When we first got home from the hospital with little bear, we set up a routine. From the very first night we went upstairs around 7pm, changed him, bathed him, fed him while OH read a story and then kissed him good night and left him to sleep. He often went to sleep during his night time feed in those days.
However little bear is a tough negotiator and uses any stop gap and distraction to create a precedent. So the evening routine is now somewhat extended.
First of all OH takes little bear upstairs to brush his teeth and wash. Then they go up to the top bedroom 'to look out of the window' which originally was a distraction technique which has expanded to include playing with mummy's musical jewellery box and contents, unscrewing and putting back together a duck headed walking stick, naming the parts of a sword (a lovely, blunt, faux replica I got for OH one year), finding the naughty ring (it is a costume jewellery ring which OH is adept at palming) and tonight also including playing Santa games on Daddy's laptop.
I have to go to the toilet at this point, little bear insists that I go as soon as they have come down from the top bedroom. On bath night there is a bath, otherwise this stage is skipped. There then follows a full on battle to get him into his pyjamas when he can be either defiant or playfully mischievous but he is not co-operative and OH has to deal with this bit at the moment with an iffy shoulder. Then he chooses two stories (negotiated up from one, we managed to put a lid on three), and then Ratatouille (with OH's voice) sings Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill and then the alphabet forwards and backwards. Then it is vitamins, and kisses and lights out. Recently the only way to settle him without hysteria was for me to give him a sing. It started off with one song. I lost count of how many tonight. I always start off with Scarborough Fair, followed by Johnny Todd and Molly Malone. Tonight I was scraping the barrel of my memory for any sort of songs by the end.
Then OH and I stagger downstairs. We are doing something wrong.
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Little bear is pushing his luck again
The plan was that little bear attended nursery full time this week. This was to give me a break and help rest the shoulder. Hah!
This morning little bear's first words were 'I'm NOT going to nursery - again, again, again!' That was a bad omen.
I got little bear dressed and ready to go out apart from his boots, coat, hat & gloves. OH got up and dressed. All was going okayish, until it became time to leave. Little bear had a meltdown! 'I too poorly, I too tired, I want to go doctors, I want to sleep on sofa, I need cough medicine (hasn't need this for months!), I need to go get milkshake, little boy roars at me...'
OH unfortunately also succumbed to stress. I have no idea exactly how I got them out of the door, but it did involve taking a jar of honey with him to nursery. By this time I was a complete nervous wreck. I was also convinced that he had not only woken the neighbours but also the next street. At the nursery he screamed, cried and physically clung on to OH. He had to be prised off by one of the lovely ladies there.
When I rang an hour later he was having a great time.
The owner of the nursery, who I completely trust, said that there was no evidence of him being poorly (which I agree) and that there was a little boy of the name little bear uses but they actually were in separate rooms. I believe there was an incident a month or more ago, but it looks like little bear is using it as a fall back excuse. She mentioned that she had seen little bear in a face off with another boy and little bear had had no problems in standing his ground (and I can believe that after the horror of this morning).
As far as I can see the main problem is that little bear was actually tired. He insisted on being sung to sleep again tonight and I let him get away with that, but he was looking exhausted. He was almost dead on his feet when he got home tonight. I need to find some way of shortening his bedtime routine (which is getting to the 'over an hour' stage not including the bath) to let him get enough rest. And if he doesn't go to nursery he can try staying home and playing on the computer. He hasn't been exposed to the rationing yesterday (not enough time before bedtime) and today (computer broke all day until OH fixed it after tea).
Tomorrow the plan is that he stays at home in the morning and I assess the chances of falling in the afternoon. If I fall I risk more than a bruised ego, though I am getting a little more confident. I have promised baking tomorrow morning. I am wondering about trying to coax a nap tomorrow afternoon instead of nursery. By Friday afternoon, the time after tomorrow he is due in, he should be more rested.
I feel really selfish, but I feel I could have really done with the break.
This morning little bear's first words were 'I'm NOT going to nursery - again, again, again!' That was a bad omen.
I got little bear dressed and ready to go out apart from his boots, coat, hat & gloves. OH got up and dressed. All was going okayish, until it became time to leave. Little bear had a meltdown! 'I too poorly, I too tired, I want to go doctors, I want to sleep on sofa, I need cough medicine (hasn't need this for months!), I need to go get milkshake, little boy roars at me...'
OH unfortunately also succumbed to stress. I have no idea exactly how I got them out of the door, but it did involve taking a jar of honey with him to nursery. By this time I was a complete nervous wreck. I was also convinced that he had not only woken the neighbours but also the next street. At the nursery he screamed, cried and physically clung on to OH. He had to be prised off by one of the lovely ladies there.
When I rang an hour later he was having a great time.
