Wednesday 15th September

It was the weirdest morning today … I woke up at 4.45 to feed Abi and she wouldn't go back to sleep. I finally got her back to sleep at 6 and I went back to bed. Now normally, she would wake up between 7 and 7.30 which is when I usually bring her into our bed but I woke up and heard her talking away to herself in her cot. This was at 8.15!! She was really happy – she was just chatting and gurgling away and I kept thinking to myself, any minute now she is going to start crying, but she didn't! At 8.30, I went in to her room to see her and she just beamed at me! So cute!!

I got her out of bed and before we even got out of her bedroom, DJ was there too! I think he may have been awake for a while and just waiting till he heard us pottering about before coming out of his room. Both of them were so happy and it was really lovely. Not that they are not normally happy – but this morning they seemed super happy!

Anyway, we came through to the kitchen and made breakfast. Abi managed a bit of banana porridge and DJ had banana with toast and a bit of cheese. Then I set about getting our things ready. I had ordered a taxi for 10 a.m and I wanted to be ready to leave as soon as it got here. Abigail went to sleep at 9.20 which is good because it meant she could have half an hour before we left to go shopping.

The taxi was here on time and we went downstairs. Before we hit the mall we had to go to pick up some things I had bought from a lady in Sector 46! I've never been that side of Gurgaon before and it was really strange as it was all unfamiliar and new. The driver found her house really easily and we went in for 10 mintues just to pick up everything. She is leaving Gurgaon so I bought a few new packets of pull up nappies from her, 5 tubs of Sudocrem :) which I was thrilled about as I haven't seen it here and a baby paddling pool. After leaving her house we headed to Ambience Mall. Halfway there and I realised – how stupid! - I had forgotten the pushchair! I couldn't believe it … I had two choices – I could turn and head home to pick it up or I could try and manage.

Just then Penri phoned and told me he would meet me at Ambi which was brilliant! I asked him to bring the double buggy with him, which he said he would. We arrived at Ambience Mall in good time and just as we were walking in, Pen phoned again. He said he wasn't going to meet me after all. So, I walked the length of the mall to Gate number 7 to get a mall pushchair. You can pay a deposit and borrow a single pushchair, which I thought I would absolutely HAVE to do if I was going to get any shopping done. Abigail is getting so heavy now that I just can't carry her for any length of time.

We got to Gate 7 and no pushchairs! They told me to go to Gate 5 so we walked down to the next Gate. They told me I had to go to Customer Care (which is between Gate 7 and Gate 5) so we walked back up again. Poor DJ – his little legs were struggling already and we hadn't even started shopping!! We got to the Customer Care desk and she told me to follow her to Gate 7! Again! So we walked up there and FINALLY got a pushchair. I put Abi in and then gave DJ a piggy back up to the third floor so we could get some lunch. I couldn't believe it was already 10 to 12 and I hadn't started looking around the shops.

As we were sitting eating our food I was looking at Dylan and Abigail and it occurred to me! They were straight out of a Mothercare catalogue. Both of them fully clothed from head to toe in Mothercare clothes. I still can't believe the amazing deals I got when we shopped there on Sunday! :)

After our lunch, I put Dylan in the play area and gave my mobile number (as always) and told them to call if there were any problems. Abi and I went into Mothercare – again – I know i'm a shopaholic! But there were no sale items. I asked one of the members of staff but he said there was just one rail left of sale items. I'm so glad I went there on Sunday!! Anyway, I bought what I went in for which was some plastic bibs for Abigail as the material ones just get really mucky and stained too quickly! I also bought two new PINK bottom sheets for her cot. She has been using Dylan's old ones so she's had cream, brown and blue ones till now. I thought it would be nice to get her some of her own new ones :)

Leaving Mothercare Abigail started screaming because she was really tired! I could hear DJ screaming in the play area but for a completely different reason – he was having a blast and screaming and shouting with joy! :) I sat behind the play area and fed Abi, who fell asleep within 10 minutes then I checked on DJ, who was totally fine and I went into Reliance. I'd only been in there for about 5 or 6 minutes when my mobile rang. It was the play area and they asked me to come back. I left the shop immediately and went back to the play area. When I got there Dylan wasn't there – I asked the staff where he was and they pointed across the walkway to Early Learning Centre. I went into ELC and you won't believe the sight that met my eyes! Dylan was on a pink tricycle carrying a huge blow up dinosaur under his arm and riding around the shop. There were about 5 members of ELC staff watching him and talking to him. Luckily the mall was really quiet today and there weren't actually any other customers in the shop. I apologised again and again to the staff, who told me that he was no problem and if I wanted to go and continue shopping I could leave him with them!!! I laughed and told them thank you, but it was ok, I would take him with me. Dylan was having a ball!!! And having all these people running around after him, he was just giggling and laughing away to himself.

