Let's not kid ourselves.

MAMA MIA here I go again......

Get me outa here and over there!!

A plank I would happily walk

Sail away, forget Newbury Boating pond, lets take a picnic in that boat to that there island.

Previously I pondered the meaning of life and the universe, now my questions are these. (How life has changed!) If you have the answers please share! There is space below each post for your comments!!

1. How do you lie by a pool and relax while your baby crawls around on the rampage?

2. How do you pack for a baby and two adults with a combined weight allowance of 40kg?

3. How do you cater for an infant with food allergies , when he hasn't got a baggage allowance?

4. How do you keep your sanity on the beach if your little one is scattering the contents of a random stranger's handbag across the sand, testing the factor of suncream by glooping it into a fellow holiday maker's hair and checking if daddy's passport floats?

5. How do you make an appearance on the beach without being swaddled up like a mummy of the Egyptian variety, cos let's face it, quite a few of us will not be wearing Bikini's (ever again!)

6. How do you cope when you have the aforementioned toddler, and then Daddy flakes out and says"I'm on holiday I worked all year for this, its your job to look after the kids"?

7. How do you entertain the bambino, who needs 24/7 interaction and you had no baggage allowance for his toys?

8. How do you survive a flight longer than 2 hours with a screaming, squirming toddler on your knee? They don't say under 2's travel free for nothing. (They know you will do it once and never again!!)

9. How do you keep your dignity when wearing beach attire and chasing an inquisitive toddler round a beach/ harbour/pool side/souk?

10. How do you explain to someone who doesn't speaka much Ingleeesh, that you didn't shop lift , nor did you intend to buy all that stuff that now lies scattered and broken in the aisle, it was just you baby learning to "grasp and release"?

Yep, the photos look gorgeous, but I think we might stay home after all!!!!!

I can highly recommend taking a not- yet -crawling- rampaging- infant on holiday though, it's great. They're tiny enough to lie on your knee (take a baby pillow) on the plane and happy to lie and play on the beach . Buy a factor 50 sun protection tent ( - they won't crawl out) Don't forget to take the push chair , accessorise with  a "shade a babe" baby burka for the push chair, and finally,  take Ella's kitchen food, it packs best. Don't forget nappies, if you have space, in Greece they cost £15 a small pack!! Relax, deep breath, lie by the pool , knowing baby is between your knees and won't scurry off........... And make the most of it!!