'Mommy, mommy, mommy. Let's go. Kissteean will be waiting for me.' I say excitedly.

'Calm down Matty boy, we're not leaving until you've cleaned your teeth and it's Christian. Say it slowly and properly.' Mommy says trying to calm me down.

'Kiss-tee-an' I say slowly

'Chris- ti-an' mommy says again.

'Christian.' I say.

'Clever boy, you see you can say it properly and Christian will be pleased with you if you say it like that to him.' Mommy says proudly.

'Christian, Lelliot and Meahh and Matty all going to have ice cream today. I'm having nilla and then we go find daddy.'

'Only if you're good. Now teeth cleaned and then we can go.' Mommy says and takes my hand to lead me up the stairs to the bathroom. As I clean my teeth next to mommy I smile in the mirror at her.

'You like an angel mommy, very pretty.' I say and she smiles lovingly at me.

'Even at three you're such a charmer. You'll have all the girls after you when you're older.' Mommy says.

'No mommy, Matty not like girls. They are silly and they like pink. I only like cars and planes and copters. I'm going to have a copter and fly it like daddy.' I say.

'I'm sure you are, but I bet you do like girls. Are you ready to go now?' mommy asks as I finish my teeth 'Here's your coat.'

'I not like that coat, I want to wear the other one.' I say.

'Matty, do you really want to go out today?' mommy asks.

'Yes mommy.'

'Then do as you're told. Put this coat on now and let's go.' Mommy says and I know there's no messing with her. I pick up my toy car and cuddly cat. 'Matty, do you really need to take Fred with you.'

'Yes mommy, Fred wants ice cream today.' I say holding the black cat closely to my chest. Mommy locks the door behind us and the holds my hand as we set off to walk to the Greys house next door. 'Are we going in Grace's car today mommy?'

'Yes darling. You will be good and sit nicely won't you especially when we have lunch.' Mommy asks.

'Yes mommy, I have nilla ice cream.' I say as we walk onto the road.

'That will be later, you can't just have ice cream for lunch. What about pizza, or chicken?' she asks patiently.

'I'll have same as Chris-ti-an.' I say slowly.

'OK darling boy we'll see what Christian is eating first before we decide.' Mommy says.

'No.' I say stopping and stamping my foot. 'I want the same as him.'

'Matty, this isn't a good start having a tantrum on the way. Do you still want to see Christian?' Mommy asks.

'Yes, Matty sorry mommy. I will be good I promise.' I say holding her hand again as we turn into the Grey's drive. We walk halfway down the drive together and then mommy lets go and I run the rest of the way to knock on the front door. Grace answers and I smile at her.

'Gud morning Missus Grey, the weather is nice for a day out to get ice cream.' I say politely.

'Good Morning Matty. Morning Sue.' Grace says smiling at me and giving mommy a hug and then crouching down to give me a hug and kissing the top of my head. I kiss her cheek and then go into the house heading straight for the kitchen.

'Matty.' Elliot says loudly as soon as he sees me.

'Lelliot, we going for ice cream.' I says loudly.

'First we've got to do boring shopping though. We're going to get stuff for our holiday.' Elliot says.

'I go on holiday.' I say.

'Yes we're all going together.' Elliot says.

'I go with Kissteean.' I say quickly 'Chris-ti-an' I add more slowly.

'Wow buddy, you said that really nicely. That will make Christian happy.' Elliot says.

'Where is he? I want to see him now.' I demand.

'You'll have to wait, he's in the shower. He's just been kickboxing.' Elliot says.

'I kickbox like him.' I say moving around the kitchen in what I think might be kickboxing moves. 'I go to be a power ranger.'

'Matty, calm down. You'll be tired before we even get out of the house today.' Grace says as she comes into the kitchen.

'Gracie, I not get tired. I think mommy got cross when I got up this morning. I not like making mommy cross.' I say, just as mommy comes into the kitchen.

'Darling boy, it was five o'clock this morning. I know you're excited about seeing daddy later but we still need to sleep.' Mommy says. Daddy has been away for a few days and he's due back today. I leave mommy and Grace to chat as they make a coffee and I go into the room with the piano. Lifting the lid I play a few notes, first the whites and then the blacks and then I mix them together. I then play two simple tunes that Christian taught me yesterday.

'Hey Matty, that was good. Have you been practising?' Christian asks as he comes into the room.

'Yes Chris-ti-an, I played daddy's piano while mommy was in the bath but don't tell her, she will get cross.' I say.

