Written by: paul

Louise was ill yesterday, so I stayed at home to get the kids to school & all that. I have things easy as she looks after Jude a bit as well – so Eve gets to play a little with me, rather than clamouring for attention away from Jude. I even managed to set her to play with a train set while I cleared the ‘top of the cellar’ area of all the stuff we push in there ‘out of the way’ – a job that’s needed to be done for far too long.

Jack went to school yesterday even though he protested that he was not so well the night before (I do not recall him complaining in the morning – but that does not mean that he didn’t). I bumped into him in the playground after taking Eve to school playgroup for the afternoon & he complained again quite plaintively. I cleaned his snotty nose & gave him a hug or two, but didn’t take him up on his offer to come home. Still, I felt guilty & tried to see what he was doing as I departed. He was with someone else, but I lost sight of him in the melee of playground. He had evidently complained to his teacher that he was not feeling so well as she mentioned it when they came out. She also said that he was shouting & laughing with the rest of them at the visiting theatre company they had in the afternoon. Hmmm….
They seem to have a lot of those… I recall one or two when I was at school, but they seem more abundant nowadays…

Jude cried a lot in the pushchair when I took him shopping. He was not sure at all about this ‘mummy being ill’ thing. He wanted her for reassurance, rather than mean ol’ daddy – so he was not for being held by others & not happy at being in a stationary pushchair (must – keep – moving!). He’s starting to engage a lot more. There are regular episodes of ‘holding up your hands’ at tea time. His facial expressions are amusing as well. He’s taken to doing quite a curled lip snarl. I’m not really sure why (what mood it imparts) but it may be to do with teething. He cut an upper left incisor last week (Thursday?). It’s funny when he snarls & then you make him smile – snarlsmile… heh.

Too tired this morning. Looked at the paper half heartedly for a second & then opted for sleep.
Been updating the online waffles to bring them more up to date after the delay caused by … OSX transference & inertia.

Louise off to Bradford yesterday to visit Aunties etc with Eve & Jude. They performed admirably by accounts. Eve got some new shoes (boots) as well. They’re a little C&W, but they suit her well.

I picked up Jack from school – he was a little lacklustre. He didn’t bash me, for once …well – not until we were nearly at the gates anyway. Quite a nice change not having to dodge flying book bag & lunch box. I have got into the habit of getting them from him before he can wallop me, but I was carrying shopping yesterday.
When he got home he proclaimed that he was tired & would like to go to sleep. He played on the computer for a bit instead. I helped him for a bit & then did a smattering of tidying up before Louise got home.
Jack protested he had stomach ache in the night. I’m too sleepy to be effective then, “Go back to sleep Jack. We both need to get more sleep”. He was not that good in the morning apparently, but was keen to be off to school as it’s ‘tuck’ today & he had some Jumble for the Jumble Sale as well.
I learn these details as Louise called at work. She was supposed to be meeting someone today, but cannot as Eve had fallen asleep & Jude had just woken up & been sick on her. The kids, as a whole, seem to be off colour at the moment. I have a shopping list again.

Cor – the kids all asleep as I left the house. I kinda miss not engaging with them – but Eve has the habit of rising too early & being perpetually tired on an evening. Things rather came to a head yesterday as they were all tired & we were tired & bedtime rather went to pot. Jack got mad with us & splashed Louise &would not calm down & do as he was told. It all ended in tears & hugs. hmm… at least no one was sick…
Oh – I realised how I might get my ramblings off the eMate yesterday. I need not worry about synchronisation for the moment (& having to actually read instructions – I can put that off – woo!). I can just email stuff off the eMate to myself. Tested & worked fine.

Um…
Louise said that they said that they’d like 20 Eve’s at playgroup…. Odd I thought – they want 20 mad things that jump about dangerously shout a lot & made silly noses? They must be bonkers! But of course this is home behaviour – not playgroup behaviour. I imagine that she shows her more compliant side there – but I can’t imagine the (grasps for right adjective but can only come up with…) lively nature is completely suppressed. I imagine there’s a glint in her eye at least, after all – it is alleged that she taught Andrea (playgroup adult) how to swing her hips.

Right – I know there’s a dozen anecdotes that Louise threw at me yesterday (not with the intention I’d be writing anything – she cares little for what I blather). It proves to me again that I cannot think straight in the mornings – but hey – it’s the only time I get.

um…
Well – I still have not managed to extract the files from my newton to OSX.
Bah
At least I can back things up onto a memory card now – but all the same – this is not good. I’m actually going to have to do some reading & research.
This is not to disparage OSX – I’ve never been able to get the blighter to work with a PC or the older mac in the office – so it’s… one of those things, perhaps. I could still bash away trying to do other connection type things, but I think reading would be good now.

