Written by: paul

“It’s going to be commuter chaos in the north & north east today” Radio4 are saying.
This is another train strike day – so I will be taking a later train from a non-striking company. This gets me to work, but I only get halfway home – the other half has to be done by bus. Hey ho – a considerable increase on my travelling time & no real chance to type as these trains do not have tables – even flip down jobbies on the back of the seat in front.

The kids are still asleep this morning (at the moment). It’s all quite.
Right – best get me bag ready to be off… bah!

All awake as I left this morning again. Unlike last – was it Thursday – no one was crying.
Eve most certainly is getting better now. She had quite an appetite yesterday & she slept through the night. Jack is a little off colour again. I think the cold ran him down last week as he got a spot of impetigo again. What looked like bump on his eye became a little sore, which only got a little bigger before we decided to get something for him. As it’s on the eyelid, it’s a bottle of medicine. Went late to the surgery on Saturday. It was shut, but Louise saw a pharmacist waiting to leave who is also a mother whom she know. She let Louise in to the surgery & she got a prescription from a Dr who took pains to point out how lucky she was to have seen him. It’s true – we were very lucky there as if we’d allowed the rash on his eyelid to get any worse (it was only tiny at that point) Jack could have been in quite a bit of discomfort; pain, even.
Jude is growing. I wonder how much he weighs now. Louise was speculating 9lbs… I guess it’s distinctly possible. Jack has grown as well. At first we though he might just be looking a bit skinnier because he’s been under the weather with the cold he got from Eve, but looking at him again yesterday, he was taller. Noticeably having that little more clearance looking onto tables & the work surface in the kitchen. Able to reach higher that you’d like him to have the ability.
brain has started drifting – I stop typing today

The kids went to bed ‘early’ last night. Only a matter of half an hour to an hour… but they certainly needed it. It was an order as well.
Just after tea Eve had got a wooden jigsaw out & was playing with it very happily – & doing rather well with it as well. It’s a proper wooden one with big chunky pieces. She was just figuring out the penultimate bit when Jack noticed & pinched the final bit. So there we were – at stand-off. Jack refusing to give up the final bit & Eve very upset that he had it. No reasoning worked & Eve got so upset she just pulled the jigsaw apart again. Hmph!
I got on with the washing up & the stroppiness continued in the front room. No, I don’t really recall what exactly happened, but Jack was not playing nicely at all. I came into the front room to try to calm things, & didn’t succeed. Could I really expect to? Jack wanted the toy that Eve had even though there was another near exact one that he was rejecting. I ended up having something thrown at me, & Louise after trying various things said that it was definitely time for bed. I carried a protesting Jack upstairs & Eve following upset that Jack was upset (but still carrying the toy that was causing the confrontation). I managed to get Jack nearly calmed down, when ‘that toy’ started it all off again. Louise followed upstairs with Jude. Jack was in full tantrum howl & she held onto him while I ran the bath for Eve to distract her & calm her down. Jude woke up so I held him while Eve had a bath. She quite enjoyed her bath & was not really worried that Jack was still protesting. He wanted to go downstairs, but Louise was not letting him. What would he do there now anyway – we had the bath done; it was – without denial – now bath time. He became more compliant (somewhere there a hold turns into a hug) & had just about drifted off in Louise’s arms (changed into pyjamas), by the time Eve was out the bath. He stirred again to be put into bed & be read to. They both fell asleep in Jack’s bed. They were both somewhat over tired. Sleeping angels.
Jack was awake before went to work & although not in a great mood (he’s still not feeling “very well” & was not sure he wanted to go to school) he was in a sweet & loving mood. He is going out with William after school. There’s a group of adults & William’s older brother & a friend of his as well. Something called ‘The Wacky Warehouse’. Has food – & a veggie menu- so he should be OK. Hope he enjoys it.

On train home.
I’m sure there is a lot more I am meaning to say, but my fuzzy brain is not getting past the here & now very well.
Things seem to be calming down in the house more at the moment. Jack & Eve still have coughs & Eve still seems to run the occasional temperature, which is worrying, but then she may well also be teething – so it’s not exactly unusual in those circumstances. Jack is less apt to ‘play up’ at the moment, so that is good. Louise & I were chatting on this last night & he seems a lot like me really – needs positive affirmation & telling him not do something meets with obstinance. Ah well…. I wonder if such things are genetic?

