle her, she’s shaking the rail again; her eyes in the infra-red light look like she’s possessed, maybe she is, could that be it?  I’m expecting her head to spin any minute.  I stomp back into her room but she immediately lies down, she knows her life is hanging in the balance, she sleeps!

I don’t, I’m now fully awake and willing myself to sleep, I’m counting how many hours I have until I wake, how many hours I’ve slept, sheep are jumping over a gate and I’m counting them but I’m still bloody awake.  Then the 4.35am day starts and here we go again.

I want to watch the news but can’t, Daisy rules, on goes Sky + and the endless episodes of Teletubbies……I transform into a model housewife; strip and wash her bedding, replace with fresh bedding, prepare breakfast, prepare medication, feed her breakfast – slowly, attempt to administer medication, give up trying to administer medication, attempt dressing her, give up trying to dress her, attempt hair brushing, give up hair brushing, re-try dressing, only manage top half, re-try medication, abandon medication, re-try hair whilst singing Old MacDonald, success with hair, re-try medication (lets sing Old MacDonald again), no success, re-try bottom half of uniform, notice new nappy required, change nappy, bottom half of uniform on, success, re-try medication with the bribe of a Jammy Dodger,  refusal, re-try with a Jammy Dodger and an Oreo, success.

Transport arrives, Daisy refuses to leave so for the next 7 – 8 minutes I sing a repertoire of musical medley whilst marching around the house with various toys waving from behind the door to entice her out, the tune to Eastenders finally wins her round, she can take no more and  ups and goes with not a passing glance……Bye bye petal!

School, work…………..