Jude has been going through a few subtle changes of recent. There are a whole new slew of facial expressions, including a very good sneer; lots of ‘amazed’ & happy faces also. He’s starting to copy – I put my hand up at the dinner table & he copies from his high chair… & then everyone puts their hands up. He’s also moving around very deftly on his feet. He doesn’t balance properly yet – well – not for more than a few seconds anyway – so is not really near walking on his own yet.
Louise took Eve to the supermarket & the tacky Xmas decorations were up. She says Eve just exploded with excitement at it all. She was nearly screaming at Xmas…. Oh boy… she knows…
That reminds me – I really must get in touch with me dad about getting a lift down to Somerset for Xmas. If he can’t its getting time to book the train.

Better sleep last night. I sometimes gauge my wakefulness on how I manage to prepare breakfast – more that one brand of cereal for each bowl y’see – so can I get it all right? I failed again this morning – but only to a minor point. Louise got a few crunchy nut cornflakes – which I’m sure she won’t mind.
Apparently I took some cajoling to get out of bed to go comfort the nightly howl from Eve. Don’t remember if she made it up the attic stairs or not, but I woke up with her at 4:10 & thought I’d get more room in our bed upstairs. I was wrong… but at least it’s the bed I’m supposed to sleep in. Jack grew out of waking in the night from all noise & bluster. Hopefully Eve will soon… but then there will be Jude. Hmmm… as I went upstairs to wake Louise & collect Jude this morning (he always seems awake at that time at the moment) he uttered faux words. Me in my tired state thought that one of the other kids must be up there – but no – it was he. He is using a wider range of noises at the moment, & that was one of those moments where he uses the intonation of a sentence.
Louise hoped she was beating her cold yesterday, but she awoke this morning as stuffed as ever. It’s not like her to have one in the 1st place, but she’s stuck with a real pest at the moment.

Poor little brain want more sleep.
Later I talk of…

Train home

hmm… does my brain work yet? I’ve been at work all day, but that does not mean…
Been up too late too much of recent – not really a good idea.
Why? Mostly just prating about. I have been trying to figure a way of getting files of this eMate & into OSX at home. Should all be logically easy – but I seem to have conspired against myself in an attempt to make things difficult. Hey ho.

Caroline came over for the day yesterday as well. She’s been oop north at a conference & opted to come over & see us. Stayed up too late again.
Should go bed earlier, but good company.
Silly
Stop now

No typing yesterday – stood in the rain for an age falling asleep waiting for the train to arrive & it was somewhat crowded when it did.

Eve’s birthday went rather well – she had lots of presents… We’d accumulated quite a few. Much excitement for her; when I got home on Wednesday she was a whirlwind of it, showing me this, showing me that. They’d sung “Happy Birthday” to her at playgroup & oh, a million other things. Happy, but already starting on the road to tired & delirious. Tea was early – pancakes & strawberries & raspberries. They scoffed all the fruit & I had a couple of pancakes. My mum briefly called & Eve shouted to her that it was her birthday to her down the phone. Eve had been anticipating the birthday since before Louise’s birthday – so it’s hardly surprising she was a bit excitable. It’s the 1st ‘occasion’ that she’s really ‘appreciated’.
That night she went to sleep straight off. Excitement being the only thing keeping her going by then, once calmed she was out.
Jack was in the bath when he complained of not feeling well. We got him out & got him dressed, then back to the bathroom to be sick. He’s not often that ill, but he has been ill on scoffing ‘too much fruit’. The raspberries were not as ripe as Louise would have liked for letting the kids have them …that’s probably what was to blame. Jack was awake again before 11:00 & I could not get him to settle again. In the end I got to bed at 12:30 …& then woke up a bit later to start a night of going up & down stairs to see how the kids were. Eve was probably suffering from the raspberries as well as they both had disjointed sleep. All were also awake when I was due to get up at 5:30… We’ve all had better nights …shame – tarnished a really good day.
Louise called me at work yesterday morning as Jude had torn Jack’s library book & she needed to know what I had done with the cellotape after present wrapping. The library book needed to be returned to school that day. I ended up with Jack on the phone, which evaporated my grumpiness by him saying, “Sorry for keeping you awake last night Paul”. Oh, my kids call me Paul & Louise Mum or Louise. I rarely get called daddy by Jack. Without Jack Eve calls me daddy.
They all did very well yesterday evening for the tiredness they must have felt. There was basically the one incident when I got home of Jack bashing Eve on the head for taking a sticker. This caused her to be sick. You can tell when upset will result in vomit from Eve by the way she cries. Louise’s mum was there & had a go at helping her; tried to calm her down, but that’s a little pointless sometimes when she’s ‘crying like that’. She took her to the kitchen & managed to hold her all wrong by the sink & ended up with sick on her jumper. Hey ho. Eve soon calms down & is onto other things.

Did a little shopping in Manchester on the way home – picked up my sunglasses (well pleased) & a few essentially for home. Popped into a record shop (as I just cannot resist) & had an impulse buy of the latest ‘best of’ from EBTG. Made the evening go well – all heads nodding to the music at tea time …well …except Jude.
Jack slept well last night; Eve a little less so. We all were in bed early as …well …it was needed.

EVE’S BIRTHDAY TODAY!
Kinda hard to believe she is only 3.

A good nights sleep last night as well – still feel a bit groggy, but that may be because the previous night was so grotty & I had no ill affects yesterday… It’s gotta give somewhere.

