feeding the little ones

http://www.wulffmorgenthaler.com

drive far for what's around the corner

It's halfterm at the moment, so I thought it would be nice to go and do something different. I picked up Tina and we drove up to Milton Keynes (about an hour away), to a huge indoor play area. They're sneaky - we were aiming for a place called 360Play, but ended up at KidsPlay because it's the first place you see as you come off the highway. Anyway, that's business I suppose. We had a blast and Zack was absolutely pooped after 4 hours. We had a pee-accident too which added to the adventure, so I spent 1/2 an hour in the ladies loo drying Zack's jeans, sock and underpants.
Going there has convinced me that we need to do this more often - perhaps even weekly. There are two of these places within reach of N10 (our postal code). The kids had so much fun that it seems silly to save it for a rainy day.

primary school application

Got a letter from the council today to say that our choices of Primary School for Zack (starting 2 Sept) have been noted. We will find out in May which one he's been accepted to.

the weather ?

Both boys have taken turns being ill. In fact, Keith was off 2 days last week too. Zack was vomiting on Friday night - on carpeted stairs, which is no joke. He'd an upset tummy on the weekend too. Calvin vomited in the wee-hours of Tuesday morning, so I cleaned that up and put him back to bed. Then I couldn't get back to sleep, so got up and put together 200 photographs of him for his Dedication Service on Sunday. I want to have a photo album of his life for people to see. Finally went back to sleep just before 7am. Keith had to sort out Calvin vomiting again after that. Today he's got an upset tummy and had a bit of a temperature when he woke up - not the happiest little chap. Tina has also got something nasty, so stayed home today (which is highly unusual for her). Thank the Lord I am mostly OK. Now I just need to stay like this until Sunday evening when the party is over.

Zack and Alessio put the nachos bowls on their heads.
Makes a fun yarmulke – Jackie commented how Jewish Zack looked. LOL

negotiating

It is frustrating in the extreme, the amount of negotiating that goes on with a three/four year old. I can see why it's necessary, as the alternative is smacking or sending him to his room/timeout. However... the time and patience and effort required (of two exhausted parents) is enough to drive me into the wilderness screaming, never to return. I feel like Zack "gets it" some of the time, so you can appeal to his rationality, but other times you're offering a number of alternatives, a number of carrots and sticks, consequences are carefully weighed up, end results are presented as clearly as possible. And yet, you're still getting the whinging, whining three year old who is just being contrarian for the sake of it. After 45 minutes of ruining everyone's day...
Yup, then it's time for a smack

glue

Forgotten what it's like to have a toddler suffering from "separation anxiety"?? I have. and it's killing me. Calvin WILL NOT let me out of his sight. He sobs hysterically if I go upstairs to get dressed, or fetch a postage stamp (what I'm doing now - and blogging in frustration). If I put him down to walk a meter to pick something up he starts simpering or wailing. It's driving me up the bloody wall.

.... he wee-wee's like a waterfall

Don't know what's up with Zack, but he has just omitted bladder control from his functioning mind in the last 2 days. We've had nights where Keith's up at 12:30am with a soaked bed, 4am with another soaked bed. Then today I'm at the playground with himself, and he pee'd himself "nat" only minutes after I'd asked him if he wanted to go to the loo. Bloomin' 'eck ! What's a parent to do ? I think we're going back into night time nappies until we have some sanity. The washing machine cannot cope with much more, and we are out of bed linen that's clean and dry.

Family holiday - Johannesburg

Calvin didn't start walking (I had hoped he would), but speeded up the crawling

Spiderman is a current favourite - couldn't get the swimming costume off him some days

What more can I say ? The kids had a blast, we got to sleep in. We've come home rested and ready for what 2010 will throw at us

