Still no phone, still no photos.
We made it out again this morning. I have taken to going to places in the morning (as Bean seems a little happier and more energetic in the mornings) but finding places that he can hide in a quiet corner and rest if needs be whilst pumpkin and plum play. This morning we joined friends at a new toddler group in town, so it's quiet...just the way I like it!
Bean found some puzzles to do and pumpkin tried out every toy and activity they had put out. Plum happily crawled around and around and wandered much further from me than I remember the boys doing at that age but that might just be my memory.
Post lunch has seen the tv on again and I have taken the opportunity to tidy the crafting area and other dumping grounds. Plum has gone to sleep for a while and I am sitting with the boys whilst they watch some more.
Bean continues to struggle with his ear but seems to be fighting it, he is very washed out though :(
Our Tribe
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Dance to the rhythm
Monday 19th November
We attempted to go to gymnastics today but as Bean spent the whole of Little Verse lying down on a chair in the corner he quite clearly was not going to make an energetic hour of gymnastics, so we came home. Pumpkin and Plum had a lovely time singing rhymes together and doing row row row the boat. Pumpkin spent a long time carefully colouring his picture and Plum had a long cuddle with SGS.
Lunch was pre made by daddy before he went to work this morning (thank you daddy) and then the boys spent the afternoon watching iplayer. There has been more watching recently but Bean really has no energy for anything else so it seems the easiest choice for him. Pumpkin just sits with him and it's hard to entice him away. Plum happily crawls around and plays with whatever she comes across.
Bean took himself off to bed at 7pm with no stories or pre bed cuddles :( poor poorly boy but this gave Pumpkin half an hour of solo stories and cuddles before he went to bed. Plum only slept for half an hour in the middle of today, although she didn't get up until 10am, but this ment that she too was asleep by 7.30 and left daddy and I with a solo evening! ...making Christmas presents!
We attempted to go to gymnastics today but as Bean spent the whole of Little Verse lying down on a chair in the corner he quite clearly was not going to make an energetic hour of gymnastics, so we came home. Pumpkin and Plum had a lovely time singing rhymes together and doing row row row the boat. Pumpkin spent a long time carefully colouring his picture and Plum had a long cuddle with SGS.
Lunch was pre made by daddy before he went to work this morning (thank you daddy) and then the boys spent the afternoon watching iplayer. There has been more watching recently but Bean really has no energy for anything else so it seems the easiest choice for him. Pumpkin just sits with him and it's hard to entice him away. Plum happily crawls around and plays with whatever she comes across.
Bean took himself off to bed at 7pm with no stories or pre bed cuddles :( poor poorly boy but this gave Pumpkin half an hour of solo stories and cuddles before he went to bed. Plum only slept for half an hour in the middle of today, although she didn't get up until 10am, but this ment that she too was asleep by 7.30 and left daddy and I with a solo evening! ...making Christmas presents!
Monday, 19 November 2012
At the end of the day
Saturday 17th November
We took advantage of grandma and pops being here today and whilst they played with the children we cleaned and organised the house a little. It was nice to get back to a little organised, although it took us all day and is still not complete! I feel we may chase our tail with this for many years to come. There is always some pile of stuff that needs washing, compiling, returning, putting away, cleaning, fixing, altering, filing, making, selling, moving on. In this house these things all come second to caring for and being with our children. Consequently we live in a hovel...well, it's not that bad but four of us are in the house day in and day out and it makes for a lot of tidying up which doesn't always get done. Fortunately daddy does more than his fair share so we just about manage to stay afloat and not disappear under piles of laundry and paintings left to dry or dirty dishes.
Bean and pumpkin have made birthday cards with grandma and Bean has fallen asleep on grandma's lap complaining of an ear ache.
We took advantage of grandma and pops being here today and whilst they played with the children we cleaned and organised the house a little. It was nice to get back to a little organised, although it took us all day and is still not complete! I feel we may chase our tail with this for many years to come. There is always some pile of stuff that needs washing, compiling, returning, putting away, cleaning, fixing, altering, filing, making, selling, moving on. In this house these things all come second to caring for and being with our children. Consequently we live in a hovel...well, it's not that bad but four of us are in the house day in and day out and it makes for a lot of tidying up which doesn't always get done. Fortunately daddy does more than his fair share so we just about manage to stay afloat and not disappear under piles of laundry and paintings left to dry or dirty dishes.
