A few home truths

7am

'Quick Mammy, get up and bake a cake!'

'Mmmf what??!'

'For if Daddy and Little One come home from hospital today, we need to have a party. We need a lemon cake and some crisps! Crisps are Little One's favourites.'

Now, I love dawn baking as much as the next person, but I politely declined the request. There's dishes to be washed, floors to be swept and lunches to be made. And if I'm honest, I also don't want to jinx Little One's chances of getting home.

I told two disappointed faces not to worry. After I brought 'the boys' home, I would simply pop to the shops while they rested, under the pretence of getting bread and milk. While there, I would get some crisps and perhaps even buy a cake if I didn't have time to bake one. Then I waited for the smiles, cheers and possibly even hugs.

Silence.

The conspirators looked at each other. They communicated silently for a moment, then looked back at me. Little Man went first.

'Well, you'll have to be REALLY careful to keep it a surprise Mammy.'

Little Lady chimed in.

'Yes. You see, sometimes you say "Oh goodness, I don't know why the kitchen smells like chocolate chip cookies, there certainly aren't any in your lunchboxes!" and we actually realise that there ARE cookies in our lunchbox.'

Little Man wanted to clarify.

'Sometimes your voice is how we know, and sometimes it's because you're smiling. You need to practice tricking without smiling I think.'

I kept my face VERY straight as I expressed my shock and disappointment at having spoiled so many surprises in the past. They had me practice a couple of times.

'I'm just popping to the shops for milk.
We need milk, I'm just popping to the shops.
I'm off to get milk now, back in a minute.'

I nailed it.
Operation Surprise Party is a go.
Sssshhhh ;)