Rain rain go away… Yeah, you know the rest.

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So its been raining for 300 days straight. Ok, not that many. But many, many days. With no sign of letting up.

Here’s the thing. I have two kids under 4, and Cabin Fever while its torrential outside means they are driving me MAD.

What was a fun toy room is now simply an occupational health and safety hazard. Every book is out of the bookshelf, every toy out of its place. When I enlist the girls help in tidying it up so that no one breaks a limb getting through, its tidy for precisely 5 minutes.

Cabin Fever for my kids also means they are constantly eating. Eating me out of house and home I tell you! I wouldn’t ordinarily complain about this but when the fridge is being opened every 5 minutes one has to wonder if its even cold in there anymore.

So yesterday, while I was half sticking out of a big basket of washing searching for whites, I got a familiar little nudge on my back.

“Can I have more cheese, pleeese?” Sienna asks, in her sweetest little voice. I then notice, perhaps due to the fact that its being shoved in my face within an inch, that she has brought with her the entire pack of Kraft Singles. The little one, Vida, is trailing her trying to shove a whole slice in her mouth, packaging still on.

“No!” I say, perhaps a little too loudly. “You have had 3 slices each today!”

Sienna then walks away dejected, and puts the cheese back in the fridge.

Feeling childishly satisfied that I won against my 4 year old, I continued on with my washing and noticed suspiciously shortly after that the house was eerily quiet, sans the sound of two little girls running a muck. I turned the washing machine on and quietly walked into the kitchen where I knew I would find their sticky little paws and instead, I saw half of a tiny foot deep inside the walk in pantry.

And that’s when I saw her. Sienna had climbed up three shelves to try and get what I thought was hidden, a brand new packet of Tiny Teddies. Her little sister was looking up in anticipation and excitement and I was ready to lose my marbles.

“Get down now!” I shrieked, promptly realising I shouldn’t have in case I frightened her and she fell. But no, there wasn’t any fear in that little girl’s eyes and flinch she did not. There was nothing other than sheer determination coated with mockery- the kind where it would be preposterous for me, as her mother, to think that she would give up now when she was so close to the prize.

As I edged closer, Vida started panicking and began pushing me away. I had to laugh. At 15 months old, this child was showing the sisterly allegiance that I did not expect so early. It was either that or absolute desperation for those damn Teddies.

Snatch! Sienna grabbed the Teddies and climbed down those shelves with the agility and speed of Bear Grylls and together, they bolted. Laughing and running. Laughing, at their mother. And they had succeeded, they had won.

Until they needed me to open the packet for them.

Ha ha ha, girls. Hee hee hee, girls. I guess you will have to tidy that toy room again before you get those Teddies.

I win.

What do you do when its raining for so long? The only thing we know how to do is visit the shops and indoor play centres. I’d love a few tips if you have any!

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