'Wow, you've been practising my name as well. You said it perfectly. I'm so proud of you buddy.' He says happily. 'Move up. I'll play for you. I want you to play these two notes when I press this black one, you need to concentrate though. Can you do that?' he asks and I nod, totally in awe of him. Christian starts to play and I watch his hands move expertly up and down over the notes, when he presses the black one he showed me I hit the two white ones and grin at him. He smiles back at me. 'Great job.' He says as he finishes the tune and then he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder tickling me and I start wriggling and laughing. 'Keep still Matty, otherwise I will drop you.' He says as he now holds me on his hip and I cling to his neck. He walks back into the kitchen and puts me down. 'Say my name again.'

'Chris-ti-an.' I say proudly to the audience. Everyone claps so I carry on. 'Christian, Lelliot, Meahh and Matty are going shopping for ice cream while mommies shop for boring clothes.' Everyone laughs at me and I'm pleased that I made them happy.

'Darling, clothes shopping isn't boring.' Grace says.

'Lelliot said it was.' I say and I can see Grace looking sternly at him. 'I can play the piano now like Chris-ti-an, I practised lots.' I say trying to distract Grace in the hope that Elliot doesn't get into trouble.

'Where did you practice Matty?' Mommy asks.

I look at her guiltily, oh no, in trying to distract Grace I might have got myself in trouble. I look down at the floor 'On daddy's piano while you were in the bath mommy. I is sorry mommy. Matty was naughty.' I say quietly. I look up at her now through my wide blue gray eyes. Mommy crouches down to look me in the eye. 'I is very sorry.' I whisper. 'I love you mommy.' Mommy looks up at Grace. I look up and I can see Elliot and Christian smirking at me.

'You can explain to daddy when he gets home later what you have been up to.' Mommy says to me now. I go to give her a hug.

'Mommy, daddy will be cross if I do that and I don't want him cross when he's been to London. He might not let me have the teasers (malteasers) and jelly tots.' I say. Everyone laughs.

'You should have thought of that whilst you were playing his piano.' Mommy says trying to sound cross but she's not really. She hugs me and then picks me up. 'What am I going to do with you Matty boy?'

'Don't tell daddy.' I say. 'If he brings rolos I will give you my last one.' I say hoping to win her over, everyone knows you only give your last rolo to someone you love.

'Oh Sue, he's such a cutie, how can you not give into his charms?' Grace says.

'Will you share your chocolate stash with me?' Elliot asks.

'Yes, and Christian and Meahh. I asked daddy to bring lots and he said he would bring enough for all of us. He's getting you some curly wurlys and Meahh some minstrels and Christian some mint aeros.' I say happily sharing what I know.

'Darling it was meant to be a surprise.' Mommy says.

'Mommy I not like sprises.' I say and mommy hugs me and I wriggle around so she puts me down.

'Hey Matty, shall we go in the yard and kick the soccer ball while the mommies finish their coffee.' Christian says.

'Yes, yes yes Kissteean' I say loudly and excitedly. He looks at me questionably through his gray eyes and I add more slowly 'Yes please Christian.'

'That's better. You need to calm down.' He says taking my hand. 'We'll have ten minutes outside and you can chase the ball whilst I kick it for you and then you dribble it back to me. Can you do that?' I nod 'Good, it might tire you out.'

After running around for ten minutes I'm all hot and sweaty but it's time to go to the city now. We climb in Grace's car, mommy sits next to her in the front. Elliot and Mia in the next row followed by me and Christian. I'm on a booster seat but can still manage to wriggle.

'Meahh, your hair looks pretty.' I say, she has it tied in pigtails and I lean forward and pull one. 'Can you do that to my hair please?' Everyone laughs.

'Matty, only girls have their hair like that.' Christian says.

'If I give you a clip to put in your hair will you sit still and stop pulling my pigtails?' Mia says.

'Oink Oink' I say.

'Matthew, that's enough.' Mommy says from the front. 'Sit quietly now or there's no ice cream.' Mia turns and grins at me and hands me a clip out of her bag. I give it to Christian who puts it in my hair to keep the curls out of my eyes.

'I can't believe I'm doing this.' He mutters to me 'You will take it out as soon as we get out of the car.'

'You are bossy.' I say to him and he scowls at me but I hear Elliot laugh. 'Meahh, do I look pretty like you?'

'Yes, very pretty.' Mia says.

As we drive towards the city I close my eyes and as I fall asleep I hear Christian say 'Ah, peace at last.'

'