41/14 months

Zack just loves playing "I spy" and a slight variation of it, which we call "Ten Guesses" (which means that you have to guess something he can see - or not - but he doesn't have to identify the first letter). He's really into story telling, and loves it when we make up tales about Prince Zack and Prince Calvin, or Zack the Spiderman, etc. He's excellent at filling in the gaps in familiar stories, or describing regular activities.
He is getting better and better at phonetics, and can often identify the sound that starts the word. He is writing "Z" with confidence, but struggles with the "A" and the "K". He's getting there tho. He is a pro at doing up buttons now, so pyjamas are Zack's department.
Zack has progressed so well on the toilet training. He had an upset tummy earlier in the week, so we were cleaning up mucky underpants for the first time in ages, which made me appreciate just how far he's come. The last 2 nights have also been an achievement in that he's managed to go through without wetting his nappy. This bodes well, as we'd like to get him to be dry thru the night in the near future. I think it won't be long.
Calvin is more and more mobile. You really have to keep an eye on him. Just a moment ago, I came into the study to read the BBC news site and before I could blink he'd crawled up the stairs. He is able to climb up onto our Barcelona chairs in the lounge, unassisted; altho' he is unable to get onto the sofa which is slightly higher - he gets frustrated at that. He loves playing peek-a-boo, and goes from room to room saying, "Aaaahahhhh. Ba-ba. Duhd. Daah-dee. Yeaaa. Eeehhh. Eeeett. Deh. Daaa--ahh. Aaah-ti," and the usual simpering which means, 'I want my own way Mummy!' He certainly has learnt how to crank up the volume - and lets you know when he means business. I think people are surprised when he shouts, as they know him to be so passive and chilled.
Calvin is pointing alot and saying "Dee" when he does so. He is interested in lights, switches and buttons, and wants to turn them on and off. Keeping him away from the DVD-player is proving a challenge, as he's watched his brother use it, and also being a genius, knows which button to press to open the CD tray. Eek !
Keith has kept a Father's Day card, which has the theme tune from Star Trek playing when you open it. Calvin just loves opening and closing it, opening and closing it. I must try and get it on video to upload :)

early winter colds

Zack gets a paint-job at Early Learning Centre

We don't have H1N1 I believe, but the entire family's come down with nasty colds. Zack has a hacking cough (especially at night), Calvin is a green-snotty bub, Keith and I both have ENT infections. I think it's an indication of our mental state too – feeling run-down and over-wraught with all the goings on in the house and in our lives. The to-do list is overwhelming (tho' I hit it with all I've got during the weeks), the house has bits of mess in every room (eg. boxes, piles of paper, children's toys, discarded socks) and both feel exhausted in the evenings.
We had a lovely Saturday with friends – Corné & René – en route to Katmandu. They had a whole day to spend with us, and we loved going to the park, the playground & the pub. heh heh.

Corné

René

congratulations : utrecht

Ah Clint & Jeany have done it again. Safe delivery of little Oliver Fischer - congrats to both of you, and to Sadie & Jack on a new baby brother.

so much going on

When I see that I haven't posted anything in the last month, I know it's a testimony to just how busy you can get with two little people.

Calvin is crawling with ease now, and taking steps with his hands held. He loves 'walking' and is constantly begging you to lift him up so that he can go walk-about. He has six teeth – three on top (two and a half) and three at the bottom. He's had a bit of a cold, and a nasty viral rash a couple of weeks ago, but has made a full recovery.
He is really taking to solids and loves pasta and veggies, and of course - meat. He isn't very partial to bread tho' he will chew on a small bit here and there. His favourite fruit juice is lychee, and actually pushes apple juice aside if it's offered. He's learning to ask for things too. If he's mid-meal and is feeling thirsty, he'll say something like "dah day" and turn his head aside until he gets a cup. He is very eager to sip out of a cup, but so much of it goes down his front that I really need to be "in the mood" to indulge it, (and clean up afterwards/ do a clothing change).

enthusiastic session of nail-cutting "by myself"

Zack is continuing to mature. Today we were in a fabric store, and once we'd paid, Zack said "Let's get out of here."
I just laughed and laughed.
And last week, he said to me "Mommy, let's put my duvet on my bed like normal."
I just had to chuckle again - "like normal" obviously means 'as it should be'. Where did he get that from ?
Today was the nursery's Halloween Party. Zack doesn't go to nursery on Thursdays and I didn't make a special effort to go along. I feel a real reticence to support the Halloween celebrations, as he doesn't really understand it, and I hope that once he does, he'll know that Keith and I don't approve of the celebration of witches, devils, evil spirits, and all that goes with it. We want to celebrate life and the good things in it - when do we have a special day for that ?

Amazing.... said the Gruffalo I seem to say that all the time these days. Kids grow up so quickly.

congratulations : london

Simon & Mary Jenkinson have a baby boy - Christopher Luke, born this morning. How exciting!

on the move

Calvin can now crawl using all four limbs, and in a far more upright position. He's fast.
He's cutting two more teeth – incisors – the top two in front. Lots of dribbling, but I think we're nearly there.
Sleepwise, Calvin is still waking up regularly at 4am and crying. Sometimes I get up and settle him (70% of the time), other times it's Keith (15%) and the rest is us both lying there trying to be very disciplined about not going to him. We really need to make it more 30% going to him – there's no reason for waking up other than attention. Problem is, when it's your second child, you just want peace & quiet so you can go back to sleep. So you're actually reinforcing the bad behaviour.

