Archives: Uncategorized

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.

Jack was not for sleeping last night. Louise says he can tell when he’s in one of his moods from his face; a certain smug smile, & he had that smile as he was waking up yesterday & while at home, it seems, never lost it. He was out to be annoying. It was only broken when Louise suggested that he move to a bedroom of his own if was not keen on sleeping – he could have his own bedroom to stay up late in so as not to disturb Eve & Jude. He was upset by that & we at last got him to accept that such behaviour is not really acceptable. Then again, perhaps not – we have to see how today goes.
Slightly alarming is the prospect of actually getting home tomorrow. There is a train strike & I know I stand a reasonable chance of actually getting a train in the morning as it’s not the same company that is having the dispute, but I’ve got to figure when they may be a return train. Especially tomorrow when I need to be back to assist Louise with the party for William. I will have to take ‘unpaid leave’ as a worst case scenario. BAH!

Jack was stirring as I got up this morning. He was in the same bed as Louise & Jude & I think wanted to go downstairs. Fortunately we put him off. When I went to take Louise a cup of tea & rouse her again he was asleep & holding on to Jude. One arm around his middle & on his head. Jude likes to sleep on his side a little & for one so young has already been able to move off his back to do this. He is quite strong for his age. He can hold his head up oh his own quite well. He sleeps quite well at night as well; we are lucky.
Jack’s pal at school – probably his best friend – William is leaving at the end of this week. His family is moving to Spain. Jack knows this, & William has been off school in Spain before, which made Jack sad. William, from accounts, considers Jack a very good friend as well. I think we are going to have to engineer a way of keeping them in contact electronically. William is coming to tea at our house on Thursday – a little party on his behalf is organised. A couple of presents from Jack to be bought & party style food for us all to be organised. Happy/sad.
Jack is still not settled & this may be part of it. He is easy to offend & disproportionate in his response. I foolishly took some water out of their bath last night to rinse out Jude’s baby bath bowl thing & Jack took great umbrage that I had taken water from ‘his bath’. He got mad & the bathroom & I got rather wet. Sometimes there is no reasoning with him, as he is resolute in his determination not to listen. We are going to have to try to figure out how to diffuse these events more effectively as it’s doing no one any good.
Still – reading the to sleep was quite good as they were relatively keen to hear some Pooh Bear stories & I quite enjoy reading them. Jack even asked for another story to be read… which was encouraging, but at the same time I had to remind him that he was in fact tired & it was in fact bedtime. He turned over & drifted as I read “On nearly meeting heffalumps again”.

The kids actually slept through last night. Jude woke to have a nappy change at 2 ish & another feed at 5ish – so all in all quite a good night’s sleep. Shame I had to get up & go to work, but reality has this nasty habit of gatecrashing your life.
Quite a good weekend, the tantrum level seems to be abating a little. We went out to Halifax on the train for a couple of hours yesterday. Not my favourite town, but it does have a couple of shops open on a Sunday, & it’s not too far. Jack seemed to really enjoy it – happy to be on the train. We managed to get him a pair of swimming trunks. Louise mentioned that we might go swimming (he & me) on Saturday. We set off for the park & the kids enjoyed a run about in the howling wind that cuts through it. We got to the warmth of the sports centre & while I waited at the desk to see if there were things we could buy, (Jack has never been swimming & it’s been years since I went – so we have no kit) Louise, (with Jude) Jack & Eve went to look at the baths. Busy on a Saturday. So then… they had no trunks for either Jack or me. Too small for me, too big for him; Jack was very disappointed & mad that ‘we’ let him down in not having what was needed, but there was not a lot that could be done. After stating that he never ever wanted to go swimming he eventually came round & walked with us & even put his coat on.
I have yet to get a pair of trunks. Once I have, I will have to dip in the pool. As it’s all going to be focussed on Jack, I will not have to worry too much about doing anything as tedious as keeping fit.
Hmmm… I’m going to miss being at home. Taking Jack to school (Thankfully we have done a couple of ‘trial runs’ so Louise if happy that if she can get Jack dressed, they will get off OK) playing with Eve & holding Jude. He’s not even been sick on me yet!
Jude is starting to look about with more focus. He is quite a content baby. He can be changed without the screaming ab-dabs. Eve could at this age as well, but Jack could not. His general reaction to things is not to cry. He can wake up & look around & not cry. He will cry, of course, but there are definite levels from pay me attention to I’m rather hungry, to AAAAAAA! The latter is rarely reached. Eve is fascinated by him & thinks it’s really funny when Louise feeds him. Jack is loving, but for the most part he knows that a baby does not do that much, so lets Louise get on with things. Neither show any sign of resentment & both like to try to kiss him occasionally.

Early evening: One handed typing holding Jude. The kids are round at Andy /Hamish/Amber’s; they came round to ask if they wanted to come round… Eve was keen – Jack reluctant at 1st but won round. Jude with Louise now as he wanted a feed.
How have the kids adapted to the ‘new family dynamic’… Hmmm. Well, I’ve been at home this week in an attempt to ease the transition, so the picture gets a little blurred.
The kids came back as I wrote the last sentence. It’s now 9:30 & Jack went to bed at least an hour ago & he’s still not settled down to sleep. It’s usually my task to do this, but every time he thought I might be dropping off, (something I often do) he would make to get up. After messing about with this for sometime, I confronted him asking why he was doing this? He said that he wanted to go to our room as the bed was more comfortable, so I disagreed, but let him slink off anyway. He didn’t go to our room as I suspected he might but nipped off downstairs to see Louise. Fortunately Jude is snoozing (& parping) in his perambulator. Louise has just taken Jack upstairs for a wee (which is probably the reason he could not settle – but that would not be admitted/understood). I sit at the table typing (there’s a thing, these words you read have to come from somewhere, do they not?)
Hey ho – I guess this is an example of Jack’s reaction to Jude’s arrival. He is unsettled. He is also unsettled as his pal William is leaving school next week for Spain. William’s mum said that when they asked him what he would miss about Todmoden, he said, “Jack Schroeder”. They seem very good friends. William has been invited to tea next Thursday – we will have a ‘party’ tea. Pizza, jelly, ice cream & all that malarkey. I feel for Jack a bit as I moved schools every so often when I was a kid & I remember crying in bed for what seemed like hours at the realisation I would never see my friends again. I find it hard to put together my school years sometimes & the others that populated it, I put this down to such things.
Eve seems a little unsettled these last couple of nights. Before Jude arrived she was sleeping very well, & through the night quite often. For 2 night running she has awoken inconsolable & needing Louise badly – so I have had to take her to our bedroom. She has also coincidentally managed to increase the volume of her crying to quite an ear piercing scream… yes, I guess she has learnt to ‘scream’ properly. She has always been loud. Jack’s behaviour is the most erratic. He does not cope with change that well, & although he has been very loving & careful with Jude he has had frustration that he has had to get out of his system somehow. There are other examples, but yesterday was the one that made me mad. He started throwing everything from the back room into the front room, creating an almighty mess. I cannot recall what started it all, (most likely being told that he could not do something) but he became very angry & we were unable to reason with him. Louise advised me not to react, but i should have started to tidy up or something, as his continuing belligerent behaviour (starting to tidy up, but putting Eve’s toys into a bin bag) wound me up until I lost my temper with him – which served no purpose other than making everyone in the house unhappy.