Archives: jude

I dithered about for an age in B&Q yesterday considering paint colour.
I eventually settled on woodwork colour, but dithered too much on the wall colour & got the one that we thought we might originally. It doesn’t really go with the woodwork colour though, but no matter – it can be used for the back room downstairs, as it needs doing this year as well. We have decided on a wall colour now – so I can go get that next week or something. Jack was very keen to start painting as soon as he saw me lugging it home. I was vague on the subject, but I did do a bit of painting last night – just to make a start & to see what it came out like. Nice.
Feel like I’m actually making progress now. The damp from February’s rain is still there. Looking at it very very closely yesterday it seems it could well be actually starting to dry out. Not a lot – but it seems to be… This is slower than it used to dry – whether this be because of the sealing in they have done has caught whatever was actually letting in water, or whether this is due to the volume of water that needs to dry out – I dunno.

Jude still has a cold. He was having problems breathing & feeding in the night because of his blocked nose. He was managing though – & he wasn’t getting distressed or upset. He has a health visitor coming to see him today. I imagine he’ll be weighed & all that. He certainly seems a growing lad. His eyes do not seem to be remaining blue. They have light brown round the iris at the moment. Still no clear idea what his hair color might be. It is growing (aside from the little bald patch as the back that babies get from lying down all the time & moving their head about a lot) but it’s still just a mousy brown. There are hints of lighter colour & red when through light… but nothing dominant. He’s murmuring & gurgling quite a bit nowadays – lovely sounds for parents. He loves watching his brother & sister. Louise was outside with him yesterday & he was happily watching his siblings & the world in general, when Louise had to pop inside for something (tissue for Eve’s nose?). He was crying as soon as she went into the house, but stopped again as soon as he was outside again.
On the whole I think the kids are feeling better. Last night Eve slept through the night in her own bed & Jack managed the same the night before.

Jude is not so well at the moment. He has a bit of a cough & is having to deal with a blocked nose & all that. He’s coping quite well really… He’s not especially happy, but he complains little. He’s not throwing up or anything more than usual. Speaking of which – Eve did yesterday evening. She tripped up over her ball, & the boy who passed it to her & probably caused it, “Didn’t say sorry”. She fell over again coming up the street home, so whether it was that fall of before (it’s difficult to say – not seeing the initial, but the latter being a nasty fall) but she managed to bump her head quite badly. The reason she was sick was because she was so upset. Poor lamb.
Jack started nagging me about the garden before I even got him home from school yesterday. I would say that he likes gardening. For want of anything else to do, & to quiet his pleadings, we ‘dead headed’ the daffodils – which are getting quite past their best by now. I suspect that it was enough to satiate him as I ended up finishing it off. He’d disappeared for a while, but now I realise he must have been taking in Louise a flower that Eve had plucked as her contribution to the activity. Hey – they’re puling flowers – I’ll pull …this!… one. “Eeya-ar daddy!”. Mauve primula by the kitchen sink in a little jar.
Plans that Louise & I do the attic went awry. Louise went to bed & I did a little bit of filling between the wall & skirting where I noted a gap the other day. I then proceeded to scan an old comic as I found the ‘printing’ proofs on Sunday when we were tidying & sorting – 1st stage to putting those on my web space as well.
Still not made my definitive decision on what colour paint to but – but I will buy some on the way home tonight.

Train home. The kids actually went off to sleep OK yesterday…well… ok perhaps that’s an exaggeration. Jack wanted to play downstairs with his Lego rather than consider coming upstairs to bed & screamed & shouted & accused me of trying to make him unhappy when I carried him up. I had made him cry & scream earlier in the evening as well. He wanted some crisps just before tea, & was refused. We endured a good ten minutes of howling & harrying on the subject. We did settle on the compromise of letting them (as Jack wants, Eve wants) have a bowl of rice crisp things in a bowl with tea.
Louise is still worried about Eve, so I think she is going to ask the health visitor’s advice, as she doesn’t feel confident with much else. Essentially Eve seems OK, she seems a little pale, & she does have a cough at the moment to compound things. She does not seem quite her usual self though. She is more often than not having a sleep through the day & seems listless. She does not sleep so well in general. It’s difficult to put your finger on precisely, but after being ill the other week, she seems to still be drained. The Health Visitor is due to see Jude, I think, but Louise is alerting her to the fact that she’d like to have a word about Eve.
Occurs to me I’m tired now… might sleep.

