And that was my first mistake

I went to the shops the other day, perusing the aisles checking out all the new products, oohing and aahing like a top class buyer at a fashion show, trying out the odd new thing, and piffing many other things, on special or otherwise, into my trolley.

The first mistake I made was when I got to the "energy drinks" aisle. I picked up a 4 pack of Red Bull, looked at it, looked at my trolley, looked at it again and then said, out loud, "I don't need it", "I'll only drink it if I get it, then I won't have it anymore". Now this strange sort of logic made perfect sense to me at the time, those few days ago. Right now, at this particular time, there is nothing I want more in this world than a Red Bull.

The second mistake I made was also resisting the urge to buy Coke, based upon the same premise.

Now, resolving to give up caffeine is one thing. I wasn't in fact doing that because I do still drink coffee (black, no sugar, ah yes the purists coffee is the only coffee to drink). I was making an attempt to cut down on the carbonated versions of my caffeine intake in a quest to firstly save money and secondly save my stomach from what is most likely going to end up an ulcer if I don't stop drinking so much Coke and Red Bull. It was good in theory. Practice, however, was a different story.

See, having three kids under three isn't too hard. Well, it isn't a walk in the park (certainly not at the moment anyway cos it's wet season so we can't really go for walks in the park) but that isn't the point I'm trying to make. During the day it is busy with kids running around wanting food, drinks, attention, help, guidance, play, soft toys, or a particularly nasty and evil boogie may need removing from the finger that only seconds before had been wedged firmly up the child's nose.

However daytimes are a veritable breeze. They truly are. It's the NIGHTS that will get you. For you can approach the night with as positive an attitude as you can muster, and the little munchkins may lull you into a false sense of security (say, for example, like last night, just to take a random night out of nowhere to use as something to illustrate the point that I think you will see needs to be made). My angels were all in bed by 7pm. Wonderful. Sensational. And they were sleeping. Even better!

But.....1.20am arrived. With it brought the awakening of young Mr Angus. Half a bottle, sleepy Angus, burpy Angus, ah yes that's the way, resettle little man. 1.40pm awake Angus, we didn't quite make it to bed, but that's okay, there's still half a bottle here let's give that a go. WOW! SKULL! Okay, that makes sense, mini dude was still hungry. So 1.55am rocks around and he's calmly asleep on my shoulder after what must have been an incredibly satisfying burp.

If that was all, I'd be rapt. But no. It is not all. Not at all is it all. Mini chick appears to be getting some more of those rotten sharp things protruding from her gums. Consequently she awoke, quite upset with the state of the world, within approximately 17 minutes of Angus's return to bed after his feed. I had not yet managed to fall asleep but I was in that incredibly relaxed state where your body involuntarily jerks.

And so I then involuntarily jerked out of bed to attend to mini chick. Who then took quite some time to calm down and fall asleep, by which time my arms were pumped more than the tyre on a landcruiser. Mini chick isn't so mini you see. She is 13.5kg of love, which increases relatively the longer you hold her and sway to calm her. I eventually put her back into the cot, still wide awake, and employed the "stroking the forehead" technique, where I remained for approximately 20 minutes until I saw her eyes flitter and fade into sleepiness. So I attempted the reverse departure, hand outstretched as if that mere action could hold her in sleep, and I myself fell into bed, quite literally, at 3.50am.

It was at this time that I heard mini dude shuffling around in the cot. Now I am not an overly religious person, but my word did I find prayer. It appears to have worked, as he remained in bed until 5.55am (wonderful time that, all the 5s).

So up I am for the day. It's not quite 7 and I'm on to coffee number 2, extra strength, because I am distinctly lacking in Red Bull.

Next time I go to the supermarket, if I have that conversation with myself again, the stupid one where I advise myself not to buy the Red Bull, I'm not going to listen to myself, but I'm going to pick up the Red Bull, put it in the trolley, and tell myself to be quiet.