We're having a few glorious moments with Zack. Yesterday on the tube, a chap got on at Camden Town (home of goths, alternative culture, punk, etc) with piercings on his face and a blue bandana. First thing Zack says is "what's that thing in his nose ?".
So I went through the list of possibilities, "Is it a boogie ?", "No,"
"Is it jewellery?", "Yes,"
"Is it a necklace?" (an in joke in our family), "No," he says rolling his eyes,
"Is it a bracelet?", "No,"
"Is it a jewel?", "Yes".
"Oooohhh".
and then, "Mommy, that man is a pirate," meaning the chap in the bandana.
"Yes," I say, "there is a pirate on the train."

Congratulations : naperville IL

Big surprise here : safe arrival of Etienne Lambert to Ryan & Lanelle. And a jolly healthy size too at 9lbs 8oz - well done Lanelle.

reconnoiter

I went and viewed the first primary school today : St James C of E Primary School. I hope to visit at least 4 before it's decision time. My impression was that it is a good school (Ofsted report is exemplary), the children all seem happy and confident, the administration is progressive, the head-teacher was open and at ease. Zack is eager to go there because he has friends attending already : Oskar, Jamie and Chloe - I don't think he realises that they're going to be a year ahead of him. It'll be nice for him to see them and have the familiarity to aid the settling process.
I hope to view the others nearby : Tetherdown Primary, Muswell Hill Primary, and our Lady of Muswell Hill Catholic Primary. I might see a few further away depending on how I feel after 4.

happy birthday Baby-cakes

Calvin turned 1 recently, and we had a little Birthday Tea for a few friends.

My friend Elly's little boy, Asante, had his naming ceremony too - a really special event.

Kwame and Elly say their lines

We've been quite busy altho' Summer seems to be over – it keeps surprising us with another few glorious days between the cool, grey, drizzle that is autumn in London.

Zack & Charlie on the dervish at Ally Pally's Fair

I took Zack for a haircut on Saturday, and despite visiting the kiddie's salon last Wednesday so that he would be familiar with the space, he still went mental when it was cutting time. In the end I sat in the chair and held him down while the hairdresser cut quickly. Keith was standing behind him placating, but it was all very traumatic : Zack screaming and thrashing, and mother trying to maintain a firm grip on a 25kg (55lb) toddler. Poor Calvin was asleep when it all started, but the noise woke him up and he was crying too. There were two other boys in the room having haircuts (probably 8 and 10 year olds), and they were amazed at the proceedings.
In the end Zack calmed down to a sob, and then went quiet. Throughout we were all saying what a good boy he is, that there isn't anything to be scared of, that the cutting doesn't hurt at all, that he is very brave, etc. etc. I think the previous stints at the barber's have scarred him for life! But by the time he walked out of the shop, he was fine (except for the hairs tickling him) and said "goodbye" and "thank you" for the balloon. The rest of the day was filled with "I am a brave boy", and our reinforcing "Yes, you are a very brave boy."
Hope next time is better.

The trauma of the haircut completely forgotten
– sitting on Mario's shoulders

up, up and away

Calvin is standing and loving it. Still only has three teeth, but there must be more on the way as there are signs of them coming - sore bottom, lots of drool and chewing his fingers.

make mine one with everything...

Recently I took Zack with me to Starbucks (I am addicted. There I've said it). He usually has a lolly. Instead he said he'd have the almond biscotti - my usual accompaniment - because I wasn't ordering it. As I was about to pay, he was offered the "babychino"- I see that Starbucks is now pumping this product big time. Zack quickly accepted and we paid and went and sat down. As soon as I took my seat next to him, he unwrapped the biscotti and handed me one of the two biscuits. He then said,
'Mummy, I'm having a latté".
I was caught completely off-guard.
'I beg your pardon?' I said.
'I'm having a latte.' He repeated.
I just had to laugh. That's my "usual", so he was just saying what he'd always heard. I corrected him with, 'No love, you're having a babychino'.
'Oh,' he said, 'I'm having a 'chino'.
'That's right,' I said.

zonked

Calvin has been up two nights running, teething. Last night I was up from 2:20am until nearly 4am and we tried everything - teething powder, Bonjela and lots of rocking and comforting. It didn't have much effect. Feeling pretty smashed today & the kitchen counters are being installed. Sigh...