Day 5 - The "mbwngtm" challenge: By request

So the 8 day "my brain will not go to mush" challenge is going strong. So far it seems I can string a few words together on not much. Yay me. Brain seems to be intact. Mostly. Last night on Facebook I commented that I didn't have any inspiration for today's post. My sister Emma, commented that she likes to hear about me being a bad mummy, as Emma puts it. Nice. A friend, Katie would like to hear about who inspires me as she is currently being inspired by Cas and Jonesy. I contemplated. I'm thinking about writing a self-development themed blog when I return to work and I'm going to use Katie's idea for that blog. Thanks Katie! So here you go Em!

On Monday when I was picking up Aiden from Caring 4 Kids, Chantell his room leader pulled me aside to have a chat. I knew it! She wanted to tell me what a good job I had done toilet training Aiden!

 "Lisa, does Aiden use a drink bottle at home"? 

What? Huh?

"You see when we hand out the drink bottles to all the kids, we get to the end and Aiden just gets a cup"

Oh that's sad. Pang of mother guilt. Bad Mummy. I don't want him to feel left out. But Aiden won't drink out of a drink bottle. He will drink out of a cup. A proper one. Isn't that good? Chantell suggested I get a bottle the same as Daniel, Aiden's friend so that Aiden could copy him. Fair enough. 

"Also, could you bring in a family photo so we can put it on the wall?" Sure. Have you noticed he doesn't wet his pants? Have you?

I set out on a mission to get a drink bottle just like Daniel's, with a lid. Apparently the lid is for hygiene. I've seen the kids at daycare. I"m not sure a lid is going to do it! 

I went to K-mart, Target, The Reject Shop, Priceline, The "Cheap" Shop on Glebe Point Rd and Coles. HOW HARD IS IT TO BUY A DRINK BOTTLE?? It's hard, let me tell you. Firstly I wanted one that looked like Daniel's. Daniel's Mum must have bought his in another country. None of the bottles I came across look like Daniel's. Secondly I wanted a clear bottle so that Aiden could see there was water inside. We have had some limited success with the little bottles of water that come with McDonald's Happy Meals. They are clear and have a pop-top. There are no clear drink bottles to be found. Thirdly I wanted a bottle that looked good. Aesthetics is everything!

I ended up, in desperation, back at Coles where I purchased a grey/clear drink bottle with Cars on it. At least if Aiden didn't drink the water he could enjoy looking at the Cars. Aiden seemed very pleased with his new drink bottle. He carried it all the way to day care. On the way I realised it didn't have a lid. And I had forgotten a family photo.

I apologised for the bottle not having a lid and promised to do better. I didn't mention the photo. Yesterday afternoon, before picking up Aiden, I decided I would go to Broadway Shopping Centre early and have a better look at the selection of drink bottles. Before leaving I printed the one photo we have of all four of us, taken on an iPhone and put it in the basket under Charlie's pram. Good mummy. 

Off to Broadway I go with Charlie. He has had a feed and is quite contented. I wonder if I would have time to try on those nice black pants I saw in Witchery? Arriving at the shopping centre he is still awake but happy so I quickly nip into Witchery. I pick a few pairs of black pants, a top and a stretchy suck-you-in type camisole and make haste to the change room. The black pants are great and so is the camisole. Out to the register to pay (Charlie still chilled) to find out they are having promotion - buy 2 items and get the 3rd free. I wandered around the store and settled on a silver tote bag I have been eyeing for a few months. It will be perfect for a Gold Coast holiday coming up (yes Mum I have bought the plane tickets). Wait for ages for the women in front to pay. Start to get panicky that there is not much time to buy another drink bottle for Aiden. With a lid.

Race into K-mart and settle on an ugly blue plaid patterned aluminum bottle with a lid. Go pick up Aiden. Forget to leave bottle. And photo.

It wasn't till later in the evening that I realised I didn't see the photo in the basket under the pram while I was at the shops. Go over to check. It's not there. Hmmm....

On the way to Broadway Shopping Centre yesterday afternoon I had to post a group booking confirmation document, for a hotel in Sydney. A very nice hotel on the harbour. I am running a Leadership program for the company I work for, which commences in Sydney in February. The 16 participants from all over Asia will be staying in this very nice hotel. I had posted the photo with the accommodation contract. I rang my contact at the Hotel this morning. She killed herself laughing. I printed another photo.

So now Aiden has 2 drink bottles he probably won't drink out of, and a dorky family photo on the wall at daycare.