Life is not all rosy in suburbia

Jasmine and Felix have gone bonkers. As in proper bonkers. They will just not shut up. I swear Jasmine spends more time talking about playing some fantasy role-play imaginary game than she does actually playing her fantasy role-play imaginary game. And Felix doesn't do what I tell him at the best of times. And they just talk over each other, at each other, all the time. Most of all, they talk at me. And most of that is demanding I do stuff for them (switch it on/ blow the balloon/ pick me up/ get the toy/ put me down/ make it louder/ do it again/ switch it off/ stand up/ sit down/ yadda/ yadda/ yadda)

I have come upstairs to hide in the office so I can think for 2 seconds.

Little Miss Chatterbox

Everyone's been remarking recently how Jasmine has transformed from a taciturn, reserved, shy little girl into someone who is remarkably confident, sociable and, ahem, talkative. And hitherto I have been proud of her achievements. Particularly the made up words like 'gilbeys' 'scolbies' and 'hankerchoots' which pepper her running commentary on the world and its contents.

But today, I joined the ranks of people who wonder whether they ever shut the eff up.