Jack was late off to sleep again last night. Hopefully he will sleep in a bit thins morning…
Perhaps “A Comet in Moominland” is just too stimulating for him… I dunno. He seems to be enjoying it as his bedtime read, as do I, but he got alarmed that Momintroll fell off a cliff pushing a boulder over with Snufkin. They were roped together though – so he didn’t fall, but I had to explain twice that the boulder was not going to fall on then as they had pushed it. Then he wanted to root down further into his bed, so I had to move Jude, who was sleeping on Jack’s bed after falling asleep with Louise (Louise subsequently having gone to do sandwiches for lunches & ironing & suchlike). Jude did not go into the cot without waking up, so Jack did not get more stories, but had to try to get off to sleep on his own while I went through the process of trying to calm Jude down & then put him back in his cot. Jude was not for being put down, & Jack had a struggle to get asleep. He did sleep eventually, but time probably drifted past 10:00 – which was even later than yesterday… Poor boy will be tired at school.
Oh, & I’m tired as well as it was past 11:00 again before I managed to get to bed, what with having a bath & all. At least Hattie is coming over to day to look t the shower & see what needs to be done.
Oh, talking of work to be done on the house. The roof. I’m not sure what it is, as Louise was discussing it& I only got the end of the conversation… & have not got round to getting it clear in my head what is going on. Anyway – they are coming back to put some ventilation on the roof. I’m not really sure what this entails. I think Louise says ventilating ridge tiles – which should be interesting as imagine that they will change the profile of the roof. May have completely the wrong end of the stick, though.

Well, at least I had Monday off.

A very low-key day yesterday. Carolyn (Louise’s chum) Paul & baby Katie came a visiting yesterday. We nearly said ‘don’t’ as Eve was ill the night before. She threw up her pasta from tea in the early hours & was running a temperature. She was quite a mess, but somehow Louise managed to prevent her making a mess of our bed & everything as well. In the morning she was pallid & gray 1st thing & Louise was ready to call off the visit, as if she was ill – then it would not be good to have Eve spreading such a thing to a younger babe. She perked up considerably after having some breakfast though – so the visit was still on. Jack had been looking forward to it their visit for some time – so was rather relieved. They enjoyed it, & seeing a 6-month babe made you realise that Jude is not that big after all. We were starting to think that he was starting to get big, but he looked all small again. Katie was 6 months that day. A happy little soul who can roll about. She rolls rather than crawls much as a method of propulsion. Jack & Eve were crawlers… well – actually, Eve spent little time crawling from what I recall – so determined was she to be on 2 feet that she was never truly proficient. Jack could crawl at one hell of a pace.

Heh… a piece of nice abstract understanding from Eve. I was changing her nappy & she noticed that she had the same design nappy as Jude (Same make) & she decided that I was putting on one of Jude’s nappies onto her. So, I play along a little & after the nappy was fitted, I asked her, “Is that comfortable Jude?”. She paused to think a minute… “Yes!” says she in a slightly squeakier voice (pretending to be Jude).

Playing cars yesterday afternoon with Jack. There’s a lot of crashing of goodie cars into baddie cars. This with the occasional looks at the television that had a compilation of MGM musical numbers on. We were hoping that there would be some ‘wizard of oz’ as that’s what was on the telly when I turned it on. He likes the tune “if ever and ever a Wiz there was the Wizard of Oz is one because, because, because… etc” – but he’s never really seen any of the film… It’s staring to take on mythic qualities… I hope he’s not disappointed when he does get to see it.