Bean and pumpkin have made birthday cards with grandma and Bean has fallen asleep on grandma's lap complaining of an ear ache.
Promises promises
Sunday 18th November
Church day and mummy and daddy both running Sunday school. I did the rainbow as God's reminder not to flood the whole earth again and we painted a large rainbow onto backing paper. It was colours mixed together and looked very effective. Pumpkin then choose to colour his own rainbow.
Bean was adamant that he wanted to go to church this morning even though he is clearly still suffering with ear ache but we took him with us and anticipated an early exit but he struggled on through and even mustered some energy for the birthday event this afternoon. He had planned and made a piñata and pass the parcel and requested musical statues as well.
Grandma made a lovely lunch for us all and an amazing chocolate cake and friends gave us a Skype call mid afternoon which was great too. Pumpkin got very upset that he didn't win musical statues but he just can't stay still! We gave him a prize for best dancer.
We ended the day with bean requesting to go to bed at 6pm, shortly followed by Pumpkin.
Church day and mummy and daddy both running Sunday school. I did the rainbow as God's reminder not to flood the whole earth again and we painted a large rainbow onto backing paper. It was colours mixed together and looked very effective. Pumpkin then choose to colour his own rainbow.
Bean was adamant that he wanted to go to church this morning even though he is clearly still suffering with ear ache but we took him with us and anticipated an early exit but he struggled on through and even mustered some energy for the birthday event this afternoon. He had planned and made a piñata and pass the parcel and requested musical statues as well.
Grandma made a lovely lunch for us all and an amazing chocolate cake and friends gave us a Skype call mid afternoon which was great too. Pumpkin got very upset that he didn't win musical statues but he just can't stay still! We gave him a prize for best dancer.
We ended the day with bean requesting to go to bed at 6pm, shortly followed by Pumpkin.
Friday, 16 November 2012
Surprise surprise
I got up at 9.45 this morning, not to be mistaken for sleeping until 9.45 but grandad did phone before I got up and Bean answered and took a message, I was very impressed. I cooked myself bacon and eggs for breakfast and the boys had some too. Plum woke up at 10.30.
Bean and Pumpkin had entertained themselves with their own version of angry birds using bricks and toy plastic animals, building their own structures and placing the animals on it. The also built vehicles with the Lego and took photos of their creations for many different angles.
We went into town to do a few jobs and managed to find a few bargains as we went round, new colouring pens and some craft bits and pieces and new shoes for Bean. I have been aware that Pumpkin's shoes are too small and I have been asking him if he would like his feet measured every time we go into town but he has declined. Today Bean said he wanted his measured and I thought this might encourage his brother so I agreed. As it worked out Bean's feet have grown 2 sizes and so have Pumpkin's. New shoes all round but there was a sale on so all well and good. It was slightly funny when the sales assistant asked what we were looking for and I replayed 'anything he wants' and he said, 'you'll be needing school shoes though?' I smiled :) no thanks. Although having said this the last pair of shoes that Bean choose happened to be school style shoes. This time he went for trainers.
We had a very late lunch but I had put potatoes in the oven to bake as I knew we would need warming up. This was followed by a quick tidy up and off to gymnastics class for Bean. We are making up a few missed session and have to join a regular after school group to do it. It was awful. Crowded. Busy. Noisy. Bean had no idea what was going on in the warm up when they all started running around (playing stuck in the mud) and he had a very worried stressful face on him. Then some of the other children told him he shouldn't be here and they split into smaller groups and he was left aimlessly wandering around trying to work out where he should be. When he finished and we were reunited I asked him what he thought of the different class and he said he loved it, bouncing with big beaming smile! So glad I hadn't voiced my opinion first. He was so proud of himself for not being shy and telling them his name and he said they played a running around game that he didn't know so he just ran around anyway! He also told me about the children who said he shouldn't be there and how he had responded by explaining why he was there.
