Mother's day.

Where to go with this? Well, I could, I suppose explain the name and title of the blog.

Oh please tell us I hear you ask (oh please, ask, go on..)

If you've read my profile you should have noticed I mention 'Dad' in my list of accomplishments, if you didn't, shame on you, go and read it now, I'll wait for you right here.

Admittedly it doesn't take much effort on a man's behalf to create a child, but to be a dad (or Mum for that matter before I offend probably fully half of my readership on Mother's day) takes, in my opinion, a lot more than just the initial physical act.

Apart from the day to day 'don't push dinosaurs up your brother's nose' or playtime/bedtime story reading type stuff, there should be fun and if at all possible, silliness. There aren't many feelings as good as laughing with a child.

So, why's there a hippopotamus in my fridge and what's it doing there? Well, the 'what' is easy, it leaves footprints in the butter, eats the carrots and drinks the milk. Basically, all the things you'd expect a hippopotamus to do in a fridge. It's also been known to hoover up 'spare' chocolate left in the fridge overnight. Naughty hippo...

The 'why' is related to the silliness I mentioned above and also a stress breaker. I think (hope?) every parent now and then gets a little worn down by the questions. Instead of snapping or saying 'just because' when I'm worn down I try to give the most ludicrous answer possible which often leads to silliness and laughter. Hence the 'hittapotamus' came to live in our fridge.

If I'm ever stuck for an answer to 'what are we having to eat Daddy' the hippopotamus buys me a few seconds of thinking time while they protest, it offers me the chance to fake exasperation 'I'm not buying a fresh hippopotamus until you've finished this one' and has become a regular feature of life.

Occasionally it will bellow a massive 'hhhhrroooooogggghhhhh' as the fridge is opened to confirm it's at home, sometimes it's out playing in the garden with its friends or it may be asleep (usually when Daddy has a headache or things are getting a little too raucous. Coincidence? I couldn't possibly say) but it's usually somewhere nearby.

Of course, No.1 child is convinced that Tesco sell hippopotamuses (hippopotami are on aisle 6 for the pedants), No.2 child, so far, just smiles and giggles whenever there is evidence of the hippo being nearby but I have high hopes. Hopefully the hippo will stay around a while, at least until No.2 has grown enough to call me an old fool and stop believing.

So, now you know. Go check your own fridge, it may be that you also have a hippo in residence and he's responsible for the disappearance of that 'leftover' chocolate. perhaps if you look carefully you might even find hippo tracks in the butter.....

Oh, happy Mother's day for those of you who are...