*Takes a deep breath*

*in*

*out*

*in*

*out*

Calm...

Today was going so well till this evening. I'd got the kids to school on time (instead of our usual by the skin of the teeth thing). I'd been to work and done useful things, picked the kids up and then come home for the kids to change clothes and to let the dog out for a bit. We'd done a quick dash down to Marsfield to visit Great Grandma and made it back to Caitlin's dance class on time thanks to an incredible run of green lights all the way along Pennant Hills Road (that NEVER happens). The kids had played together happily, we'd eaten dinner without me wanting to murder anyone and everyone was in their pj's ready for bed.

I put the dog downstairs. I ask the kids to go to bed. I tuck Tom in. I tell the other two to go to bed. Caitlin lets the dog upstairs.

I ask Dave to let the cats in. I get distracted and I'm not watching Clara as the cats came in (she will sit on the lounge and let them come in undisturbed as long as she knows someone is watching her). Clara goes for Jack who makes a mad dash downstairs. All 3 kids yell at Clara.

Wait a minute, wasn't Tom in bed already? Tom gets hysterical over being "disappointed at Clara's behaviour" (apparently he doesn't lose his vocabulary even when traumatised). I yell at the kids to stop yelling.

Clara gets told off but I can't send her downstairs because that's where Jack is. Caitlin goes to retrieve Jack. I tell Tom to go back to bed, he goes, sobbing quietly. David goes to his room. Caitlin discovers Sam downstairs also, we bring the cats upstairs and banish Clara downstairs.

Tom is still letting out the occasional sniff/sob. David announces that his bed is wet. One of the cats has pissed on it. I have NO IDEA how that happened, as far as I know the cats have been outside all day.

Tom gets up again, still snuffling, to refill his water bottle. I send Caitlin to her bed and tell David to strip his bed. I put Tom back to bed.

David's mattress is wet. Of course.

So now David will be sleeping the night my bed (Adam is in Brisbane), there's bedding strewn all over the bathroom, Tom has just fallen asleep and I can hear David and Caitlin talking to Clara downstairs in my bedroom.

And it's only Monday.