The kids where in the front garden as I got home yesterday, so it seemed natural to do some gardening. We got some plants from our neighbour, Caroline, for Easter, & popped those in where I hope they will go well. Jack & I also set about trying to dig some of the moss from the beds. Its been trying to take over & makes it all look rather untidy. Jack does like gardening. It’s not just the mud (which seem to be Eve’s favorite) but the plants & the care as well.

Eve was ill again yesterday. Louise is worried that she has a milk intolerance (basically doe to the consistency of yesterday’s puke). It seems to have started all of a sudden if that be the case… She is reported as falling asleep twice during the day, & refusing medicine. Although, after tea, she did ask me if she could have some medicine -which I found worrying… Was she feeling poorly? I quizzed her as to where it might be hurting? Head? Stomach? She pointed to the back teeth in her mouth we know is teething at the moment… Hmmm… I really can’t conceive that all this disruption to her system is caused by teething.

Jude & I played ‘put the baby down/pick the baby up’ at bed time yesterday. Jack & Eve were asleep, & so (in theory) was Jude… So Pick Jude up to put him in the cot. He lays down fine. Put some books away… Snuffling noises – Oh, Jude’s got his eyes open & is waving indignant arms & legs. I picked him up & he’s a mad little boy, but hold him firm & he soon drifts off to sleep again (before we’ve made our way to the end of the hall). Delicately meander back to the bedroom & try to put him down. He detects the horizontal, so eyes are open once more, & protest starts. OK – back to shoulder …and hey, he’s asleep again… How does he do that? Different tack. Still holding at carrying height, I get him to the horizontal. Purses lips & relaxes again. Try to lower him into the cot… gently… slowly… head on the cot… let go of his bum so only my hand on the back of his head… slip my hand gently from the back of his head.. EYES OPEN!
Doh!
Start again.
All the above only more cautiously, but this time I keep my hands around his head… he holds onto my arm, but starts to relax & his arm drifts back… He has his face nuzzled into my palm, so gradually move. Not gradually enough – he starts to stir. Lean over right into him so that it might just give the impression I’m still holding him. It work – he relaxes again. Pull back again to the point where he release my arm & I can start moving my palm away again… ok – just a little further… Yes – he is asleep in the cot. YES! Pootle off switching the baby monitor on & triumphantly let Louise know that he’s asleep at last. Turn the monitor on downstairs – wait 2 minutes & dash back upstairs as I can hear him waking up again <sigh>. This time he’s not so easily tricked. He is mad at me & calm down won’t so easily when I pick him up. Bother. Louise comes up to announce that she’ll go to bed, & he can go in with her. It’s a good excuse to go to bed (she admits later) as she’s tired out anyway. By the time Louise is ready for me to pass him over he’s just about calmed asleep again – but what the hell – if he wasn’t with Louise he probably wouldn’t be happy. Some nights he’s compliant, some not.

What’s been happening of recent? Hmmm
The weather has been uncommonly pleasant – We’ve been playing out (the kids & I). Been enjoying the evenings. Jack has had the scooter out again. My parents gave him for his birthday last year, but Hamish fell off it & split his lip (falling on the wall?) so badly that he had to go to hospital to have a stitch or 2 in. Louise finally relented & let him play with it again. Initially in the front garden, as the space is limited to up & down the path. He then managed to bargain venturing out onto the street a little. He’s now tearing up & down the back street – with its moderately steep incline. He’s quite confident on it, & doesn’t fall off it much. Still – with one thing & another his shins are rather bruised at the moment. Dalmatian.
I did not go to work yesterday, as it was Good Friday. We went to Bradford & it was quiet; not a frantic push past the shoppers day. Nerves stayed intact. Rather enjoyed that.
Manchester arrives at the train again – darn it -sometimes I wish it would not keep running into this train. Perhaps the train will find somewhere more fun for me one of these days?

