Bring Out Your Dead!

If this was the year 1340 someone would have been and painted a big red cross on our door this morning.

Danny got me up four times overnight and barfed this morning. I didn't think it was too bad as he did it while I was contact lense-less. Then I put them in and said "wooohhh". He ate his breakfast though and seemed okay, so I took him to daycare. He has his 6 month visit this afty at the Docs so it's just a half day. Selfish of me probably but I can't cope with 2 sick kids today.
Jack hacked his way through the night with a dreadful cough and seemed to struggle to breath at some points. So even less sleep for me because I kept listening for him taking ragged breaths. It was frightening. He's currenty at work with me but not sure how long I can keep a 3-year old satisfied in my workplace before he goes nuts. Sometimes I nearly go nuts.

To top it all, I have had an upset stomach for two days and Craig said this morning he feels a cold coming on.
SO, anyone wish to socialise with us this weekend? No? Didn't think so.

My Boy is Better

I was strapping Danny's seat into my car this morning, trying to hurry up as it was pouring down rain and my back was getting wet. I looked over at Jack, stood at the end of the garden path near the road waiting for me to go and get him. He refuses to walk on wet grass and isn't allowed on the road without me.

He was wearing his red plastic raincoat with monsters on. The hood is peaked and makes him look like a pixie. His bare skinny legs were protruding from the bottom and he was wearing his blue dinosaur crocs on his feet.

He was waving his inflatable space sword at the sky and singing "rain rain go away, come again another day!"

I thought "yep, he's better"

Monday Morning Madness

It's Monday and I'm late again. Craig's already left for work.

Danny's fussy, wants his breakfast and some entertainment mummy-style. Jack woke up crying and padded into the bathroom looking miserable and sleepy.  I said "go and get into mummy's bed, watch Noggin and I'll bring you some warm milk". I grab Danny out of his crib and put him in bed with Jack. I have a routine in the morning that's a bit nuts but it works for me and means I can get out the door with everyone fed and happy in about 1.5 hours.

As I'm in the middle of drying my hair, I hear an odd noise and turn just in time to see Jack leap up onto his knees and barf all over my bed. Many times. Thankfully he missed Danny, who was very quiet now and staring intently at his distressed brother. 

There's not much you can do in these situations, other than comfort your child and repeat over and over "it's okay, it's okay" as you rub their back. I did call Craig and we organised a day of work and Jack-sitting between us. Once again, for the 1000th time this year, I thanked God that I have a partner to share this with.

Now it's 1pm and my shift at home with the little fella. He's still got a temperature and looks fed-up. The Docs told me there's  a virus "going round" and to keep an eye of him. Feed him crackers and iced water. They've told me that the last 3 times I've rung them. It's a standard response I suppose, to deter mums from running into the practice every time their kid looks pale.

His dad made him homemade chicken soup but he doesn't want any. And he fell asleep on the couch. I know my son is sick if he falls asleep on the couch. He doesn't normally sleep anywhere, anytime for anybody! 

It's time to go & sit with him and cuddle up I think.

Lazy Weekend, Plebs in the Park, Danny Sits Up

We had a great weekend overall. We finally watched some telly - most importantly we caught up on Shameless by watching episodes on YouTube and we watched the recent episodes of Nurse Jackie, which is fabulous. I'm not really into telly that much but I absolutely love this new show.

Craig's mates came over Friday night for a BBQ and beer but other than that we've been a bit anti-social. I like that sometimes, want to hole-up and not see anyone. It's weekends like this that I wear clothes I'd never wear in public like sweat shorts and scruffy t-shirts. I did venture to the park several times and once got caught in a fierce storm but it was fun to get really soaking wet with Jack and we treated it like an adventure.



Talking of adventures - did you ever read "Lord of the Flies"? Well, the children from the book were at our park tonight, along with their 12 siblings and parents from hell. They took Jack's toy and would have grabbed his bike had their mum not half-heartedly intervened. It was twenty kids and three adults not watching the little savages play. Craig asked Jack if he wanted to go and get his toy back and he said "no, they're too scary". When I heard that I thought "too scary? If you want to see scary watch your mum turn into a Liverpudlian again and sort these muppets out". Fortunately, the toy got returned voluntarily before it got ugly. I was a bit miffed too as I said a cheery "hello" to one of the mums and she snubbed me. Totally looked right at me and blanked me out. The good thing is that I've never seen them before so hopefully they won't be back. Our little park is a haven for the kids and for us to meet parents from the community so I hope these idiots don't keep coming and spoil it for us. Okay, rant over. It does make me feel better to write about it.

Danny-boy. When he wears this t-shirt at daycare they say he looks like Charlie Brown. I suppose he does a bit. The kids had a good weekend and seem to be bonding now. Today we put Jack's new car-seat in the back so he can now lean over and touch Danny. At one point, both of them were laughing their heads off and it's just lovely to hear. 

Danny is changing every day now. He's been laughing a lot, which warms your ginnels and he loves to sit up as you can see in this 30-sec video. He's still a bit wobbly, but then who isn't?

Snakes on the Brain

As we were looking over Craig's handiwork in the garden tonight Jack shouted over to me "mummy, is this a snake?"   I looked over at him, crouched down near some bushy lavenders at the top of the garden. 

Snake? Bloody snake?? 

I immediately think of rattlers and copperheads and run hell-for-leather up the hill towards him. I get to him panting, heart racing and ask where he saw the snake. 