Home for a late dinner with daddy and into pyjamas so that we can watch a film all cosy on the sofa (Pumpkin's idea) Secretly hoping all the smalls are asleep by 9 so me and daddy can watch a film together and eat chocolate.
Happy birthday me :)
Bean and Pumpkin had entertained themselves with their own version of angry birds using bricks and toy plastic animals, building their own structures and placing the animals on it. The also built vehicles with the Lego and took photos of their creations for many different angles.
We went into town to do a few jobs and managed to find a few bargains as we went round, new colouring pens and some craft bits and pieces and new shoes for Bean. I have been aware that Pumpkin's shoes are too small and I have been asking him if he would like his feet measured every time we go into town but he has declined. Today Bean said he wanted his measured and I thought this might encourage his brother so I agreed. As it worked out Bean's feet have grown 2 sizes and so have Pumpkin's. New shoes all round but there was a sale on so all well and good. It was slightly funny when the sales assistant asked what we were looking for and I replayed 'anything he wants' and he said, 'you'll be needing school shoes though?' I smiled :) no thanks. Although having said this the last pair of shoes that Bean choose happened to be school style shoes. This time he went for trainers.
We had a very late lunch but I had put potatoes in the oven to bake as I knew we would need warming up. This was followed by a quick tidy up and off to gymnastics class for Bean. We are making up a few missed session and have to join a regular after school group to do it. It was awful. Crowded. Busy. Noisy. Bean had no idea what was going on in the warm up when they all started running around (playing stuck in the mud) and he had a very worried stressful face on him. Then some of the other children told him he shouldn't be here and they split into smaller groups and he was left aimlessly wandering around trying to work out where he should be. When he finished and we were reunited I asked him what he thought of the different class and he said he loved it, bouncing with big beaming smile! So glad I hadn't voiced my opinion first. He was so proud of himself for not being shy and telling them his name and he said they played a running around game that he didn't know so he just ran around anyway! He also told me about the children who said he shouldn't be there and how he had responded by explaining why he was there.
Home for a late dinner with daddy and into pyjamas so that we can watch a film all cosy on the sofa (Pumpkin's idea) Secretly hoping all the smalls are asleep by 9 so me and daddy can watch a film together and eat chocolate.
Happy birthday me :)
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Home again, home again
I had some unexpected time with just the boys this morning. First Pumpkin disappeared so that he could indulge in his recent love of puzzles. Bean wanted to know how to write blue tit, millipede, beetle grub and heron. Did you know that it is impossible to separate reading, writing. And speech development, that one greatly impacts and draws on the other? It is so pleasing to have the freedoms to let them develop naturally together but even more astonishing than that I had an ingenious idea (doesn't happen that often) So, here it is: we have had to remove the magnetic letters from the fridge since Plum is now on the move and they have been sat in a tub for w few days now. Today I put them in an old metal biscuit tin and we picked out the sounds and letters we needed to make the words and put the onto the lid. Bean now has his own tin of words and letters to play with. Genius (well, I thought so and it works for us.)
This was followed by Bean wanting to write the words out so I left him to it and went to find Pumpkin who let me help him with his puzzles. We did one of them three times.
I woke Plum at 12noon so that we could go to the farm shop. She had slept since 9pm last night with one milk feed at 8.30am when she promptly went back to sleep. The lady in the farm shop is kindly fitting in with the drill now and knows that the boys always have something to pay for and tells them how much and gives them their change and their receipt. I really appreciate it when other adults engage with the smalls in this way, it is too rare a thing.
Lunch was followed by Bean drawing a picture and requesting to send to it to some relatives who we rarely see. We posted it on the way to the playground. The boys both rode their bikes but it proved to be too much for Bean who spent the whole time yelling at his brother and using him like a punch bag. It had been Pumpkin's request to go out and I was glad of it on such a lovely day and having been at home for so many days in a row but I had to call an end to it even though Pumpkin insisted it was okay, it wasn't.