Bad news – Louise has also fallen prey to the stomach bug I now
have. At least she knows to avoid eating solids, so should not
encounter any more ‘stomach cramps’. In a way, she was lucky that
she 1st got it in the afternoon (was suffering bad when I got home
yesterday) as it subsided enough to let her still have a reasonable
night’s sleep.
Led to an odd evening last night. Eve was tired, as she had not
managed to get a sleep during the day. She eventually was tipped
into total upset by a very slight thing; Jack attempting to coax
her indoors from the back yard as it was starting to rain. Floods
of hysterical tears & she wanted only “mummeee”. Eventually she
fell asleep (most likely with a sob) on the sofa, curled up with
Louise. Louise took to bed upstairs as she was not well – & I
attempted to move the sleeping Eve into her cot upstairs. Jack was
a little too willing to help, & she woke up – thus went into
our bed with Louise. This left Jack & I on our own. I made his
tea – just teacake with melted cheese (my… the thought of cheese
even now is infuriating, as I can mentally taste it – but fear
reprisal from my stomach for eating it). He scoffed a lot. He
chattered a lot, I was lazy enough to try to veg in front of the
telly news, but got roped into playing with Lego (duplo) bricks
& building towers. Louise came back downstairs & we popped
out late to get some supplies from the shop. He went in the
pushchair as he was a little tired & it would have been a bit
much carrying bottles of drink & him on my shoulders. As having
a bath would have disturbed Eve he just got changed him into ‘jamas
when he got back & read to him for a bit downstairs. As he was
showing little sigh of actually going to sleep (it’s just that
little bit exiting being read to downstairs) I took him upstairs to
his room & he was off to sleep with 10 minutes reading up
there. Aw…
Hmmm this morning’s train has either a foolhardy driver or the
brakes are not working properly. He is consistently overshooting
the platform. The conductor has to announce that people wishing to
depart the train go to the rear of the train. To add to farcical
flavour of this morning’s journey the conductor periodically
announces that his ticket machine is not working, & thus to buy
tickets from “the appropriate booking office”. So we have seen
nothing of him this morning either.

Homeward: Been shopping in town & have a bag loads of
groceries. Impulse buy today has been Tabasco sauce in anticipation
of eating again. Food is starting to be tempting, but the fear of
pain wins out. I am looking forward to feeling better. Lucozade
& chocolate milk are losing their appeal.
Louise will have been to the doctors as well with this stomach
complaint. Perhaps she might have gleamed more information as to
what it might be? Perhaps not though, as the doctor I saw is noted
for being basically up front. It would be nice to have some sort of
‘life cycle’ for it though… sigh… knowing my luck “as long as
it takes” & I do not feel confident that my health is back to
itself.
Bother.
Have the kids had it? It’s difficult to tell… we hope so, as we
wouldn’t want them to be afflicted by it. As previously said, Eve
had a couple of bad days last week, & Jack was off his food in
general for a few days before that as well. Such things could also
be interpreted as the usual run of events with kids. They don’t
really understand feeling ill so much at that age & just get on
with things for the most part (albeit grumpily). If you were to ask
Jack if he was feeling alright at the moment, he would say that he
has a stomach ache, but this is purely out of empathy for Louise
& I.

Train home. Another early night last night. I think I might be starting to get sensible & obeying when I actually feel tired. That means that we got no attic painting done – but nonetheless the will was there, if not the energy.
Still too busy to have updated the web page recently – which is a bit annoying, but if I cannot find the time, I have to concede that there is no time even if my conscience disputes the nature of reality. Damn that reality – it’s so set in it’s ways. I know it keeps a little extra time up it’s sleeve somewhere, but it doesn’t want to tell me about it. Why do you think boredom takes up so much time? It sneaks extra minutes in when you’re not paying proper attention.
Ah, to luxuriate in inane boredom…
Eve has been to the doctors this morning. Just a routine thing as recommended by the health visitor due to our general concerns for her. Jude will also have his chest listened to, as he has an unpleasant cough at the moment. To be honest his cough should have been checked when he had his immunisation jabs last Friday, as I don’t recall him being any better then than he is now. Hopefully there is nothing to worry about in all of this, but a parent naturally worries & lets phantoms of doubt breed.