Only Jude awake when I left the house this morning, which in a way was a shame as it would have been nice to see Eve open a couple of presents. Am I mad? This is my daughter’s birthday! I should be at home!

Louise was telling a whole bunch of amusing anecdotes about the kids yesterday, but I can’t remember bugger all. This is certainly one of the deficiencies of writing this stuff when my head is a fog. I remember she said that Eve said that she did not want to be a baby now, as she was a BIG GIRL!
Jude is balancing – he’s been standing for a while & this past week he’s been walking around the furniture a lot. He’s now just started ‘letting go’. Only for a very short moment – but he’s doing it.

Just made myself cringe and sink internally for a moment as I recall that I caught Eve’s fingers in the door frame yesterday. Jude is trying to climb the stairs (he can do now, but certainly not without supervision as he slips sometimes). Eve was trying to help move him from the bottom of the stairs & I then made to close the door – which wasn’t closing – because Eve had her fingers in the space where the frame closes in… & there was this little grinding noise of her fingers squashing…. eurg…
She cried a lot…nearly was not sick – but that was inevitable in the end. Two little crease lines on her fingers looking like it was very close to breaking the skin. I was worried I’d done some real damage, but she was able to bend them without any problems. Plasters were put on – she demanded them & I guess they act a little as a placebo. They’ll also help her to keep her fingers padded & straight.
Didn’t like that.

Jack’s tired at the moment – he’s playing up a bit – being a bit of a ‘wild boy’ sometimes at home. Still has some sleep to catch up on methinks? Having said that he & Eve played together very well last night before bed. Very much as a unit, no bickering & sniping. To bed a little later due to good behaviour.

Good weekend!
My brother & wife Jess came up for a visit this weekend. They arrived on the Saturday afternoon bearing gifts (& as Eve pointed out, some “bottles”). The gifts were basically for Eve’s birthday this week. Being our kids most were opened straight off (Jack had a little gift as well). Present from Mum & Dad also arrived. Much excitement & quite a bit of fun. They got a game that involves hammer (#lov-ley!) & there’s a nifty new ladybird rain mac for Eve – she likes it & was wearing it quite a bit.
It’s good to see my brother; I haven’t seen him in quite a while.

I was a little bit of a bad host at times as the OS 9 upgrade disk arrived. Found it at the door when I got home on Friday. It went in for upgrading before I went to pick Jack up from school. When I got Jack home I started upgrading to OSX – we went off to the supermarket for tea – so I left it installing from the second CD & when we got back it was all done. Coo! I’m happy – at all works very well. I make a conscious decision not to whitter in a geeky fashion – happy little geek that I am.

Hamish & Amber came round on the Saturday afternoon before Neil & Jess arrived. We went out into the garden to look at the frog that I released from the dustbin. Um… we have a dustbin without a lid that has never been used just stood on the front patio. Jack had put some cuttings from the hydrangea in there & it has filled with rain over the last couple of weeks, somewhat. We spotted a frog in there that morning & Jack was most interested in it. He was keen to show it off, but Louise & I realised that it probably couldn’t get out as the bin was not that full of water & there was nothing for it to jump from. Jack was rather upset at me for releasing it, but did seem to accept that perhaps it would not have been good to keep it there. They were actually frog gawping when Neil arrived. Neil managed to tire out Jack & Hamish a bit by getting them to run about. Not sure how he initiated it all, but he was timing them running between the sofa & chaise longue – having to run back & forth between the 2 touching each. Jack managed a best of 43 in a minute, but could not better it, & Hamish managed to nudge his total over Jack’s to 46. Amazing bit of distraction & a very good way of burning off some of Jack’s excess energy that he was bouncing from since their arrival. He still managed to stay up late though – he watched Monsters Inc again with Neil & Jess while Louise & I got Jude & Eve off to sleep.

We went swimming on Sunday morning – it’s Jack’s swimming lesson day – so we need to go anyway. He enjoyed himself greatly & is getting quite used to the water. Neil was getting him to go underwater & blow out bubbles. Jack needed his mask for this. After an hour Jack was still reluctant to get out of the pool, but relented as Neil & Jess were going. On the way home in through the park he stuck with them & played on the roundabout & seesaw while Louise & I pushed Eve on the swing. Home & Jack played on the Internet & Neil watched him & helped for a bit as well, before they had to head off home.

Yeay! Managed to get a haircut! That’s better.

Hazel – Louise’s pal from London sent the kids an enormous bunch of pens & paper & stickers yesterday. Cor! It kept them jolly busy until tea time – allowing me to prat about getting little jobs done. Made for quite a productive little time.

Still no OS9.2.2, (pedant in my version descriptions, eh?) when I got home. Unfortunately I looked at the apple site again with details as to delivery times & all that & noted with some dismay, that although they claim to have a 2/3 day turn around, they also state that it can take 7 to 14 working (not normal) days for the goods to arrive – which means that I have only really touched the 7 working days limit. Bah! More being ‘adult’ & patient.