Archives: paul

Happy birthday to me!

What did I get? I dunno – I ain’t seed no post yet. I have bought myself various bits & bats – glasses OSX & all that – so I can hardly feel neglected. I got Louise a card as it is our anniversary as well.
I failed to get Ralphie’s present off to him. Going around in a daze these past few days has not been conducive to remembering to do anything past responding to what’s in front of me; will try to do that today.

Eve slept better last night – in that she did wake up & she did howl – but she stooped howling & went to sleep. Jack slept through again. Bed time was a little less stressful as although Jack was in a hyper mood again (had an enormous tea – completely into food at the moment – his body is up to something to demand this) he was also in a very sweet mood & he played very well with Eve. His play has changed a lot this year. He is much more into initiating ‘imaginative play’ whereas he used to want you to take the lead, he now takes it with Eve, & Eve is well into it (she’s always been good at pretend play).

Jude is still not well. He is better, but not well & apt to getting a little bit of a temperature still.

Jack was a little disappointed to have only the one chapter of Pinocchio read to him. He is very into this rendition of the story (which is good) as he was really rooting for Pinocchio to be a ‘good boy’ when the ass drawn coach drew up & tempted him to go to Boobyland. He voiced his disappointment at Pinocchio’s decision to jump aboard.

Eve cried & cried again last night – twixt 02:45 & 03:15.

I forgot Louise’s hot chocolate before bed.

I am starting to amble along in a wakeful state – but not an especially efficient wakeful state.

Jack was hyper at bedtime & took a long time to coax to sleep. Choice of book not that good at the moment – it being Pinocchio (it’s a bit exciting) but then he was rapt by the telling & was difficult before bed – not in bed.

Jude saw a ‘health visitor’ yesterday & it seems it’s most likely he has rubella at the moment. He can get quite a temperature – so we try to control that. The rash is fading somewhat & he’s never especially been ‘off’ with it. He’s eating better now – whereas last week he was having trouble keeping anything down (to the extent he was once sick at the introduction of food into the mouth). It seems that may have been ‘another virus’ that has been doing the rounds, but he’s over that one. Hopefully over this one soon.

Louise is slowly getting better – is very bunged up still.

Right – after that somewhat perfunctory typing I shall cease & sleep a bit, i think.

A quick type as it’s likely I will surrender the space of a seat next to me in a stop or 2.

Eve woke up yesterday morning with no bleat of tears; quiet & accepting. Granted, she could probably hear me cleaning my teeth in the bathroom or something, so she just came to me.

Last night before I went to bed she woke up. I knew this, not from her banshee howl, but from a sigh; a deep exhale. I popped upstairs to find her sitting on her bed, & she smiled as I came to her to settle her to sleep again.

In the night a storm of screams rose again. She got & & screamed up the stairs. I got her to bed & she screamed…. fell asleep, screamed, fell asleep… screamed… and again, and again.
sigh
I plonked her on the toilet for a wee & she screamed. I put her back in bed & she screamed… & fell asleep… & protested…. & slept.
She’s been ‘dry’ at nights for a long time & as we’ve used up all the pull ups & nappies she now has neither through the night. She’s quite pleased about this.

Oh, & she screamed when she woke up this morning as well.

Louise conceded that it might be a good idea to go to the doctors on Saturday morning – what with her near inability to get up & all that – so she did. I thought I was bad at going – but it seems Louise is even worse. She tried to back out a couple of times, but was reminded how rubbish she felt. It being an ‘open surgery’ on Sat morning you didn’t have to book – but you did have to wait. Fortunately it did not seem any more busy than usual really. Louise forged on ahead while I pottered on with the kids… Jude on the Wilkinet, Eve in the pushchair & Jack on the Buggy Board. Jude was good enough not to pull at Jack’s hair as he was within easy reach.
Louise was asked if she has been in contact with anyone who has Mumps? It seems the glands on her neck are swollen – they being the ones that Mumps has a go at. Not that we are aware of… None of the kids have been that well of recent though. Jude is badly off. He has a rash at the moment that looks a lot like ‘Rosa Bella’ as (I think) similar was called for Eve when Louise took her to see a doctor. Nasty little rash – temperature & generally delicate & unhappy.

We went into Manchester yesterday to get some shopping. Not too bad – more hectic than we thought it would be. I carried Jude most of the day & most of the time he huddled into me, not especially keen on viewing the outside word. ‘Busy’ seemed a bit too much for him. We suspect the kids all have ‘something’ as they are all ‘a bit piquey’; their skin seems delicate & they mark even more easily.

