Archives: jude

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.

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.

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.

Beautiful clear light this morning. It pissed it down last night – water thrashing on the roof & velux windows. I have to say, this is one aspect of sleeping in the attic room I really like. I smile to hear the rain beating down & the wind thrashing about.
I forgot to mention earlier in the week – probably Monday, as I didn’t type on Tuesday, that Jude has cut his 1st tooth (at last). Louise ways that he cut it’s neighbour yesterday – so there are 2 bottom teeth. I could not feel it, & have yet to actually see the 1st one – he likes to keep them covered with his tongue when he concedes to open his mouth…
Looked like Louise had to endure a day of mayhem yesterday. Hamish & Amber have returned from a trip to London, & were round to play a lot. The upstairs rooms seem to have been rearranged a little – chairs moved bedclothes everywhere. hmph. I tidied up their front bedroom when I got home as Louise was out with Jude getting shopping (delayed) & her mum was playing with Jack & Eve downstairs. Apparently Jack & Hamish had done a good job of tidying it already as they had scattered lego & bionicles everywhere – which was gone by the time I got to it. Ah – the world of small advances.

hmmm
Eve – she fell asleep on me going up to 6:00 yesterday…. poor lamb -jiggered. Put her off to bed with only a small protest, she did very well for it. Stirred only once before bedtime. She & Jack have swapped beds. She was falling asleep in his bed while he had his bath & then I’d move her… but Jack kinda decided that he’d have her bed. This is fine by Louise & I because she’s the one who usually calls out in the night for attention & for someone to come sleep with her. Jack’s bed is a full size (single) mattress & this is a darn sight more comfortable than the other & the futon, which was the other solution for sleeping with her. It all works better. Soon we hope to be getting them a bunk bed, which should be OK for having to sleep with them. Lately I seem to have been sleeping more with Eve than with Louise… which isn’t right… but then Jude sleeps in ‘our’ bed anyway (after he’s done his requisite in his own cot – hopefully it’s after midnight he stirs). If you’re not a parent – all this bed swapping business may seem odd – but parents of young children will realise you sleep where you can. Jack sleeps well nowadays. He rarely wakes up to call out. I’m sure he probably does stir, but he keeps it to himself for the most part. Can’t think when he last called out.
Jack has been very excitable this weekend. He’s had difficulty in … I was gong to say ‘keeping still’ but that’s always a problem. He’s certainly been feeling chipper, & understanding ‘no’ – or rather getting through with ‘no’ has been harder. He wants to – he really wants to. I had to turn the computer off a couple of times over the weekend as he was just getting carried away. With Eve off to sleep early last night we had to continually remind him to lower his voice & to stop jumping about the room… These are very difficult things for a 5 year old to do. Out walking over the weekend, he was either trailing behind seemingly lost in his thought or gleefully skipping on ahead. All this, of course makes Louise worry that this week’s half term break might be a little hard, but as she has said before… If Jack is in a good mood then it makes everything else easy. Of course, if Eve is ‘off colour’ which she well might be, then the balance tips negative again. She’s clingy & screamy when ‘off’. She was very dopey this morning – wanting to lie down & rest, where she’s usually full of beans to be up & about. Jude being awake when I got Louise up helped; he excites her. She was coughing a bit & demanded a drink. I wonder is she has a sore throat? She was also sick just as I was about to go out of the door. Didn’t see what happened, but she was eating some of Louise’s cereal at the time & blearg! Nothing dramatic in reach – just down herself, but still a mess… Quickly cleared before leaving though, & did not have to rush for the train to much.
On the computer front… I believe that I have managed to get it working for the most part – the CD writer, that is. I’ve ‘burnt’ most of my files, & the mac actually saw the disks. Next backup is applications & thence the may be the next big move. I have more memory ordered, & I have (dun-der-daaaaa!) OSX (10.2) ordered. Blimey. So – many more hours spent wrestling with the computer to get the darn thing doing what it’s supposed to do… but… but.. I have been rather keen to move to ’10’. I have a lot of applications that are going to have to stay in ‘classic’ – but nonetheless, I feel it will be worth it. I made up my mind after checking that all my peripherals would be OK – & it seems they will – even the scanner (although the drivers are still beta – but at least they are there!).
The plunge, as it were.

