A smelly but peaceful Friday afternoon

I have deleted several attempts at a post. So instead I am just going to start 'In media res' as writers are 'meant to', in the middle of the action where I am now, in the middle of an ordinary Friday. Except there's not alot happening. I'm sat on the sofa in the living room with my laptop on my knee. Mr G is in his cot contemplating his post lunch nap. He is shouting 'tractor' repeatedly, his latest favourite word. Miss L is standing far too close to the TV, watching Dora and demanding food. This is my official 'lunch hour'. Normally I tear round like a mad thing doing jobs and making lists of more things to do. Friday I like to take it easier.
The house smells of gas and rotten food. The fridge has packed up and the gas board are relaying all the Victorian pipework in our road. It has driven me mad all week ( I had no idea fixing a fridge could take three engineer's visits over the course of two weeks) but now its Friday so I am prepared to ignore it all. Despite all the inconvenience, the workmen are proving to be great entertainment for the kids who got their Bob the Builder tool kit out and tried to join in. We found Mr G a pair of dugarees in a bag of hand me downs today so with his protective glasses round his neck and his screwdriver in his pocket he really looks the part.
Today I was reminded how rapidly life with children changes. This morning we had six other children to play and for the first time since Miss L was a baby, I actually managed to have some fairly uninterrupted chat with my friends. It had all gone ominously quiet so I popped up to check on the three year olds in Miss L's room and was astounded to find them all playing mummies and daddies together really nicely. Blimey this feels like a big corner to turn. Downstairs the one year olds haven't hit the snatching and not sharing phase yet so they were happily pottering round. I am starting to finally see some benefits to my children's age gap (2 years).
This afternoon, (if we get the gas back) we are going to start cooking fairy cakes for Miss L's fourth birthday party tommorow. I looked at her yesterday as I was putting her to bed and tried to see her as the little baby she once was. I just can't see it anymore. But I see this amazing big girl who is full of ideas and questions. When she was first born I wanted time to stand still, for her to always be a baby. But now watching her grow up is amazing. My favourite thing about being a parent, and sometimes also the toughest bit is that you never know what they will do next. She has one more year before school. So starting this blog is also a way to record our last year at home together.