Me? I’m fine. I have a cold – but that’s not exactly news… I tend to have one most of the time… Gosh even had a suck on me inhaler this morning as I had to dash to the station – being late setting off

Train Home

Not that I could not have typed on the train in – I had a seat at which I could type, I had no one sitting next to me & I had a good nights sleep. For the 1st time in… um.. rather a long time, both Jack & Eve slept all through the night without shouting for attention. Wow!
Jude cried a fair bit as we were going to sleep. Not really sure what the matter was – he didn’t especially seem to want to be comforted, & we kinda concluded he was hungry – but would not really settle well for a feed. Still – he did settle in the end… with a feed…

Putting things on the web falls behind again – but it’s been a hectic week. Maybe plough out some time next week.

Present OS annoyance is that my digital camera will not work with OSX. It seems that it should & there seem to be drivers – but it won’t have it. Bah. More the problem is my lack of time to investigate at the moment.

There are more amusing anecdotes to impart. Again – they have evaporated since Louise told me & I come to type. Actually I know my memory holds them, but I cannot grasp them from the fog of here & now.

Train Home

Ha ha – what fun it was this morning – with the train cancelled & the next one no longer running while North Western Trains are in industrial dispute (overtime ban?) the train to work arrived some 40 mins after the one I usually get. No tying – it’s crowded by the time it reaches us.
That may all sound bitter – but I take it all with a pinch of salt really – why should I worry if I’m a little late for work? I still get to sit & I get to read & no one bothers me. I kinda enjoy the farcical nature of it all.

Jack slept a bit better last night – in that he slept…
He went to sleep relatively easy in the evening as well. Counter to expectations Jack & Eve were not really that fractious. Eve was a bit on the hysterical side, but then she does get a mess of tears & shrieks when she gets over tired. Jack did wake up in the night again. I don’t recall what he complained about. I seem to think that he asked whether today was a ‘school day’ – to which it could not be denied – yes. He then was in need of a cuddle & then got one. He then also got a few pokes <jab-jab-jab> on the eyelid as I noticed that he had his eyes open a crack – so, naturally I poked them closed. He complained that it hurt… OK! – OK! – I’m a bad dad. Mitigation: I was sleepy yer honour – stupid things make much more sense when you your brain is not engaged. He does have a sensitive eyelid at the moment. It sometimes gets a little swollen… I wonder what that’s about?
Louise’s nephew called to say ‘tara’ yesterday evening – he’s off to New Zealand for… well – I dunno how long for. He’s got a job & accommodation lined up & everything. I don’t think he’s yet 19 (I may be wrong) but that is such a good example of landing on your feet. I’m well impressed. Louise had a chat with her sister as well – it seems that we get their mum’s good side at the moment in comparison. She is getting her for Xmas as well, while we scuttle off to see my mum & dad (Hurah! – I’ve spoken to my dad &he can give us a lift!). It has been conceded that we should really have her to stay next year.

I can’t really think of much more to add in writing – so I should shut up. It all seems like one long round of sleep derived mutterings at the moment

Everyone awake as I left the house this morning… well… Eve was nearly asleep. Everyone was awake when I got up this morning.
Jack claimed a bad dream at @03:17 & did not settle. I’d be drifting off to sleep & he’d wake me with another plea of some form that I’d sleepily try to placate. Obviously I do a bad job or he’d sleep. At @04:20 I decided that I’m doing a bad job & go & get Louise to swap to see if that goes any better as I do need some more sleep & I can’t see the situation changing. I get some sleep until 05:30 when Jude stirs & my alarm goes off (in that order). Nyurg – time to get up. Unfortunately it seems that Louise has fared little better – if not worse as Eve woke up as well. All downstairs at 05:30 – sheesh!
I get my shower & all that as the usual routine with added baby hanging onto leg when doing the breakfast. Jack starts to falter & the telly goes on. He is going to remain awake now.
It could well be a grumpy evening.

I did not do well getting home yesterday. I was doing a little pottering (& dithering) in town; got an album & some groceries. Went to catch a train & found it cancelled. The next train was crowded & hot. I didn’t notice Todmorden go past until it was too late & had to get off at Hebden Bridge to go back the other way.
Silly.
At least I was able to use Louise’s mobile phone to call her to let her know how dim I was.

Right – well – as might be suspected I am tired… typing stop & I might try some passive reading – some vacant staring into space or some grateful sleeping. Such fun can be had sitting on a train to work.

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.