With 3 boys under 6, Buggy Blogger mum to J (5), B (4) and S (2) certainly has her hands full. This week … Holy Smoke … the Escaped Crusader’s back!

What's the sign of a successful blockbuster? A hot-on-the-heels sequel of course. And … suitable drumroll please … a few weeks on from hanging up my cape, here I am, back due to popular demand, in The Buggy Blogger Returns.

I promise not to ditch any of your favourite old characters in place of some bring-in-the-punters big Hollywood names, nor to jazz up the special effects at the cost of the plot, or to flood the shelves at Asda with pricey merchandise that'll have your kids wheedling for weeks.

Instead, I'll do my best to pick up where I left off, keeping you up-to-date on the antics of me and my cast of little stars who are now 5, 4 and 2 respectively. (How time flies when you're having funny turns over running two pre-school birthday parties back to back.)

J's been just fine, blossoming into our very own fast-growing super boy. He's got growing pains in his arms, his jeans have become so tight he has problems walking up the stairs, and people have finally stopped asking indulgently if his new bike's 'to grow into'. What's more, he's storming up the height chart, his chin now clears the kitchen worktop and he's eating like a horse. Though to be fair I've never seen even a horse clear more than one Weetabix at any one sitting.

B, meanwhile, is developing into a classic silver screen cad. He's dashing (usually away from his younger brother after grabbing a coveted toy), he's rakish (especially when armed with a water pistol in the bath); and he's ready to break a few hearts (principally mine). There I was, all ready to have my socks charmed off amidst his unsubtle whisperings of surprises ahead of Mother's Day. What I got was a blank card from playgroup (he didn’t want to colour it in for me) a home-made necklace (which he proceeded to throw in the bin because he didn't like it) and an outright refusal to sit next to me at breakfast. Makes you glow with motherly pride doesn't it?

S, less the big screen superhero or loveable rogue, is these days the classic Benny Hill-style busy body, chasing round the rest of the cast at high speed. Sometimes clothed, sometimes not. When he stops trailing round after the others, he's full of pranks and impish giggles; performing exuberant 'Let’s Get Lunar' Jim impressions, acting out rocket-ship launches complete with authentic spittle-laden sound effects, and scuttling under my feet to switch off the computer while I'm on it … tsk… where was I? … to switch off the computer while I'm on it. (Boots up again for the 5th time of the morning.)

So anyway, here we all are, muddling along much as before (albeit with the added complication of coursework to grapple with).

It’s good to be back. I’ve missed it and am pleased to be here again. I hope you’re all pleased to see me too (or is that a water pistol in B’s pocket?).

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