Lost the thread of thinking from yesterday again.
As I left for work this morning Louise was downstairs feeding Jude & Eve erupted & tearful shouts upstairs. I was late, but I went to get her. Settled in next to Louise & Jude on the sofa & Jack does the same tearful shouting from upstairs. Go get Jack to – settle in… etc. Jack was upset as I was just going to go. Quick kisses all round & run for the train. Naturally the train is late anyway & I stand around in the rain for a while (sigh). Eve is not really better yet & is still not really eating well, & now Jack seems to be similarly afflicted. He went to school yesterday, but it seems that on Monday there were 10 of his class missing, so there’s certainly something around town at the moment.
Hmmm – slow train this morning – looks like I could be late for work at this rate :)
Jack jumped off the toy chest at the end of his bed & onto his bed the last week. Jack & Eve do this a lot. The problem this time was that the curtain was in the way & he landed on it pulling the curtain rail down. It was one of those situations where it’s pointless getting mad. We weren’t in the room at the time, so I’m not really sure what happened, but Jack came downstairs to tell me what had happened – which is good of him. It was a confused telling of what was wrong, so I needed to go upstairs to see, but he did not try to blame anyone but himself. I disappointed him on Sunday by not being able to put up the replacement blind that I had bought the other day. I needed some wall plugs & I didn’t have any of the right ones & could not find anywhere to buy them. Consequently dad helped put up another blind when he arrived yesterday. That’s 2 visits where he’s had to do that now. We also put up a new (moon) light that they’d bought for the kid’s room at Ikea.

Yeay – my parents came a visiting yesterday. Was very good to see them. Jack was kept in the dark about it & I had just got both he & Eve downstairs & settled in when there was a knock at the door. “Is it Neil & Jess?” he asked. He may have heard Louise & I talking of something going on the day before & maybe was having a good guess… almost right…
Had a very good day. There was no rushing off early this time – they stayed around a nice long while – all day! No stress & so forth. We did not opt to go rushing off to Skipton or anything as, for a start Eve was not that well still (& is still not better this morning). She was a lot perkier, but not 100% & certainly not well enough for a car journey of any distance. Went to Hebden Bridge for lunch & that was about it. It’s a shame… Eve is rarely unwell, but when mum & dad come it seems to coincide. At least her temperature is more under control. We think she has met a quite nasty cold just at the same time as a bit of teething is starting up or the teething is exacerbating the cold – either way one seems to multiply the other & she’s not having a good time of it. Still she manages to be happy most of the time, she’s just rather fragile. Jack seems to be at least hitting the cough/cold side of things this morning (all awake before I left which was too early). I don’t know if Louise is going to manage to get him off to school, but it could prove a bit of a difficult day if not – fragile Eve & Jack being… less accommodating because he is not feeling great & is suffering a lack of sleep. Oh, & not forgetting Jude who is on a ‘feed me’ session at the moment. He was insatiable last evening/night, but then he sleeps mostly through…. Weird. Good, but weird; you don’t expect a 3 week old baby to be so compliant in their sleeping.
I wonder when Jack will master the art of sleeping through? Hey ho, why bother when we don’t really mind?
Took Jack for his first ‘swim’ on Sunday Evening. I was worried Leaving Louise with an upset Eve (& a feeding Jude) but we had said to Jack that he could go if he wanted, & he wanted. It’s been a rather long time since I went swimming, so I was rather nervous as well. Still, we figured out how the changing rooms regime & were ready. Slightly perplexed by the lack of footbath, (…but there’s always a footbath…) but there was a shower thing & then you were at the pool. Goggles on & down the stairs & into the pool. Jack enjoyed it greatly. I was worried that he would not like getting his head submerged, but it didn’t worry him. I don’t think he swallowed that much water as we floundered around for half an hour or so, and he was not unduly upset by water up his nose.

Just a some pictures of clouds taken by Jack & I on the way home after picking him up from school.

Last 2 days I’ve been travelling on trains with no tables & half journeys on buses – so no chance for typing on the move.
The little evening with William went very well. Jack was a bit ‘gross’ with his Jelly & ice cream & they were a bit difficult with the concept of William having to go home – Jack cried as their car pulled away. The good point is that we got it wrong thinking yesterday was William’s last day. That seems to be next week & then Jack is invited out for an evening with William!
Eve is unwell. I am tired. Louise was worrying about her in the night & we three were awake as a consequence. She does have a temperature: 39.1 degrees, but the fact that she has a bit of a nasty cough & associated heavy breathing & her night time drowsiness alarmed Louise to the point where she needed to feel assured. My assertion that I thought she was fine was not enough as I sounded grumpy due to being awake when I’d rather be asleep. She called NHS Direct & talked to a nurse about the fever & so forth & got some sensible advice. She called again later as she was further worried, & got a better ‘diagnosis’ that allowed her to asses Eve’s symptoms a little better & have a few things to look out for. Eve is certainly not that well, & was very ‘clingy’ this morning, but she will hopefully be more sprightly as the day continues.