The owner of the nursery, who I completely trust, said that there was no evidence of him being poorly (which I agree) and that there was a little boy of the name little bear uses but they actually were in separate rooms. I believe there was an incident a month or more ago, but it looks like little bear is using it as a fall back excuse. She mentioned that she had seen little bear in a face off with another boy and little bear had had no problems in standing his ground (and I can believe that after the horror of this morning).
As far as I can see the main problem is that little bear was actually tired. He insisted on being sung to sleep again tonight and I let him get away with that, but he was looking exhausted. He was almost dead on his feet when he got home tonight. I need to find some way of shortening his bedtime routine (which is getting to the 'over an hour' stage not including the bath) to let him get enough rest. And if he doesn't go to nursery he can try staying home and playing on the computer. He hasn't been exposed to the rationing yesterday (not enough time before bedtime) and today (computer broke all day until OH fixed it after tea).
Tomorrow the plan is that he stays at home in the morning and I assess the chances of falling in the afternoon. If I fall I risk more than a bruised ego, though I am getting a little more confident. I have promised baking tomorrow morning. I am wondering about trying to coax a nap tomorrow afternoon instead of nursery. By Friday afternoon, the time after tomorrow he is due in, he should be more rested.
I feel really selfish, but I feel I could have really done with the break.
Monday, 6 December 2010
Operation Clutterbust 7
Darling father is a whirlwind, as normal. He has hung up new curtains - the ones that I made years before little bear was born to replace those I made when we moved into the house in 1994. The ones that have been thrown out are not even fit for rags, and after all, they were made from a remnant from Ellesmere Port market, bought around 1980. They looked very nice when they first went up.
I am stuck on the writing and I am going to go and knit, which will at least reduce the pile of yarn.
I am stuck on the writing and I am going to go and knit, which will at least reduce the pile of yarn.
Password please
Our computer is now password protected.
Yesterday, due to a lack of communication between me and OH, little bear spent hours playing games on the internet on the Sesame Street site. And he threw the most enormous tantrum when we took him off it, which led to him being put in his room for a while as he was incandescent. And then he demonstrated that he could get back on the internet without too much trouble.
One of his presents - birthday - is a Vtech 'laptop' that apparently is linked to the National Curriculum. Oops.
OH and I have agreed, only 30 minutes computer time per day. I am off to scour all the sites I can to find stuff I can distract him with.
Now I need to get the computer to unremember my password for ebay!
Yesterday, due to a lack of communication between me and OH, little bear spent hours playing games on the internet on the Sesame Street site. And he threw the most enormous tantrum when we took him off it, which led to him being put in his room for a while as he was incandescent. And then he demonstrated that he could get back on the internet without too much trouble.
One of his presents - birthday - is a Vtech 'laptop' that apparently is linked to the National Curriculum. Oops.
OH and I have agreed, only 30 minutes computer time per day. I am off to scour all the sites I can to find stuff I can distract him with.
Now I need to get the computer to unremember my password for ebay!
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Digging up the Past Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven is up.
And I've had a review! I am hoping that I can get more. It was a really helpful one as well, and I hope to think on it a lot more.
Also, memo to self, never have a story filled with archaeologists when it takes you so long to spell the damn word.
And I've had a review! I am hoping that I can get more. It was a really helpful one as well, and I hope to think on it a lot more.
Also, memo to self, never have a story filled with archaeologists when it takes you so long to spell the damn word.
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Little bear is devious
My elder brother visited today and brought with them quantities of goodies from darling uncle. This included an advent calendar with chocolates in.
We were being very firm. Little bear could only have one chocolate per day, no more. Little bear whispered to OH that perhaps when my brother had gone they could eat all the chocolates in one go...
This is not the first display of cunning re treats. At Pickering we left little bear in the care of darling father and went to get some logs. While we were out little bear suggested to darling father that the custard tart left behind that was marked for me was actually fair game. 'We could share it, Grandad, and you could cut it in half.'
We are going to have to watch him.
We were being very firm. Little bear could only have one chocolate per day, no more. Little bear whispered to OH that perhaps when my brother had gone they could eat all the chocolates in one go...
This is not the first display of cunning re treats. At Pickering we left little bear in the care of darling father and went to get some logs. While we were out little bear suggested to darling father that the custard tart left behind that was marked for me was actually fair game. 'We could share it, Grandad, and you could cut it in half.'
We are going to have to watch him.
Health update
Shoulder is a lot better after over thirteen hours sleep, though I could sleep now if I was given a chance.
OH has moved the furniture for me, which is brilliant, and looked after little bear and generally been a hero.
Fingers crossed I will have a good night's sleep as well tonight and then I will be fighting back. I know there are people in much worse situations. I think I am suffering from an acute attack of self pity. The best medication is writing and I shall do that just as soon as I can.
OH has moved the furniture for me, which is brilliant, and looked after little bear and generally been a hero.
Fingers crossed I will have a good night's sleep as well tonight and then I will be fighting back. I know there are people in much worse situations. I think I am suffering from an acute attack of self pity. The best medication is writing and I shall do that just as soon as I can.
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