He says "No, it's a spider. With big spots" 

I ask him where, he says "here" and opens up his empty palm for me to take a look. "Look mummy, a big spider!"

I suppose this means his imagination is kicking in. I should probably start taking aspirin.

More Gushing (sorry)

Danny's going to be six months old next week and I can't believe the newborn stage is over. He's munching his way through solid food and starting to babble. He's sleeping through most nights and trying to sit up. I sorted his clothes out again and he's wearing 12 months clothes now because he's just well, big. Big and tall. Last night he wore Jack's old PJs that Jack wore when he was a year old and walking about. It's great he's so big but also a bit unnerving. I mean, will he be so huge that I'll have to have special pants made.

My favourite time with him is in the morning. He never cries but will lie in his crib and babble till I go in to get him. When he sees me he kicks his little legs like mad and grins at me and as I pick him up he shoves his face right in mine and grabs my neck hard, like a hug. Makes me go all funny just thinking about it. My favourite thing about him at the moment is his hair, which has grown like crazy this week. He has light blonde hair now, in a little mohican right down the middle of his head. Just the right length for burying your face in.

I really love these boys of mine (yes yes yes you're saying, after three years of you gushing we get the bloody picture). I just wish all kids on the planet could be loved like this but I know that's not reality. Just this week a 5-week old girl in Ohio was rescued from a home where rats were eating her alive and had already taken two toes. It's unfathomable to me, totally vile and horrific. I wish I could stop it all but I suppose the best we can do as parents is to make our own kids decent human beings and try and put the other horrible stuff to the back of our minds.

La Vie Boheme

My 15-year old niece in England has swine flu, which I found out about via Facebook. She's a typical resilient teenager and laughs it off as a bit of a sniffle, take a few tablets and you're fine. She's more upset she can't go to Alton Towers with her school mates. Scared me to death there for a minute but she seems okay. 

I remember being 15 and thinking I was invincible. I'd do all sorts of stupid stuff and take chances I'd never take now. Memories come to mind of riding on motorbikes without a helmet and setting off to visit someone 300 miles away in a clapped-out car with only 10 pound on me for petrol and a pint of oil to replace the amount that got burnt. Car breakdown service was not something I could afford and we didn't have cell phones. I'd walk 3 miles home from a nightclub on my own at 2am and not think anything of it, which makes me cringe now.

Come to think of it, I was a bit dumb until I was in my 30's. In fact, now I really think about it, I still think I'm going to live forever and continue to burn the candle at both ends. If I was smart I'd stop drinking, exercise more, and save for my retirement but it's far more likely that I will keep drinking, continue to ignore my gym membership and hope I win the lottery.  My lust for life is too strong, my desire to travel and meet people and do new things has not diminished with age. Does it ever I wonder?

As they say in Rent "La Vie Boheme!"

Kate Moss Wannabe

My friend Gina and I started on Weight Watchers together last spring. Now she's looking fabulously slim and gorgeous and I'm still a big chunker. I have had a baby inbetween of course, but still.

It doesn't help that people keep sending us English chocolate. Good people of Britain - stop it, please. I know you send it for the kids but me and Craig eat it. And yes I know that's stealing from my children but they don't know any different and besides, I'm saving their teeth. And let me tell you, Jack does not need a sugar buzz - he's already nuts.

So far I have lost a measly 30 lbs, put 4 back on and now trying to lose another 40. WW is going okay but I'm not as gung-ho as I was last year about it. Last year I had the willpower of a saint. This year I have the willpower of Roseanne Barr. I even snook a piece of pizza off Jack's plate today while he wasn't watching. Bad bad mummy.

The Airport Blues

I hate taking people to the airport. Hate it hate it hate it. We all stand together at the gate, them ready to take their shoes off and empty out their bags for customs and me trying not to think things like "I won't see them now for another year". Come crunch time we all hug and kiss and say how much we love each other. Usually I'm the one that cries the most, the one being left behind as it were. The journey home is always terrible. It constitutes me bawling and feeling that knot of homesickness creep into my belly. The feeling lasts anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks but does get slightly better once I know the travellers are home and safe. Having Jack with me helps because he keeps the mood light, but then all it takes is for a grandparent to hug him close and kiss his little head and I'm off again, blubbering like a schoolgirl that just got dumped.

After we left the terminal yesterday I took Jack to the roof of the parking lot and we waved at the first plane that took off, shouting "Goodbye Grandma and Grandad!" Little did I know that they were actually close by at their gate, watching us from behind tinted glass windows as we waved frantically at "their" plane leaving.

Today they are home safe and sound, drinking tea and digging out their warm cardies (it's cold and rainy in NW England). Now we have to work out how to Skype each other.

Our next visitors, Craig's mum and dad, arrive in eight weeks time. Time for me to get rid of this knot in my stomach before it jumps right back in.

Great Baby Video

Here's a funny video doing the rounds this week. I love it!

Home & 5 Loads of Laundry

Got home from the big road trip last night at 8pm. We officially clocked 3,050 miles, drove through two major storms, ate our weight in garage food, nearly died in a crash, but saw some fantastic sites and met fabulous people. 

We didn't get to see all we wanted in South Dakota. We didn't get to Sitting Bull's Memorial or Little Big Horn but we can always go again.

Since we got home I've been doing laundry and kissing Danny's cheeks