Well – on the stupidity of technology front… I think I’ve managed to burn a couple of CD’s on the burner. Allocating the damn software oodles more memory seemed to make that work a little more normality (not take years to do anything). CD’s were burnt disarmingly quickly (the hardware is, as suggested good), but coming to read the CD’s again on the DVD player that is incorporated into the mac… it didn’t recognise them… It didn’t recognise them when I put them in the CD burner for mounting on the desktop either… Wanted to initialise them… in a PC format as well! If it was not all so frustrating it would be funny… Mind you I’ve got past frustration & have now settled on bemused puzzlement. Oh, & Louise says that she is not against the idea of moving to OS X… coo (for those that do not know of what I speak: I presently use OS 9.0.4, & this would mean an upgrade to OS 10.2… which is a very radical shift as the whole thing changed completely on 10). Although this is an ambition of mine, I’m not so sure as to not think it wise to pursue a couple or other avenues 1st.
On the home front…. Louise got her eyes tested & has gone for a new pair with metal frames! Smaller than the ones that she was looking at the other day as well! Lawks! Oh, & the sunglasses as well – confirmed as the 1st time she will have some.
I collected Jack from school on my own yesterday & he was happy. Coming thru the front garden, he muttered that he wanted to get changed & do some work on the garden. Louise’s mum came back with her as she was visiting today & she & Jack & Eve did a little work in the garden. I have not had time to look at what was done, but weeds were pulled & Jack did a lot of snipping with the securers (as that is what he likes to do).
Jude was a little off form yesterday apparently. He ate his tea OK though & when he was upset a bit later; he did not throw it all up. He seems to be getting to that age when throwing up in protest at something is more commonplace than it should be. He had such a hardy constitution when he was younger (didn’t let anything go). Hopefully this is just a phase. Eve has not quite grown out of that phase yet.

Hey ho… Brain still awaiting catch up on the sleep thing. Nice & Groggy this morning.
Got my new CD-RW working last night after faffing about for a good while. The software the manufacturer supplies is… not great. By that I mean that certain unrequired components seem to freeze the mac on startup. I conclude that it is probably a clash with Login on my verson of Mac OS – which is well stinky.
It’s taken me a couple of nights of pratting about starting with extensions off to come to that conclusion – which is far more time than I’m willing to concede to any problem – but needs must. I now actually have facility to do a proper backup of my files – which is like – really amazing! Hmmm – that sounds a little ‘gosh, wow’ of me – but I have not been able to do a proper backup since I got the computer – which in my opinion is very unwise. I’ve had a few scary moments where I thought I’d lost all – & the risks become greater the more I accumulate. I’ve been taking loads of photos for nearly a year now without any safety net if I suffered major problems. Anyway – now begins the process of putting back extensions & hoping it doesn’t all go wobbly… Hey – That does give me the very good excuse of prattling with the kit to back up all files before doing that.
Thinking of doing some passive newspaper reading.
Summary on the home front: Jude is happy – seems past recent tummy upset. Standing up against everything he can. It is wise not to stand still for too long as he will crawl up to you & stand up against your legs now.
Eve is fractious – she has a back upper right molar which still has not come through proper. This makes her more barmy & volatile than usual. She is now going to Monday afternoon school playgroup as well. She likes it all & is not troubled by Louise leaving any more.
Jack is … well Jack, really; loving & boisterous.
Louise is going for an eye test tomorrow. The 1st in many years. A new pair of glasses! She may even get a pair of wire framed ones & a pair of free sunglasses!! Louise has never, as far as I know, had a pair of sunglasses – let alone prescription sunglasses.