I’ve got my little mate back. For the past 4 days I have had a new shadow, in the shape of my 20 month old son, who has wanted to be everywhere that I am, and present in all that I do (and I mean ALL, no toilet breaks allowed!). Ok, so it is very possibly due to there being no alternative to me around, but what a novelty it is to have regained superior status in my son’s eyes.

Harrison is the ultimate boy’s boy – happiest when he is in the presence of males. His father, to him, is the axis on which the sun, earth and moon orbit. I feel but a mere star amongst millions at times, just happy to get a look in when he throws me a line. So this is why the past 96 odd hrs have been unique. You see, (and I say this very quietly, so as to not jinx myself) I think he might actually be starting to like, nay, prefer me…???? Well this week anyway…! I wont presume to know what his preferences might have swung to by this time tomorrow when I have had to go to work!

Ok, so there was the fact The Husband was at golf most of Saturday, and at work for about 12 hours yesterday and 13 today, therefore present only for the brief interludes of fun. But I actually think my son has ENJOYED being around me. Just plain old boring (bossy) Mummy, who is normally considered the least favourite parent because she is the one here enforcing all the (mean) rules like eat, sleep, don’t bring those dirty shoes in my house, or kick that ball at the photo frames etcetera.

But even when the husband was present, I seemed to still get a good look in, in the popularity stakes. Sunday morning, after a blissful sleep in (which, in parent terms, means I didn’t wake until 7.15am), my heart melted when I was greeted with the most enthusiastic shouts of “Mummy!” emanating from the grinning creature seated in his high chair. Breakfast time was over and he immediately launched into “Mummy, come play? Come play?” with the most beseeching look that was akin to those big old eyes you see on Puss in Boots on Shrek. If I had been an ice cream on a hot summer’s day I’d have pooled on the ground in an instant!
God bless these effortless days of Harrison wanting to be in my company, for the simple joy we shared kicking the ball in the park (from one end of the soccer field to the other, and back again!), the laughter at swimming lessons, the cuddles at Playgroup when he was a little shy to participate, and the hysterical laughter that he would launch into at any given moment, rounding it off with a almost sly (and definitely cheeky) comment: “Funny”. I’ll hold tight to this reign of supremacy because I am assured that come the weekend, when Daddy, Nanny and cousins Logan and Mason are here on the scene, I’ll be once more relegated to the reserves bench.
Come Monday though, when its just team Harry & Mummy for the next 48hrs, I’ll no doubt get that call up to the A Team, so I’ll just have to wait patiently for then.