I decided to buy him the blow up dinosaur because he loved it so much. He kept hugging it and kissing it and saying 'Ah!' - it's as tall as he is! We left ELC and went back to Reliance where I picked up a few bits. Dylan was SO good bearing in mind he had no pushchair and he had been on the go since 8.30 this morning and walking and playing and burning up lots of energy! After Reliance I said to DJ 'Let's go in the taxi and we'll go home!', his reply was 'No home, DJ yellow car!' - he wanted to go in the motorised car they have near the play area and do you know what? Maybe I spoilt him a bit today, but I thought why not? He had been so good and deserved all the little treats he had today. So, we went back to the play area and he had a ride on the orange car (the yellow one wasn't available).

When he finished, we bought food for Penri and went downstairs to take the pushchair back and to get our taxi. You would think my story of our shopping trip is nearly finished but it's not quite. We got back to 'Customer Care' and Abi was still sleeping and the pushchair was loaded up with bags and nappy bag and handbag etc. I asked the woman if I could take the pushchair down to the main door as I couldn't carry everything and a sleeping baby; and DJ was getting really tired now and struggling to keep up with me walking. She told me that I couldn't take the pushchair and had to manage. I asked her if she would mind walking with me and she told me she wasn't allowed to leave her station. I pointed out to her that when I picked the pushchair up, she walked with me to Gate 7 to go and get it and the station was unmanned, she wasn't too impressed at this. She then turned and started serving someone else. I waited a few minutes and it was obvious she was going to finish serving the other person, so I took Dylan's hand and walked away.

I went into Body Shop which is just next to where the desk is and I bought a couple of bits, I then went back to see her to return the pushchair. I phoned the taxi and asked him to come to Gate 5 instead of the front (as it was much closer to where we were). She then told me off for putting bags on the pushchair handle. She said 'It is only for baby, not for bags'. I looked at her totally shocked and said 'Do you have children?' She replied that no she didn't and she wasn't married. I said to her 'Just you wait and see' and nodded my knowing look at her. I apologise if I offend anyone who doesn't have children but anyone who has been shopping by themselves with a toddler and a baby will know just how hard it is shopping, let alone trying to carry bags and manoeuvre a pushchair whilst keeping hold of the toddler! Anyway, I lifted Abi out of the pushchair, picked up my shopping, got DJ's hand and went outside to Gate 5 to wait for the driver. We were waiting for about 10 minutes and when I phoned him to ask where he was he told me he was waiting at Gate 5, to which I replied that I was standing outside next to Gate 5 and he was not there! Why lie?! 2 or 3 minutes later he turned up.

We went to Penri's office as he needed his credit card (which is why he was going to come to meet me at the mall earlier). We were there for about 15 minutes. At 5 to 3, Pen asked me if the Kumar was coming today! DAMN! Yes in 5 minutes! So, we said goodbye to Pen and piled into the car to head home. I called Raj Kumar to tell him we were on our way. Luckily, it only took about 6 or 7 minutes to get home.

Abi went for a quick nap and DJ and I unpacked the shopping and talked to Nanna and Aunty Vivian on Skype. At 5 p.m when R.K left, we also went downstairs to go to the vegetable stall to buy something to cook for Dylan's dinner. I made Dylan's dinner late tonight – started cooking at about 6 p.m. He had a bit of dinner but then the doorbell rang and it was Isaac so Dylan abandoned his food and went off to play. Abigail refused to have any food tonight. I had made her carrots and cauliflower mashed together but she wouldn't have ANY of it! I didn't force the issue, just left it.

At 10 to 7 both children had a bath, hair wash and got into pyjamas. Dylan asked to watch 'Thomas the Tank Engine' which is really odd because he has never really liked it before now. I mean he loves the idea of Thomas but actually watching it has never appealed to him. I think it is targeted at kids a bit older. Anyway, I put it on for him and tucked him in at about 7.15. Abigail went to sleep at 8.15 and I checked on DJ and he was asleep too. I then came on my computer and typed to Mel on Skype for a bit whilst catching up writing my blog and adding photos and videos on FB. And that has been our hectic, but good day! Now I am going to call it a night! Will write tomorrow x