Rest is seriously under rated these days. The smalls are far more in tune with when they need to slow down or maybe it's just that they listen instead of dosing up on meds and carrying on. Bean is still suffering with his cold and the journeying out wore him out entirely. Plum continues to suffer with her cold too and it probably explains her need to sleep so much (not that I'm complaining, 2 nights in a row with 8 hours sleep for me. That's only 2 out of three since she arrived and doesn't include the sleepless pregnancy nights!) I'm still in the position of trying to balance this out with Pumpkin's need to excercise and go for a ride.
Needless to say the remainder of the smalls day consisted of Plum sleeping in the sling whilst I did chores and dinner and the boys watching iplayer. Post dinner was board games and bath before both boys headed to bed about 8 and Plum cuddling all evening before going to sleep about 9.30.
This was followed by Bean wanting to write the words out so I left him to it and went to find Pumpkin who let me help him with his puzzles. We did one of them three times.
I woke Plum at 12noon so that we could go to the farm shop. She had slept since 9pm last night with one milk feed at 8.30am when she promptly went back to sleep. The lady in the farm shop is kindly fitting in with the drill now and knows that the boys always have something to pay for and tells them how much and gives them their change and their receipt. I really appreciate it when other adults engage with the smalls in this way, it is too rare a thing.
Lunch was followed by Bean drawing a picture and requesting to send to it to some relatives who we rarely see. We posted it on the way to the playground. The boys both rode their bikes but it proved to be too much for Bean who spent the whole time yelling at his brother and using him like a punch bag. It had been Pumpkin's request to go out and I was glad of it on such a lovely day and having been at home for so many days in a row but I had to call an end to it even though Pumpkin insisted it was okay, it wasn't.
Rest is seriously under rated these days. The smalls are far more in tune with when they need to slow down or maybe it's just that they listen instead of dosing up on meds and carrying on. Bean is still suffering with his cold and the journeying out wore him out entirely. Plum continues to suffer with her cold too and it probably explains her need to sleep so much (not that I'm complaining, 2 nights in a row with 8 hours sleep for me. That's only 2 out of three since she arrived and doesn't include the sleepless pregnancy nights!) I'm still in the position of trying to balance this out with Pumpkin's need to excercise and go for a ride.
Needless to say the remainder of the smalls day consisted of Plum sleeping in the sling whilst I did chores and dinner and the boys watching iplayer. Post dinner was board games and bath before both boys headed to bed about 8 and Plum cuddling all evening before going to sleep about 9.30.
Monday, 12 November 2012
The Prince and the Pea
So, it transpires that I need some fresh air!
Another day at home and relatively calm, playing games and watching iplayer and pretend cooking with freshly made play dough and den building and torch light investigations and searching the kitchen for items that are smaller than a pea that you can eat (Bean's idea after announcing that he knew what the smallest thing you can eat is (a pea) and me setting him the challenging to see if he could find anything smaller, so far there are 21 items stuck to a piece of paper and we still have 2 cupboards to go)
Pumpkin is showing signs of getting better and needing some exercise or maybe just to leave the house. He got himself dressed about 5pm and put his Wellies on to go into the garden. This was after he spent an hour running around in circles in the living room. It was cold and wet and dark so he settled for a game of hide and seek, unfortunately Plum is not that good at hiding, always crawling away or making a noise.
Plum has slept on and off all day and fed on and off all day and not been further from my side than 10cm! She really is suffering the most it of all the smalls :( She spent the night shoved right up next to me too, poor mite.
Another day at home and relatively calm, playing games and watching iplayer and pretend cooking with freshly made play dough and den building and torch light investigations and searching the kitchen for items that are smaller than a pea that you can eat (Bean's idea after announcing that he knew what the smallest thing you can eat is (a pea) and me setting him the challenging to see if he could find anything smaller, so far there are 21 items stuck to a piece of paper and we still have 2 cupboards to go)
Pumpkin is showing signs of getting better and needing some exercise or maybe just to leave the house. He got himself dressed about 5pm and put his Wellies on to go into the garden. This was after he spent an hour running around in circles in the living room. It was cold and wet and dark so he settled for a game of hide and seek, unfortunately Plum is not that good at hiding, always crawling away or making a noise.
Plum has slept on and off all day and fed on and off all day and not been further from my side than 10cm! She really is suffering the most it of all the smalls :( She spent the night shoved right up next to me too, poor mite.
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